So I will start off with my tank parameters and stuff, then give you the background.
40 gallon hex aquarium filtered by an Aquaclear 50 filter, established since for 5 months
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20 nitrate
pH 7.4
6 x female platy
2 x male sword (was a 2 swords, one MM platy)
4 x albino cories
1 x albino BN
10+ x juvenile platy/sword
no new ornaments or chemicals added. Prime added with water change on friday.
So, about 2 weeks ago, my female platy died, I think of old age, because at the time all parameters were fine, she had no diseases or parasites. She was one of my first fish. My male mickey mouse platy, who never left her side, hasn't been right since the day she died. They were best friends, always swimming side by side, he sat by her while she birthed fry, and kept the other fish from bothering her while she labored. I would like to say that he was her soulmate. Well, after she passed, he quit being out in the open, hid most of the time, occasionally came out for food. I maintained regular water changes (increased from 20% weekly, to 20% twice a week) as I was worried he was sick. other than the weird behavior, he showed no physical signs of illness, with the exception of the fact that his top fin layed flat most of the time. He was dead this afternoon. As gross as it is to hold a dead fish, I checked his fins for signs of Ich, or fungus, or fin rot, and other than the fact that he was dead, he looked healthy. Could it be that he died from a broken heart? Is it common for fish to lose hope and will when their partners leave?
40 gallon hex aquarium filtered by an Aquaclear 50 filter, established since for 5 months
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20 nitrate
pH 7.4
6 x female platy
2 x male sword (was a 2 swords, one MM platy)
4 x albino cories
1 x albino BN
10+ x juvenile platy/sword
no new ornaments or chemicals added. Prime added with water change on friday.
So, about 2 weeks ago, my female platy died, I think of old age, because at the time all parameters were fine, she had no diseases or parasites. She was one of my first fish. My male mickey mouse platy, who never left her side, hasn't been right since the day she died. They were best friends, always swimming side by side, he sat by her while she birthed fry, and kept the other fish from bothering her while she labored. I would like to say that he was her soulmate. Well, after she passed, he quit being out in the open, hid most of the time, occasionally came out for food. I maintained regular water changes (increased from 20% weekly, to 20% twice a week) as I was worried he was sick. other than the weird behavior, he showed no physical signs of illness, with the exception of the fact that his top fin layed flat most of the time. He was dead this afternoon. As gross as it is to hold a dead fish, I checked his fins for signs of Ich, or fungus, or fin rot, and other than the fact that he was dead, he looked healthy. Could it be that he died from a broken heart? Is it common for fish to lose hope and will when their partners leave?
It borke my heart to find him dead. When I realized he was down after her passing, I got a few more females to add to the tank in hopes that maybe he would bond with another. He had no interest at all.
