sick fish ... what's wrong?

[dorkopolis]

Last weekend, I bought four platies to add to my 30 gallon livebearer tank. I picked the healthiest fish and brought them home.

I confess to rushing their acclimazation.

It's almost a week later, and one of the platies has died. One has adjusted and is doing well except for that it has a tiny bit of fin rot or fungus that is starting to heal.

There are a male and female though that I have almost euthanized several times. They are extremely thin, swim as if they are dragging themselves through the water, and one actually lays listless on its side on the bottom of the tank all day.

However, when I feed the fish, the platies come to the surface and eat with perfectly normal appetites.

Is this an illness, or simply starvation? I can feed more and make more water changes if it will help the fish.

Thanks.

[cocoa_pleco]

what tankmates? more importantly, how are your ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels? I think it's high ammonia

[dorkopolis]

what tankmates? more importantly, how are your ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels? I think it's high ammonia

it's only the new fish that are sick. Let me count what i have in there.
1 pictus, 1 female betta, 4 little mollies and one balloon molly, and 9 platies.

I'll test the ammonia right now. I vaccuumed gravel and did a 20% water change last night, but i did forget to test.

[dorkopolis]

nitrate 20
nitrite 0
ammonia is closer to 0 than anything else. possibly .05 or so.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Do the platies have curved spines?

[dorkopolis]

Do the platies have curved spines?

I dont ... think so. I was considering that it might be TB, but I don't know anything about the disease.

I'm afraid that I'll kill the little guys if I try to move them. They seem to feel a bit better after I feed them.

Personally, I was wondering (hopefully) that maybe I put them in the tank too quickly, that they were in shock, and failed to eat well for a week.

But I've never had fish act like this before.

[cocoa_pleco]

all i can say is do a few extra water changes. Thats puzzling.

[dorkopolis]

all i can say is do a few extra water changes. Thats puzzling.

Thanks for the responses.

Yeah. I think I'm just going to feed more and keep a close eye on the water quality. Also going to learn about TB in case that is the culprit.

But if anyone comes up with a better idea, please let me know.

[cocoa_pleco]

some basic TB info is that it is uncurable, and the fish have to be destroyed because humans easily catch it and can die.

Another thing that might have happened is did any metal come in contact with your fish water?

[dorkopolis]

some basic TB info is that it is uncurable, and the fish have to be destroyed because humans easily catch it and can die.

Another thing that might have happened is did any metal come in contact with your fish water?

No metal at all. And I have a 5 gallon plastic bucket that I use ONLY for water changes.

I really need to decide if it's TB or not. I certainly don't want a fish with TB to be hanging out in my tank. My platies are my favorite fish.

I have one last theory. My largest male platy is extremely proud of his little harem. Maybe they are just scared to death. *shrugs*