Sick platy?

[wlepse]

OK I am not sure what is going on but for the last couple of days we had one platy out of three that was always hanging out around the cover but would come out for food. SO since it had a fat belly I started to think maybe it was pregnant and was just trying to lay low and have a safe place for teh fry. Well tonight the wife called me at work to tell me things don't look good and that it was no longer interested in food. When I got home I noticed the scales on the front portion mainly the top seem rough and he/she is swimming like its drunk. Ammonia and Nitrite were at 0.25 and nitrates were 5. As I mentioned the otehr two platies and two danios are looking fine. Unfortunately I don't have time for a water change tonight but I have one scheduled for tomorrow to help with teh ammonia/nitrate. In the mean time I dosed the tank with Melafix hoping that might help and I added a little of teh Stress Zyme figuring teh Melafix is probably going to take out some good bacteria too and my levels are already elevated.

Anyone have any other suggestions or know what the rough scales are from? I did a search but didn't find anything.

[Faith_at_Large]

Bloated with scales sticking out? Sounds like dropsy. Check out the links in the sticky's in the "Fish Diseases" section of the forum.

[wlepse]

Damn...does sound like dropsy. Will the Melafix help? From what I read it seems to be unknown what causes it, water conditions are suspect but so is bacteria?? If so I would think the MelaFix would help, if nothing else keep it from spreading.

[wlepse]

Well unfortunately the little guy passed overnight. Since the others still look and are acting normal I am not sure what to do. This last guy seemed fine right up to my last water change. My tap water is around 7.4 but the tank is 8.4, could that change in pH cause issues? I was planning on doing a water change again tonight but now I am kind of worried. Should I continue using the Melafix as a preventative in this tank for now?

[Neon]

sorry for your loss mate .

about the "fat belly" : in platies you don't have fat belly for pregnancy but a dark spot visible (depending on the platy's colour) close to the tail. It seems more a symptom of dropsy.

ammonia IME and IMO should be 0. Investigate why was that high. Low Water quality is one of the causes of dropsy , please find time to read : [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

hope it helps

[rich311k]

I am sorry for your loss,

[wlepse]

Ammonia is elevated as the tank is still cycling. I am just starting to get my nitrite peak this week so I am getting there. Read the wiki but have a question...my little guy had the scales raised mainly around the head not the swollen abdomen, probably the same thing but not sure. Also I had read that platys get the dark spots near the tail and did notice black freckles by the anal fin so that kind of reinforced teh pregnancy thoughts. In the ebook it says this isn't typically spread to others but should I continue with the Melafix anyway as a precaution? What about the water change? I think I have to do it otherwise teh ammonia will become a major problem, so maybe I should check pH before an after water change to see if it swings too much. Maybe I will need to start pretreating the tap water with pH up or adding the water slowly so it doesn't quickly change.

As a side note, I am about due to change the filter cartridge but I am concerned about losing the beneficial bacteria and having the ammonia spike. Are there any tricks to trying to transfer some of this good bacteria? Will the Melafix make this worse? I did install a cell pore secondary media last weekend hoping it would help with bacteria colonies and allow recolination after disposable changes.

[Neon]

I would go for a water change plus treating water in order to avoid sudden change in ph.

It's always a good idea to add water slowly.

Filter , if you are still cycling the tank then I would stick with the older seeded cartridges for a while or you can colonize the new one just washing it in the tank water, just an idea.

Melafix has no effect on the cycle.

please read also the cycling article in the beginner section, I am only a beginner just trying to help.:11:

[wlepse]

I usually add teh water fairly slow but find the filter runs really crappy if I don't get the levels back up to at least a certain point pretty quick. I guess I will play around with that tonight. I did read the ebook and info here on cycling, was just concerned teh antibacterial effects of the Melafix might be broad spectrum and effect the good bacteria like antibiotics often upset intestinal bacteria in people. But glad to hear it won't set back the cycle, then I will continue to treat the water for a few days to hopefully keep teh other guys healthy.

As mentioned above I will test pH before and after water cahnge to see how much it is affected. Then I will decide if I should use pH adjusters...last time I used it in the tank they did nothing so I am a little skeptical.

[Neon]

When I do water change I usually switch off the filter , I had had no side effects.

good luck and enjoy your hobby

[lahlumdi]

So sorry for your loss. Sounds like she was a weaker fish and couldn't take the changes taking place during the cycling process. Platys and danios are more hardier than other fish, but some have their own health issues, just like human beings, and you can't tell that at the store. So don't beat yourself up for it.

