What’s wrong with my platys and how to fix

[SwimmingBlueberry]

Ok so I’m cycling (day 3) a 20 gallon with 3 female sunburst platys. I know how to do a fish in cycle so I’m decently convinced I can keep these fish alive. Anyways a red flag at PetSmart was almost all the platys were hovering near the bottom. But I just thought maybe it was a coincidence. Well now they are doing it in my tank. They don’t seem pregnant at all either. 

UPDATE:I AM PRETTY SURE I SAW ONE OF THE PLATYS FLASH AGAINST MY SPIDER WOOD! But no visible spots? Do I treat and if so with what?

tank size:20 gal tall 

heater:yes 76-78 F

filter:sponge filter 

no substrate yet,I have a spider wood clump a banana plant,pothos and another plant not submerged. And a decoration of one of those lion/dragon statues from Asian culture. Along with a aqeon led plant light.

food: I haven’t fed them yet but I plan on switching off and on from bug bites color enhancing flakes and I made up quite a bit of Repashy solient green.

ammonia >5,nitrite 0,nitrate 0

im doing at least 25% water changes every day to every other day until it cycles.

 

 

[SwimmingBlueberry]

By the way my ph is either 7 or 8 

[Tony s]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:07 PM, SwimmingBlueberry said:

ammonia >5

If it truly is greater than 5, you need to do immediate, drastic water changes, that ammonia has got to get down to less than 0.5.  Multiple changes until it gets there, or it causes gill damages. watch the temp of the water. dechlorinate with seachem prime. What beneficial bacteria did you use for them?

On 6/21/2024 at 6:17 PM, SwimmingBlueberry said:

By the way my ph is either 7 or 8 

ph is usually unimportant, especially with platys