Platy shimmying and getting skinny.

[marinetropic]

Hi all,

 

Currently running a 29g with some platies, yoyos, bristlenoses and black phantoms. 

 

Everyone is looking good apart from one of the platies who is spending a lot of time towards the bottom of the tank shimmying in one spot and looks like she is getting skinnier. 

 

 

Water params:

Temp: 26c (78f)

pH: 7.4

Amm: 0ppm

Nitrite: 0ppm

Nitrate: 0ppm

 

Weekly 25-30% water changes to keep the substrate clean, but if I forgot a week the nitrates don't climb due to the plants. 

 

The fish in question is offspring from another of our platies. She is the only one exhibiting the behaviour. There hasn't been any other diseases in the tank, and am a little unsure what it might be and how to treat. 

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[Tony s]

Several questions running through my mind. 
what kind of tests? Strips or api master kit? It’s a bit unusual to read 0 nitrates even in a planted tank. My lfs would say the water is sterile. They would say you need a certain amount to keep healthy fish. But, the plants look fine. Platys are tough, but she’s obviously in distress with clamped fins. Does she show a bit of white coloring behind pectoral fin or is that just shadow. How old is she? Do you have a place to quarantine her? Would hate for anything to spread. Is the platy behind hiding? I have a 20g tank just for platys, and they’re all front and center begging for food anytime anyone walks by. 20-30 platys in one big fish ball. So not used to seeing shy platys. 
 

You’re running water conditioner after every change? (I assume that’s a yes) Do you ever take out any hard scape and scrub with soap (I assume that’s a no) Sorry, not trying to be insulting, but you’d be surprised. Is chlorine at zero? Sometimes the city will add extra to clean its systems. I assume you know all this, just knocking out possibilities 

for right now, I think just quarantine. No obvious symptoms. Maybe just observation for now?

On 1/13/2024 at 7:10 PM, Tony s said:

Several questions running through my mind. 
what kind of tests? Strips or api master kit? It’s a bit unusual to read 0 nitrates even in a planted tank. My lfs would say the water is sterile. They would say you need a certain amount to keep healthy fish. But, the plants look fine. Platys are tough, but she’s obviously in distress with clamped fins. Does she show a bit of white coloring behind pectoral fin or is that just shadow. How old is she? Do you have a place to quarantine her? Would hate for anything to spread. Is the platy behind hiding? I have a 20g tank just for platys, and they’re all front and center begging for food anytime anyone walks by. 20-30 platys in one big fish ball. So not used to seeing shy platys. 
 

You’re running water conditioner after every change? (I assume that’s a yes) Do you ever take out any hard scape and scrub with soap (I assume that’s a no) Sorry, not trying to be insulting, but you’d be surprised. Is chlorine at zero? Sometimes the city will add extra to clean its systems. I assume you know all this, just knocking out possibilities 

for right now, I think just quarantine. No obvious symptoms. Maybe just observation for now?

I personally hate losing my fish, but it’s inevitable in this hobby 

[Tony s]

Just saw the big picture of your tank. Looks very nice. Which makes the question of your platy even more difficult 

[marinetropic]

Thanks for the reply, no insults taken sometimes people over look stuff! 

Im using API test kit for this and have seen nitrates in the water at various times usually when I'm overfeeding (tank is relatively heavily stocked so I'm regular with maintenance)

 

Stock numbers are 6 platies, 3 yoyos, 3 phantom tetras, 2 bristlenoses. 

 

Haven't tested the water for chlorine but I do dose with prime and stability after every change. Also forgot in intial post gh is at 150ppm  and kh is at 80ppm. None of the fish show obvious signs of hiding (bn and yoyos do just like to rest under plants in caves), but other platies and the yoyos are very active and responsive if near the tank (platies will follow my fingers)

 

I have very little gsa or algae in general so I don't remove hardscape for cleaning and I have separate cloths/fish cleaning stuff that doesn't get soap/chemicals. 

[marinetropic]

Future, here's a video that shows her behaviour vs the rest of the tank. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony s]

Honestly, everything looks good. Except for the shimmies. It could be a disease, but I’m not sure you could tell. Gh is a bit low for platys, but if she was born into that water and it’s consistent, it’s not an issue.
 

If you could isolate her, you could treat her prophylacticly. Wouldn’t do that to whole tank though. You could try adding salt except for the yoyo’s and plants. Hopefully someone else has better suggestions. 

[marinetropic]

Yeah water was softer than that when the tank was set up (our tap water is neutral but very soft)

 After water changes gh used to sit around the 60ppm mark, but since have bit adding 1 tsp per 10litres of rock salt at water changes. 

The tank also had a 7 day course of pimafix and melafix as we had some new additions a couple of weeks ago as a preventative, unfortunately I don't have a quarantine tank available.