Neon has been giving you good advice and you are reading good materials.

Best of luck with the tank and keep us informed!

[Lab_Rat]

Ammonia is elevated as the tank is still cycling. I am just starting to get my nitrite peak this week so I am getting there. Read the wiki but have a question...my little guy had the scales raised mainly around the head not the swollen abdomen, probably the same thing but not sure. Also I had read that platys get the dark spots near the tail and did notice black freckles by the anal fin so that kind of reinforced teh pregnancy thoughts. In the ebook it says this isn't typically spread to others but should I continue with the Melafix anyway as a precaution? What about the water change? I think I have to do it otherwise teh ammonia will become a major problem, so maybe I should check pH before an after water change to see if it swings too much. Maybe I will need to start pretreating the tap water with pH up or adding the water slowly so it doesn't quickly change.

As a side note, I am about due to change the filter cartridge but I am concerned about losing the beneficial bacteria and having the ammonia spike. Are there any tricks to trying to transfer some of this good bacteria? Will the Melafix make this worse? I did install a cell pore secondary media last weekend hoping it would help with bacteria colonies and allow recolination after disposable changes.

Still cycling tank is what killed the fish, likely more are to follow unless you do daily water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite negligible. Don't change your cartridge, doing so you are throwing out all the bacteria you need. You can just rinse off the cartridge in old tank water if it is getting clogged. People have reported good results with Tetra's Safe Start, it may be worth looking into to help complete your cycle so no more fish die.

Don't mess with pH chemically, all you'll do is cause pH swings which will also help kill fish. If you need to lower it, add real driftwood or some peat moss to the filter.

[wlepse]

People have reported good results with Tetra's Safe Start, it may be worth looking into to help complete your cycle so no more fish die.

Don't mess with pH chemically, all you'll do is cause pH swings which will also help kill fish. If you need to lower it, add real driftwood or some peat moss to the filter.
Is Tetra Safe Start live bacteria like the Stress Zyme? Is there really a difference worth me trying to find it locally?

Thanks on the suggestions for changing the pH. I have been thinking about driftwood but haven't found the shape and size that fits my tank but the peat moss is an interesting idea. Where does one get peat that won't make a mess of the tank?

[Lab_Rat]

I have not used either product personally, but from what people have reported, stresszyme is garbage. Tetra Safe Start is the new name for Bio-Spira, which is the best "bacteria in a bottle" product out there, afik. I've used Stability when adding fish but I don't know if it actually does anything besides making myself feel better. I know Mith just reported success with the Safe Start after a mini cycle, and so have others, so it's worth a shot.

For the peat, you'll want clean peat (without any chemicals/ferts) which you should be able to find in any garden center. You'll need to use a very fine mesh bag and add it to your filter. It will stain the water with tannins, as will the driftwood.

[tigger1]

Not to derail thread but

Neon stated:

about the "fat belly" : in platies you don't have fat belly for pregnancy but a dark spot visible (depending on the platy's colour) close to the tail. It seems more a symptom of dropsy.

I have Mickey Mouse plattys, where would the dark spot be on them? I've had some that were fat then got thin so I thought they gave birth and just ate the fry after.

Another thing, Ive had 2 plattys kind of shrivel up and get deformed. For a while the act like normal, eating and swiming and such but after a while they just tend to stay low till they die off.. Is that a specific disease or just old age?

thanks and sorry if I derailed/hyjacked thread

[wlepse]

OK....so I did the water change and found that pH really didn't change. I tested before and about and hour after and it was basically the same, so that makes me feel a little better. The other guys left in there seem very active and were VERY interested in food so I hope all is well. Either way I decided to continue dosing with the Melafix for a few more days. Figure it can't hurt and I would like to keep these guys as healty as I can.

tigger1...no idea on your guys but hopefully someone here can help.

One last question....what the hell can I do to get rid of dog hair in the tank? I am sure other people have animals and must have this happen...I just can't figure out how to keep the hair out. It isn't a lot but it is annoying. The shelties hair is kinky so it sticks to stuff and you don't realize until you put it in the tank and see it come off. Then it is impossible to grab.

[Lab_Rat]

Put a cover on the tank and rinse anything before putting it into the tank. I've got a dog and cat but have no problems with hair in the tank.

[wlepse]

Tank has a cover but it seems like when I fill the buckets and leave them out to get to a stable temp they still get a few hairs in them I don't see until after I add water. And that is with storing them in the shower, so I think it must be the fact the dog likes to track me and today he just got groomed. So I am sure that doesn't help.