sick platies

[fishy_friend]

hey I have a 95 litre tank with various fish in it, including 3 platies. a big grey mickey mouse female, a young ( maybe 6 months old but not fully grown) hi-fin female and a sunset mickey mouse male. anyway I look in the tank and see the young female at the bottom of the tank dead. this is even stranger as a month ago an orange pregnant female died in a very similar way. the other platies, big female and male, are looking sickly and hanging at the back of the tank. they have both have tatty fins that have clearly been nipped at (the male in particular) I have put the male in a net just in case it is from other fish nibbling them although I haven't seen them being chased at all. I have put in some anti-internal bacteria stuff in case. I have tested my water parameters with a liquid App test kit and they are fine.
So i'm completely clueless to why


the grey female


the sunset male
please help!

 

[Pleco1415]

There are a few things this could be. The first thing this could be is over feeding. When fish are over fed they tend to have problems swimming. This is also known as swim bladder. Swim bladder can be treated by cutting down on how much you feed your fish. A good thing to feed your fish when they have swim bladder s crushed up peas just take off the skin. Another thing this could be is nitrate poisoning. Nitrate poisoning is caused when your tank is dirty. You should be doing partial water changes on your tank once every week.

 

[fishy_friend]

thanks for replying so quickly, I do a 25% water change once a week so I don't think its nitrate poisoning. possibly swim bladder although they are swimming fine. I will try the peas anyway. I'm thinking it could be one of my angelfish, he picks on the other angelfish and any fish who get too close. they are just looking so much less lively and sad although they look as colourful as ever. hmmmm will try feeding them a bit less and see if that helps.

 

[Pleco1415]

So you have an angel fish. Angel fish are known to be the king of the aquarium. What I mean by that is they like to be the boss chasing other fish around and setting there territory. If your going to keep angel fish you should only keep them with other angel fish or larger fish. I had an angel fish once and it decided to eat all my red wagtail platies. Now I only keep platies, gouramis, and various catfish species. Angel fish are very nice looking but there mean.

 

[Pleco1415]

I feel stupid because the photos you posted appeared like the fish were swimming pointed up so that's why I thought they had a swimming problem. You don't have to do the crushed up peas unless they have a swimming problem but it is a healthy treat.

 

[fishy_friend]

ummm maybe getting an angel fish as a community fish wasn't such a good idea, he picks on the other angel fish relentlessly but I'm worried if I take him back he will be killed. I don't have another tank big enough for him and I don't know anyone with a big tropical aquarium equipped for keeping angelfish. The remaining female platy has perked up and is swimming around although a bit shy now being by herself. my local fish store is very good and know their stuff with fish, all their fish are very healthy and in good conditions so I will ask them about it. hopefully she will have some new platy companions soon!

 

[fishy_friend]

the last male platy died, forgot to say in last post. they remaining female is the large grey one and she is looking better but lonely

 

[fishy_friend]

last platy died last night the thing that was odd was that on her side and belly, under her skin it was all red. I didn't see this until I found her body this morning