sick platy

[horsedogfish]

one of my platys has a huge belly, clamped fins, and lies at the bottom of the tank behind some plants all day, except at feeding time. Then the fish is the first one to the food and is a real pig. My thought is to put it in the quarantine tank and and not feed it for a couple of days and see what happens. However, the challenge is to catch the fish in a well planted tank.

26 gallon bow front
4 platys
5 tiny
5 glowfish
one cory.

I feed flakes. Week before last I got 5 neons and within two days they were all dead. The lfs replaced them and the new ones are happy and healthy.

Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[horsedogfish]

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 2.5
pH 7.6

PWC yesterday and once a week.

 

[vance1013]

A pic would be helpful sounds possibly like bloat you can try fasting for a day or two then feeding blanched deshelled peas to help clear their systems a bit

 

[horsedogfish]

I'd send a pic but the platys have a place where they hide and I can't find them, How can I lose fish in a 26 gallon tank???? I only see it at feeding time and then it's racing around like a madman trying to eat ALL the food. I have a camera near the tank and will keep trying.

 

[vance1013]

I'd send a pic but the platys have a place where they hide and I can't find them, How can I lose fish in a 26 gallon tank???? I only see it at feeding time and then it's racing around like a madman trying to eat ALL the food. I have a camera near the tank and will keep trying.

Yah that happens all you can do is try

 

[Autumnsky]

Put the net in hours before you feed then set it so all you need to do is lift it out when the fish is there. Place the food , just a little enough for them to know it is there, in the net and when it comes scoop fast.

-or put the net in 1/3rd the way then add food and watch her come swim into the net to eat.

Check out using plain, nothing added, epsom salts in the water too. Could she be preggo too?

 

[vance1013]

Put the net in hours before you feed then set it so all you need to do is lift it out when the fish is there. Place the food , just a little enough for them to know it is there, in the net and when it comes scoop fast.

-or put the net in 1/3rd the way then add food and watch her come swim into the net to eat.

Check out using plain, nothing added, epsom salts in the water too. Could she be preggo too?

+1 agreed hadn't thought of being pregnant

 

[horsedogfish]

I thought maybe she was pregnant and a couple weeks ago SOMEBODY had babies that all got eaten up pretty fast, but she was still fat. Tried the net things this morning, but of course I catch anyone who is hungry--which is everyone except the cory. Well, she's hungry, but she just loves swomming around madly when everyone else is swimming around madly. She can always eat later since her food is on the gravel. I tried cornering the platy but she (he?) snuck out a corner just as I was carefully sliding the net up the glass. Of course, now it's nowhere to be seen.

I'm afraid to put Epsom salt into the aquarium because of the cory. That was my plan if I can get the big guy into the hospital tank.

And I thought fish would be a nice relaxing hobby. It has been nothing but worry and my growth curve keeps getting steeper. Does it ever settle down so you can just feed and clean and measurer parameters and enjoy the fish? Or do you come downstairs every morning asking yourself, What will it be today?

 

[vance1013]

I thought maybe she was pregnant and a couple weeks ago SOMEBODY had babies that all got eaten up pretty fast, but she was still fat. Tried the net things this morning, but of course I catch anyone who is hungry--which is everyone except the cory. Well, she's hungry, but she just loves swomming around madly when everyone else is swimming around madly. She can always eat later since her food is on the gravel. I tried cornering the platy but she (he?) snuck out a corner just as I was carefully sliding the net up the glass. Of course, now it's nowhere to be seen.

I'm afraid to put Epsom salt into the aquarium because of the cory. That was my plan if I can get the big guy into the hospital tank.

And I thought fish would be a nice relaxing hobby. It has been nothing but worry and my growth curve keeps getting steeper. Does it ever settle down so you can just feed and clean and measurer parameters and enjoy the fish? Or do you come downstairs every morning asking yourself, What will it be today?

Yes it does settle down so you can enjoy at the same time learning is part of this hobby which IMO is a fun part of it so it is useful to you in the future to help others or know what to do in case something does happen I'm always learning things either it be by experience or by reading and researching keeping fish is like keeping other pets as well you learn as go and know what if or when they get hurt or sick you know how to deal with the situation

 

[vance1013]

Also since you have cories I wouldnt do the salt just as a precaution

 

[horsedogfish]

Sick platy is unchanged--still hanging out on the bottom, still fat, and tail and fins are tucked in when it's not swimming. How long should I starve the whole aquarium? They all rush to the front of the tank every time I walk into the room.

Also, I am keeping the light off, and am thinking about doing a PWC every day as long as the sick one is in the tank and still sick. Am I right to keep the light off (there's a window in the room so it's not midnight in the tank)? And am I right about wanting to do PWCs every day until sicko is better or dead (or I catch it--fat chance)?

Thanks!

 

[Autumnsky]

I would do daily pwc. Several wise ones here say many times you can cure a lot with clean water!

Try to catch her. See if you can see what her poop looks like. What kind of food are you feeding? what is your temp?

See if she will eat blanched peas.

Epsom salt isn't really "salt" It is Magnesium sulfate. Regular salt is sodium chloride.

you might want to post the question. I can't recall the amount still, but it is good for loosening up the fish, think Milk of Magnesia, treatment for constipation in humans. lol

I am pretty sure I used the Epsom salt to treat a tank with Cories in it.

 

[LadyApril83]

one of my platys has a huge belly, clamped fins, and lies at the bottom of the tank behind some plants all day, except at feeding time. Then the fish is the first one to the food and is a real pig. My thought is to put it in the quarantine tank and and not feed it for a couple of days and see what happens. However, the challenge is to catch the fish in a well planted tank.

26 gallon bow front
4 platys
5 tiny
5 glowfish
one cory.

I feed flakes. Week before last I got 5 neons and within two days they were all dead. The lfs replaced them and the new ones are happy and healthy.

Any thoughts?
Thanks

Neon tetras have been bad stock lately. Rumor is that Even breeders are having difficulty keeping them alive long enough to ship out.

 

[horsedogfish]

Yesterday the sick platy spend the day swimming around and dropping many three inch strings of waste. She's still fat, but I think she was just constipated. Next time this happen I think I'll feed her the inside of a cooked pea.