Platy ripping scales off - what's wrong?

[chofmann79]

I have a 10 gallon tank, 3 platies (1 male, 2 female). Recently, the male started rubbing against plants and actually ripping his own scales off. He'll swim up to the plant, back up a little, then swim really fast towards the edge of a leaf...he'll repeat this three or four times until a scale comes off...then he swims away like everything is fine. What is causing him to do this, and is there any way to fix it? The other two fish in the tank are fine.

[Persimmon]

I could be wrong, but it sounds like parasites. Have you added any new plants, fish, etc or had a big difference in warmth of the tank?

[chofmann79]

well i'm in the process of cycling a new tank. I had to female platies in there along with several plants, and they were fine for 2 weeks. I then added this male platy about a week ago, as well as a new plant.yesterday i noticed a couple scales missing, but i just assumed that the more aggressive female platy had done it (she regulary chases and nips at the other two if they come out of hiding). but today, i actually saw him ripping his own scales off.

there have been no changes in water temperature.

if this is parasites, what do i need to do to fix it?

[Persimmon]

what do your water prams say? I will leave the treatment up to another member. I am a fancy goldfish person so the treatment may be a little different.

[Holly9937]

Do you know what ich is, or looks like? Often flashing (rubbing up against stuff quickly) is a sign of ich. Keep your eye out for what looks like grains of salt on them, there is an article for a treatment with salt and heat on here, if that is the case.
Test your water and post results ASAP, it could also effect the fish, depending on what your numbers are, since you say you are still cycling

[chofmann79]

so far none of the fish show any visible signs of ich. The only thing visibly wrong is that the male fish is missing a noticable patch of scales on one side, and a couple other scales randomly missing here and there.

i tested my water this morning and these were the results:
pH: 7.2-7.6
ammonia: less than 0.25 (getting closer to zero every day)
nitrite: ~0.25 (nitrates just showed up about 3 days ago)
nitrate: ~5 (this is the first day nitrates were greater than zero)

something else i just noticed: the affected fish also seems to keep his fins clamped down most of the time, unless he's near one of the females or eating. he still swims around a lot and seems very active, though. Both of the females keep their fins fully extended almost all of the time, and neither of them exhibit any strange behavior.