Pregnant platty flipping out!

[Bkmrsteel]

My tall fin platty has been looking pregnant over the past few days. however just today she had started flipping out! I have a 40 gal tank, and have done a 8 gal and 6 gal pwc today, and added prime to the tank. About to do another water change.

No other fish are acting this way, seizing, darting across the tank, totching her side to an object and flipping out.

Edit:
just did an additional 16 gal pwc, only time will tell.

I had fed them a frozen brine shrimp cube earley, still seeing little bits I was hoping the cats would get after dark, think it just was to much for the tank?

 

[absolutangel04]

It sounds like she is flashing (fish version of scratching). Any white spots on her or any other fish in the tank?

 

[Bkmrsteel]

I'm heat treating the tank for ich... Got a school of tetras that ended up having it, upset but doing what I can.

She had started swimming backwoods to other fish, like shes backing it up or something. Doing computer work for my lfs today, they thought she might be having a hart attack. they gave me a full seachem liquid kit, so I'll check things when I get home.

 

[absolutangel04]

Well, let us know the test results when you can. Ich can live under the gill plates, so a fish can have it even though you don't see the white spots. Since there is ich in the tank, I am guessing that is what is going on.

 

[Bkmrsteel]

Free A 0
Total A 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate .5
ph 8.0

Alkalinity took one drop to turn green, and one more to turn yellow.
New to this test so still figuring this out.

while out today, the temp dropped to 79-80. Still ich visible on the tetras. The others calmed down with the cooler temp but my platy is still swimming backwords at times.

I have been reducing the salt in the tank with my current water changes. Also I have run out of aquarium salt and didn't trust my table salt.

 

[absolutangel04]

Good idea to not use table salt. The iodine in it is bad for fish.
How high was the temp before you it dropped? Were you keeping it above 86 to treat the ich?
Your parameters look good. I am still guessing the behavior is from itchiness caused by the ich. Somebody else will chime in if they have a different idea I am sure.

 

[Bkmrsteel]

Thanks for the help,

I was keeping it about 85, my heater is funny, and hard to hold higher temps. Think I have it sorted out though, as its held 86 now for over 24 hours . See in the morning.

over the past 24 hours I have also slowly added 2-4 tbs of sea salt per 5gal, as directed by one of the popular write ups on salt treatment. Was about 1 cup for my 40 gal tank.
Used a one gal water jug, some left over air tube lines and a gang valve. Mixed with one gal of tank water, and half cup salt at a time, I slow dropped it in the tank using the line like a gravity siphon, and the valve to adjust drops per min.

Tested again today, everything was spot on, No3 was closer to 1.0, all others 0, ph has held the same

I should also add I have not seen her swimming back today, although a few of the platys have been rubbing there sides. Tried grabbing the tetras that looked worse off for a bath, but ended up being impossible without disassembling the tank.

 

[absolutangel04]

OK. If possible, try to keep it at 86 or above. I know a degree doesn't seem like it should make a difference, but IME it can. 88 is even better.