Platys dying!

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casey.jordan

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Jul 6, 2011
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Help!

I have a 10-gallon freshwater tank with these fish inhabiting the tank:

1- Regular Goldfish
2- Blue Mickey Mouse Platies
2- Glowlight Tetras

I used to have another goldfish, a redcap oranda but he unfortunately battled dropsy for sometime and i euthanized him peacefully. However, I did everything that I could to save the others and to save him, using marycyn II and taking the carbon out of the filter, and all of the directed tactics to attempt to save a dropsy stricken fish. However, Bubbles didn't make it out alive, he died about 2 months ago. Tonight, I walked into my room and found a blue mickey mouse platy on the bottom, dead, and was bent almost in half he was so bent. What does this mean?! Is there anything I can do to improve the tank conditions? I have a thermometer, it is always between 75 and 80 degrees. I change the water and filter once a week, and I strip the tank down to nothing and clean it once a month. I have done that for 3 years now, with this same batch of fish. I also add aquarium salt to the new water I add in, de-cholornate the water with the appropriate aquasafe amount, and I use preventative ich and other infection drops. I have live plants in the tank to balance the excessive amounts of chemicals such as phosphorous, that could be present as well. The fish I have had have seem very hardy, knock on wood, but now that the current goldfish I have is by herself since Bubbles died, and now there is only one platy left, they act very jumpy and scared to be alone. What can I do to help them relax more if I do not want to buy more fish? Also, is there something I did for this platy to die so suddenly and is there a reason why his body was bent? Did he have a disease? Could it be contagious? I need to know asap! PLEASE HELP ME. :help: :confused:
 

Jannika

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Mar 17, 2010
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Welcome, casey. Sorry to hear about your fish, but we need to know if you tested for nitrites, nitrates, and ammonia first, and what those readings are.
 

Jumko

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Jun 18, 2004
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1. Tonight, I walked into my room and found a blue mickey mouse platy on the bottom, dead, and was bent almost in half he was so bent.

2. I change the water and filter once a week, and I strip the tank down to nothing and clean it once a month.

3.I also add aquarium salt to the new water I add in, de-cholornate the water with the appropriate aquasafe amount, and I use preventative ich and other infection drops. What can I do to help them relax more if I do not want to buy more fish?
1. He probably died in the corner or in a spot where its body contorted and rigormortis set in afterwards.

2. Your filter is where most of your beneficial bacteria reside. There's no need to "change the filter" once a week. All you need to do is rinse it in old tank water. "Stripping down" your tank is also unnecessary considering some of your benefical bacteria also reside in your tank's substrate, ornaments, etc. Vacuuming the substrate every week is all you really need to do.

If you haven't already, read up on cycling your tank. Also, as Jannika mentioned, test your water parameters and post them here.

3. No need to add "preventative" medication to a tank. Not to mention they're probably being absorbed by the carbon in your tank anyways. Salt is ok to have at acceptable levels.

4. 10 gallons isn't ideal for a goldfish, especially if it's a "common" goldfish as you mentioned.
 

casey.jordan

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Jul 6, 2011
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how do I test for all of these water parameters? I purchased a vacuum and it wasn't a motor powered one, so unfortunately, I tried to make it work for hours and it wouldn't work so I returned it, and settled for stripping the tank down once a month. Should I not do that? Aren't diseases possible if I do not give the tank a good cleaning? Thanks so much for the responses!
 

homedog98

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Jul 19, 2011
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You test water parameters with a test kit. Look into the API master kit, it's one of the best. :) you can find them at petco and petsmart, and they're also on amazon. You start that vacuum by sucking on the open end, and pouring the water into a bucket ;) every time you strip that tank, you start your cycle over and open your fish up to even more disease then if you just left it alone. :) welcome to AC by the way!!!
 

SubluxT7

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Jul 29, 2006
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how do I test for all of these water parameters? I purchased a vacuum and it wasn't a motor powered one, so unfortunately, I tried to make it work for hours and it wouldn't work so I returned it, and settled for stripping the tank down once a month. Should I not do that? Aren't diseases possible if I do not give the tank a good cleaning? Thanks so much for the responses!
This scares me a bit. Did you happen to do any research before you got these fish or did you just throw them in the tank when u got it? If you don't know please refer to RBishops excellent thread on cycling a freshwater tank.

You should not be stripping down your tank and cleaning it (please tell me your not using detergent or some other chemical on it). I've had tanks for years and the only time i strip them down is if i plan on not using the tank.

Gravel vacs are not powered by motors and they do work (by the law of gravity).

You tank, with the goldfish alone, is overpopulated (they are pooh machines). Also, goldfish are cold water fish while your others are tropical. You will probably continue to have problems with this tank. Please read up a bit and get a good testing kit. I imagine you are cycling that tank and that is why your fish are dying. Everytime you clean that tank out you start the cycle all over again. Good luck.
 

Dekk

Keeper of Hybrids
Mar 31, 2009
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If I had to suck at the end of a dirty aquarium hose every time I wanted to clean the tank, I'd probably quit the hobby.
LOL
 

Lillyan

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Jan 26, 2010
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Try having old sw dried chips in the tube and ending it up in your throat by accident. Ugh. FW w/a clean hose is no issue.
I agree, you need to do some research from the start. Goldfish should be left to huge tanks or ponds. Salt or anything but clean water is not needed. Platy are pretty strong fish, the constant mini cycle is stressing them, goldfish are poo machines, adding ammonia.
 
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