Platy females

[Fishkeeper92]

Have a 20 planted with what was 6 adult fish and 1 fry. Oddly all the females are sick, spastic and dying. Any idea what it may be? None of the fish are beat up or abused so its not due to aggressive males.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Have a 20 planted with what was 6 adult fish and 1 fry. Oddly all the females are sick, spastic and dying. Any idea what it may be? None of the fish are beat up or abused so its not due to aggressive males.

What are your water parameters? Any thing recently done to the tank?

 

[Fishkeeper92]

I checked this morning it was 6.7 ph 0ppm ammonia 0ppm trite and trates. I havent done anything major, just basic water changes and took one of the air stones out to wash it off, make sure its clean and working.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I checked this morning it was 6.7 ph 0ppm ammonia 0ppm trite and trates. I havent done anything major, just basic water changes and took one of the air stones out to wash it off, make sure its clean and working.

Are you sure there is no nitrAtes? Unless it is heavily planted you should have some level of NO3.

 

[Fishkeeper92]

If there is it didnt show up on the test this morning. I'll test again and see what i get.

 

[Fishkeeper92]

Did a partial water change, added some salt to help fight disease. Retested the water, 6.6 ph seems to have a small amount of ammonia, probably do another water change tomorrow, no nitrites, 5ppm nitrates. Fishes seem to be doing okay at the moment hope they live, the females are pregnant and they seem to be the only ones sick. What kind of cruel irony does my tank have

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Hmm...if ammonia is over .5 then your platies could be super sensitive to high levels...it's a disease? Maybe it's a viral infection?

 

[Fishkeeper92]

I have NO clue what it is. I have a book with all the disease fish can get and so far none of them seem like the right diagnoses.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

If you have a spare tank around, I would set it up and keep her in there, so she can try to be nursed to health by herself without getting any of the other fish sick. Sorry I'm not a disease expert, I don't know what she could have

 

[Fishkeeper92]

I would hate to see any of them die but if they pass then its a mistake for me to learn from and try again.

 

[Fishkeeper92]

Been doing a water change once a day to lower ammonia and now the fish who have survived seem to be doing fantastic.