Help! Platy swimming near top

[Newfishgirl]

I recently started a fresh water aquarium. It’s a 10 gallon tank and I added my first two female platy fish 4 days ago (no others in there). Since i added them, one of them had some fry which I was entirely unprepared for as I didn’t know she was pregnant. I rushed out to the pet store to buy a floating box thing to try and save them, but by the time I got back they were gone. I assumed they were eaten, but it looks like there might be a few dead ones in there now on the bottom.

So now my one fish is swimming along the top as you can see in the picture. Her appetite has not been very good. I used my test strips to check the water and everything was where it should be. NO2 and NO3 were 0. I still changed about 30% of the water tonight because I was worried. I made sure my filter is turned up so the flow rate is as high as it goes, so there should be enough oxygen. The fish swam around more immediately after the water change and ate a little. The temperature of my tank is 76 F.

My other platy is hiding In a little space between the cave and the glass.

Is this normal? Should I be worried? What should I do to make sure she’s ok?

(Also please be kind with your response. I’m new to this and doing the best I can! I’m just worried. Thank you!)

 

[earhtmother]

From my understanding of a **cycled** tank Ammonia should read 0
Nitrites should read 0
Nitrates should read around .5

If you don't have these readings your tank isn't cycled yet

 

[Newfishgirl]

Okay. Thanks. I thought it cycled but I’m going to buy a better testing kit tonight... something must be off.

 

[Angelfish owner]

It could be stress. transferring can be quite stressful. Your water could be perfect and still have some fish die of stress.

 

[Newfishgirl]

Thanks! I had the levels checked at a pet store last night and also bought a better testing kit for myself. The levels were all fine. I also vacuumed up the dead fry I could see on the bottom and added a thing that makes bubbles just incase the water wasn’t oxygenated enough.

The platy who was hiding died last night but the one who was at the top a lot has come down a little more and seems a little more energetic... I wonder if they could maybe be constipated? They ate all the fry before I was able to get them out.

 

[Angelfish owner]

The water probably wasn't oxygenated enough. like I said, that platy could have just been stressed from something that happened weeks ago. Also don't leave dead fish in the tank for long. It can cause nitrites to spike.

 

[Newfishgirl]

Thanks!!