Strange Platy Symptoms/Behavior: ended well, but ?

[PineSong]

The other evening I noticed one of my female platies top-sitting in the corner of the tank. She was facing the corner, fins against her body, though tail was not clamped. 

Her metallic shimmer was turned off and she looked like a matte blue/black fish. When another fish came along and bopped her, it was like they were pushing a peice of wood--she was that stiff. It doesn't make sense to say that a creature without eyelids appeared to be staring off into the distance, but that's what it looked like.  

I could see no physical injury. All other fish were acting normally, other than coming to investigate her every now and then. I tested water, no clues there. I put my hand in the tank to see if I could feel current and this disturbed her enough for her to swim across the top of the tank, but within a minute she was back in her corner.

I have a cupboard full of meds, but having no idea how to treat "paralyzed staring" I decided to wait and see. Two hours later, she was still in the corner.  I went to bed expecting to find her deceased the next day.

Happily, in the morning she appeared totally fine. Her sparkle and full colors were back, fins in a normal position, she went after food as usual, no problems.

I don't know what that top-sitting spell was. She did not look heavily pregnant and I saw no fry, but all I could think of was maybe she was in labor and had fry after lights out and they were eaten?

Anybody familiar with this behavior or have any other possible rationale?

 

 

[H.K.Luterman]

My guess would be labor, since I've observed that floating very still/concentrating behavior in my limia, but it's hard to say if there's no fry (maybe they were all gobbled up?). She obviously wasn't feeling well, regardless. I'd check all your parameters just to be on the safe side, and adjust anything needed. Hopefully it was just a tummy ache and won't be a reoccurring problem.

[PineSong]

Parameters were all fine. Thanks for confirming what I thought was most likely. Sad to not have fry, but glad she's okay.

[Guppysnail]

On 9/26/2021 at 9:29 AM, PineSong said:

The other evening I noticed one of my female platies top-sitting in the corner of the tank. She was facing the corner, fins against her body, though tail was not clamped. 

Her metallic shimmer was turned off and she looked like a matte blue/black fish. When another fish came along and bopped her, it was like they were pushing a peice of wood--she was that stiff. It doesn't make sense to say that a creature without eyelids appeared to be staring off into the distance, but that's what it looked like.  

I could see no physical injury. All other fish were acting normally, other than coming to investigate her every now and then. I tested water, no clues there. I put my hand in the tank to see if I could feel current and this disturbed her enough for her to swim across the top of the tank, but within a minute she was back in her corner.

I have a cupboard full of meds, but having no idea how to treat "paralyzed staring" I decided to wait and see. Two hours later, she was still in the corner.  I went to bed expecting to find her deceased the next day.

Happily, in the morning she appeared totally fine. Her sparkle and full colors were back, fins in a normal position, she went after food as usual, no problems.

I don't know what that top-sitting spell was. She did not look heavily pregnant and I saw no fry, but all I could think of was maybe she was in labor and had fry after lights out and they were eaten?

Anybody familiar with this behavior or have any other possible rationale?

 

 

I have occasionally seen a guppy do this. The cause for mine was being a pig and eating other species intended food as well as their own or too many fry.  and after the most healthy poo you imagine they return to normal. I understand the acting like a log and staring.