Platys Acting Unusually.

[Fastblur]

To begin, water stats normal though gh is high, as it always is in this area. No recent changes or any thing to the tank.
However, two of my platys are not looking at all well, both have clamped fins and are floating nose up toward the surface. They've been doing this for a couple of days now, and I'm quite concerned, their other tankmates (including some other platys) are all looking fine and dandy. They are taking flakes from the surface but are generally looking listless.
Does anyone have a diagnosis?
Thankyou for your time.

 

[WILDER]

Clamped fins are a sign of stress, have they been headstanding, do they look bloated, and are they gasping at the surface.

 

[Fastblur]

They are gasping surface, no sign of head-standing, and I've just double checked the disease faqs and no growths/spots/or discolouration.
They appear normal but are just floating at the surface, I had thought it might be trapped air but they've been at this for a day or two (and it seems odd that two would come down with it at once).
As usual, ta for the help and response.

I might as well add my stats
No3 50
no2 0
GH 10d
kh 3d
ph 6.8
Ammonia 0
Temp 24-26C
The temp is the only thing to have changed since last weeks test. Though I think I might try and raise the ph a bit.

 

[Cel]

They are gasping surface, no sign of head-standing, and I've just double checked the disease faqs and no growths/spots/or discolouration.
They appear normal but are just floating at the surface, I had thought it might be trapped air but they've been at this for a day or two (and it seems odd that two would come down with it at once).
As usual, ta for the help and response.

One of my Platy's is the same way. Barely eating, Clamped fins, the rest of my fish seem ok. I thought she was getting ready to give birth because the white thing is sticking out behind her but she's not very fat and she's been like this a few days now. I'm worried about my little orange girl.

 

[Fastblur]

That's exactly like mine, except I have five males so have not the foggiest what's going on. In saying that, one of the fish in question has begun to move about a bit.

 

[WILDER]

How much has the temp gone up, increase aeration, have you added any new fish to the tank.

 

[Fastblur]

Temp has decreased from a high of 26C (was very hot in here yesterday) back to it's normal 24.5C. No new fish in last three weeks, one new amano shrimp last weekend.
I originally thought it might be white spot but I've kept an eye out for any inhabitants scratching, and nothing. Tis quite odd.

 

[WILDER]

Well if stats are fine, all it can be is parasites to bacterial infection, which one don't know there no symtoms apart from laboured breathing.
But livebearers are prone to alot of desease they are not hardy fish anymore, you could try some myxazin for now its not strong anyway.
But once fish labour breath and stats are fine not good news.
I doubt anything nasty got into the tank or the other fish would be doing the same.
Check the gills do the look pale with mucas on them, or red and inflamed.

 

[Fastblur]

(makes notes)
Alright, I'll keep the tank under obseravtion overnight and pick up a bottle of that then tomorrow then.
It's all rather strange to me that the other fish seem as active, is not more so than usual, though this may have something to do with two male platys being removed from the uneasy truce having five ensured.

As always thankyou for the advice, I'm a little wary of medicating but well, if it's good for the fish, it's good for me.

The gills look normal, the white platy (mickey mouse?) has always been almost transparent, so the gills are the same red as usual, the sunburst? (a red one) Looks like his fellow tankmates.

 

[WILDER]

You don't have to medicate the tank, but something not right, they can labour breath with bacterial infections as well as parasites.
Do the gills look normal, did you use the fish to cycle the tank with.

 

[Fastblur]

The gills look normal, they are my oldest platys, but the five old contemptibles (my neon tetras) have been in the tank far longer (they cycled) .

 

[WILDER]

How old are they, there time could just be up, sorry.

 

[Fastblur]

Not terribly old, the biggest one is about 1.5" this seems like a weird one.
Well, I'll keep you all posted. It's quite sad watching them, they look so, hangdogged. Thanks gor the responses and help.

 

[WILDER]

What your tap nitrate i would try and get your nitrates down, i would recommend a water change and increase aeration.
What other fish do you have in the tank, thinking of salt.

 

[Fastblur]

Tap nitrate? you mean as it comes out of the kitchen tap? I honestly don't know, will find out, are my nitrates that bad?
Any good way of increasing aeration short of taking the lid off?

Tank population: 2 Amano shrimp, 5 Neons, 5 platys, Berk the Dwarf gourami, the omnipresent snails.
Berks only in there for another two weeks until tank #2 is cycled and before he gets any bigger.

Edit:
Wilder, would you mind describing to me what a fish looks like when he scratches?