re: Platies listless and not eating

[CJC]

I am new here and not sure what if I am even posting in the right area, however I am desperately seeking some advice for the current problem I having with my platies.

I have a 55 gal. tank which has been up and running for nearly 3 years. I have my water quality tested on a regular basis at my LFS, and I have not added any fish since getting the original fish in the tank.

In my tank I have the following fish:
6 platies (not including fry)
1 angelfish
1 bristlenose algae eater

In the past 2 months I have lost a total of 3 platies. It starts out with being listless and clamped fins, then they stop eatting, after a few attempts of contacting the reputable fish store in town they came to the conclusion that it was Nitrite poisoning. I took a sample of water in, it was not nitrite poisoning or ammonia poisoning either.

I am at my wits end because I have platies suffering and I don't know what is wrong with them. I know that there are things that I have left out, so please feel free to ask questions.
Any and all help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
CJC

 

[Star_Rider]

sorry to hear about your problems.

what is your water change schedule like?

I would expect to see more issues with the angel..but not always..

if it were ammonia or nitrite problems you most likely would have lost the angel.

I would suggest you get a test kit and see for yourself what the ammonia , nitrite and nitrate readings are.

listless, clamped fins and not eating are signs of stress..could be an infection of some kind possibly parasites.

but first lets rule out the water as an issue.

 

[CJC]

Platies listless and not eating

I change the water every other week due to my work schedule, and since my tank isn't overstocked by any means, I do a 30% water change. When the platies and anglefish see the hose (can't remember the technical name to it right off hand), they go crazy! They love the water changes!

I've not had any odd behavior out of the anglefish, infact she is still as eager and playful as the well platies are.

When I went to the LFS, I bought all the testing kits for myself, and since I can't read the strips, they are the test kits that you get the water sample, put a few drops of whatever in the water, then wait; and they are so much easier to read than the test strips.

I can tell you for sure that the LFS had me treat the tank for ICH; and I am still loosing Platies. I have ruled ICH out myself.
CJC

 

[YoFishboy]

Hey CJC - Iwas wondering how things were going after we spoke in the chat room. Fish become listless with clamped fins and poor appetite for mainly five reasons - poor water quality, low temperatures, bacterial illness,parasites and fear of other fish. If your water and temp are ok, and no one is kicking their butt - then look to bacterial - when we chatted before, you said there were no external signs. Since your fish are dying off, but not real quick, then I think an internal bacterial issue is also unlikely. So then we think parasites - most problems of this nature in fish are parasitic - are there bellies sunken in? Its hard to determine exact causes in little fish when your losing the fish on an ongoing basis. So I would suggest a fairly large water change (35% plus) and an anti-parasitic med that covers internal parasites. The queen mother of the shot gun anti-parasitics is Clout. A lot of people think its too strong and hurts the biofiltration and plants. I have used Clout from time to time for many years and I have not had this problem. You could even use Clout half strength over a longer time if you wish. There are other anti-parasitics you could check out as well, such as metronidazole, which is considered to be less harsh than Clout. So, you have some options, and I'm sure others will have more ideas. This is how I have approached issues like this in the past 37 years with fish. Good luck!

 

[Roan Art]

YoFishBoy

The only problem I have with your recommendations is the fact that he says he has not added any new fish since the original fish.

Where would parasites come from? They need to be introduced via new fish and there have been none in years.

What is the lifespan for a platy fish?

Roan

 

[switchcats]

Kind of sounds like when a betta is about to go because of old age.

A platy's average life is about 3-4 years, which is higher range for the livebearers.

Sorry for your losses. :sad:

 

[YoFishboy]

YoFishBoy

The only problem I have with your recommendations is the fact that he says he has not added any new fish since the original fish.

Where would parasites come from? They need to be introduced via new fish and there have been none in years.

What is the lifespan for a platy fish?

Roan

That's true...but if it were old age, it's still strange that they would all be showing the exact same symptoms at once...that they would all have the exact same life span, although they are at the upper end...Hey CJC, have you used any live food, new plants, etc. in the relatively recent past? Any thing organic added? Zee plot thickens.....

 

[Roan Art]

That's true...but if it were old age, it's still strange that they would all be showing the exact same symptoms at once...that they would all have the exact same life span, although they are at the upper end...

There is that too, yes.

Hey CJC, have you used any live food, new plants, etc. in the relatively recent past? Any thing organic added? Zee plot thickens.....

You shall solve deesh mystery, Clouseau!

Roan

 

[YoFishboy]

Perhaps a bungled murder-suicide pact is more logical....

 

[Roan Art]

Perhaps a bungled murder-suicide pact is more logical....

Romeo and Juliet, methinks

Sorry, we're getting off-topic. However, we are waiting for a response to YoFishBoy's queries.

Roan