Sluggish Platy

[SlyDifference]

Hi everyone,

My tank is a 20 gallon high, and it's contained fish for about 6 weeks, not counting the time period of the nitrogen cycle. There are 3 platys, a betta, and 3 small plants.

Lately, my male platy has been slowing down. He doesn't respond to much, and hardly ever moves. He even looks skinnier, and I'm feeding them everyday. I change the water every week and just changed it yesterday.

My water parameters are normal,

6.6 pH
0 Ammonia
0 Nitrite
5 Nitrate

and no deaths have occured. Is it some sort of sickness? Old age?

 

[BBradbury]

Your Tank

Hi everyone,

My tank is a 20 gallon high, and it's contained fish for about 6 weeks, not counting the time period of the nitrogen cycle. There are 3 platys, a betta, and 3 small plants.

Lately, my male platy has been slowing down. He doesn't respond to much, and hardly ever moves. He even looks skinnier, and I'm feeding them everyday. I change the water every week and just changed it yesterday.

My water parameters are normal,

6.6 pH
0 Ammonia
0 Nitrite
5 Nitrate

and no deaths have occured. Is it some sort of sickness? Old age?

Hello Sly...

I'm no authority, but tall tanks have little surface area for gas exchange. Your Platy may need a little more oxygen mixed with the tank water. Taller tanks need strong filtration or more surface agitation to mix more oxygen into the tank water. You could consider adding an air stone attached to an air pump.

More floating plants will provide more O2 also. Hornwort is a good one that will grow in most light.

Just a couple of suggestions.

B