Female Platy Hiding

[Lavinder]

ph :7.4 amm: 0ppm Nitrites: 0ppm Nitrates: 40 ppm. Tank size is 37l, temp is 24c and I have 2 golden apple snails, 4 neon tetras and two platys. With a PF1 internal power filter.

My issue is that I got the two platys on friday and asked for two females, came home and did the usual of introducing them to the tank and noticed that they were male and female. I have not seen the male bullying the female but she has been hidden away behind a plant since this morning. I also added some white spot control as I noticed the male seemed to be flicking against the bottom of the tank but he has stopped now.

Any advice? typing this on my phone so don't know how it's going to turn !

 

[scotty]

is it possible the female platy is about to give birth,they often hide when they are ready,do youhave any pictures?

 

[snazy]

There are so many posts here about platies hiding when just introduced to a tank. I also bought once 2 female platies and one was very shy, hiding in the beginning all the time. Platies are skiddish fish, which is for their own good.
However, I would worry about the flicking. Check your water stats as even minimum ammonia will cause them to flash.

Edit: Sorry, I see you've tested the water. The platy could have been flicking if it wasn't acclimated properly too and there is some irritant in the water.

 

[soybean]

You only added them Friday, give her time to settle in, especially if you keep peering in the tank to check on her. If she's still hiding away after a week or so and stops coming out to feed, then I'd be a bit more concerned.

The male was more liking flicking from stress. Don't treat for white spot, or any other disease, unless you're absolutely sure of what you're treating, ie you see white spots.

 

[Gilli]

You are going to need a few more females because she is going to be continually harassed by the male. Ratio should be at least 2 females to every male.

 

[Lavinder]

The thing is I asked for 2 females in the first place so I could get a male later on because I did not want to throw in too many fish. I'll wait a couple of days to see how she goes.

 

[Akasha72]

she should settle in. +1 on adding another female asap. If she has company via another female she may come out of hiding too - safety in numbers. I keep platies myself and I find them to be very individual. Some are bold and bossy (my wag tail female is anyway) some are shy (my wag tail male was very shy) my female sunset is really laid back and the two tuxedo's are a bit like naughty kids!

Agreeing about the flicking too. Mine do it from time to time but no sign of spots. It could possibly be gill or body flukes though aswell which are difficult to diagnose. If it carries on maybe look at a medication then but it could be down to stress and/or poor water.

Good luck and I hope she settles in soon

 

[Lavinder]

Really fed up now, every fish I add to my tank gets ill. Water tests show perfect levels and it's clean and I do regular water changes. The male red wag tail platy had been staying near some ruins for a while stalking the female then he began to start laying on the ruins so I tested the water and everything was perfect. Now he's gone to the bottom of the tank and his fins are all clamped. I've had the light off in the tank most of the day to try and destress him. Also for about a week now my apple snails are only half coming out of thier shells and moving about half an inch whereas before they would roam miles.

I'm getting really disheartened because the nearest good fish shops are half an hour away so we keep going and getting fish when things have settled down and they keep dying constantly. The waters been treated for fin rot and white spot, and my neon tetras have survived since starting up the tank 4 months ago and they have white shades on their fins and one has a disfigured mouth.

 

[snazy]

You need to treat the disease rather than adding more fish. Post a picture of the sick fish. Someone maybe able to identify what it is. If you have added medication in the past, did you remove with with carbon after the treatment finished? Was that medication snail safe? Maybe it wasn't fin rot and white spot, or if it was,it maybe still in the water. It's a bit too much for a You need to eradicate the disease, before any new fish are added.

 

[soybean]

Define 'perfect' water levels. What kit are you using to test them and what are your exact readings? It doesn't sound perfect to me.

 

[Lavinder]

I'm on my mobile at the moment so can't post pictures but I have pictures on a previous thread.

I've treated with white spot since the start and my tetras lost all the spots and I cleaned out the filter, and the carbon sponge. I noticed a white growth and disfigurment on one of my tetras but he eats fine and i've treated twice for fin rot but they just seem to constantly have these marks from the start.

I'm using king british white spot congtrol and interpret fungus and finrot - it says on each bottle that they are friendly for everything including plants etc.

Red wag has got lots of life in him but his top fin and tail is clamped. i've put him in to a small net near the surface of the tank. would this help or do harm? seeing as I don't have a breeding trap.

Water parameters are ph 7.4, amm 00ppm, nitates 00ppm, nitrites 40ppm and temperature is about 25c.

 

[Gilli]

Plenty of water changes and a broad range dose of meds if your not sure of the problem - remember to redose the amount you have removed in a water change.

 

[Lavinder]

I don't want to harm the fish keep adding too much meds though? i'll keep doing water changes and i'll add half the dose I think.

 

[snazy]

I wouldn't keep him in a net, as the stress might kill him instead, only if the rest of the fish are picking on him.

 

[Lavinder]

I'm keeping in him a nice big plastic box, like a homemade breeding trap now just so I can keep an eye on him and to help him eat etc. Done a 50% water change and added half sode finrot solution.

There is 4% malachite green in the white spot treatment which is probably why my snails have not been doing so well.

Is there any way I can store them out of the tank?