Platy gives birth then passes

[Barttheplaty]

We brought two orange and black platys about a week ago and one of them started acting really strange and just sitting at the bottom of the tank ( we weren’t aware she was pregnant) my partner went to check on her last night and found a fry swimming around and when I went to check on her today she had died (the fry has survived) we are really confused but believe there was a probably a problem in labour ?? does anyone have any idea what could have happened

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss

It's really quite unusual for fish like platies to have problems giving birth; as they're new fish to your tank, environmental factors are more likely.

How big is your tank, how long has it been running and what fish do you have? Do you have test kits for the water?

Sorry for all the questions, but the more info we have, the better we can help you find any problems that might risk your other fish.

 

[Barttheplaty]

The tank had been running for about a week Newly set up with no other fish in it we had done tap safe and tested the water ect I also replaced 25% of the water when I noticed her acting strange if it helps she was only a baby herself that was why we were so shocked when she gave birth

 

[Barttheplaty]

Also she had been very stressed and not taken to living in the tank very well

 

[fluttermoth]

If you didn't 'cycle' your tank before you added fish, then you probably have toxins like ammonia or nitrite, from the fish's wastes, building up in the water.

In a cycled tank, there are bacteria living in the filter that eat all those things; until those bacteria establish themselves, you'll need to do a lot of large water changes to keep the levels low enough to not affect the fish.

Really you need test kits, at least for ammonia and nitrite (other things like pH and nitrate aren't as urgent), so you can monitor the levels.

In the meantime, to keep the fish safe, you'll have to change nearly all the water, every day. Make sure the new water is warmed and dechlorinated, and don't forget to switch your filter and heater off first!

How big is your tank buddy? Do you have any live plants?