Help!

[ChloeXD]

Im not sure if this is the right section of the forum but im new so im sorry if i should have put this some where else.
However i think one of my Red Wag Platy fish my be ill. She hasn't been eating very much recently and has been hiding in their ship alot. She dosent have any green or white spots on her. i also have 3 mollies 1 balloon mollie 2 Red Wag Platy and 3 guppys. have i put the wrong fish together? I feed them 3 times a day and 4 if they are crowded round the glass at night. i have no idea whats happening to her.
If you know please help me!
If i left any information out please ask and ill reply ASAP

 

[techen]

What are your water stats?

Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate

 

[the_lock_man]

A couple of thoughts I have on this
 
1 - Since she is a "she", are any of the other platies a "he", or has she been in the same tank as a "he" at any point in the last 6 months (including from wherever you bought her)? Female platies hiding is often a sign of impending fry drop.
 
2 - She could be bloated. You don't need to feed them 3 or 4 times per day. Once per day is plenty, in the wild the may go for several days without feeding, and can easily go over a week without food. Try fasting the tank for 3 days, see if she improves.
 
3 - In addition to the readings that Techen asked you above, could you also advise how long the tank has been set up, and how you went about growing the filter bacteria colonies - it could also be ammonia and/or nitrite poisoning that she is suffering from, and this could then affect the other tank inhabitants shortly.
 
 
PS - did you also start an account called "ChloeeXD" shortly before you registered this one?

 

[ChloeXD]

I dont know the ammonia nitrates and nitrate level, how do I find out, and if it was the problem what could I do to help her. they have been mixed together since the store she might be pregnant because my guppy had a babies nut tuere was one which was a completly different colour to they guppys, it was more orangy, but she didnt look pregnant?. are bacteria colinies good , I dont know what they are? And no chloeeXD isnt me this is the only one I have

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Check out the link in my signature for pretty much all the information you need to know about cycling (building up the filter colony/bacteria)
You can find out the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate by purchasing a test kit that tests all those things, the API master test kit is a good one to get.

 

[ChloeXD]

Thanks you what are the normal levels

 

[the_lock_man]

You should have 0ppm for ammonia and nitrite, and no more than 20-30ppm nitrate above whatever is in your tapwater.
 
When did you set up the tank?

 

[ChloeXD]

I clean the filter every few days and I usally clean it every few weeks
I will go out and buy the tester kit
Clen the tank every few weeks and I got my first tank a few months ago.

 

[the_lock_man]

Could you be more specific, please? A few months ago could mean anywhere from last August to last April. I'm not trying to catch you out, I'm not trying to be judgemental, I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with your platy, and the best way to help it. WOuld I be right in guessing that you just put in the gravel and decor, filled it up, switched on the heater and filter, and waited a while before getting some fish?

 

[ChloeXD]

Ohh ok sorry and I probally got it around mid april and yeh I did I wait 3-4 days befor putting the fish in the tank

 

[the_lock_man]

I'm still undecided as to what the problem is, what you've just said means we can't eliminate any of my 3 options. It could be an accumulation of all 3.
 
1) Definitely reduce your feeding regime, as per my earlier comments
2) Invest in a liquid drop test kit - personally I would recommend buying the Salifert kits, or Nutrafin. Many people here recommend the API, but I personally go against the flow here, as there are a couple of common problems with the API kit, but if that's all you can get, then it's far better than the paper strip tests - which are just rubbish - and most people here would agree with me on that.
3) Until you get the test kit, and we can see what's going on in the tank, I think it would be a wise precaution to do water changes every day - 30% -50%.
 
Once you've got the tests, post up results for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, please.

 

[Meeresstille]

Only rinse your filter media about once a month in used tank water, never use tap water, since it will destroy any good bacteria that may have established itself there.
 
Never change your filter media, only add new media to it to help seed it! (Only becomes necessary when the media shows signs of falling apart)
 
If you find out that your tank is not yet cycled (readings of ammonia can indicate that) and you would like to give your tank a jump-start in cycling try to find someone with an established, healthy tank who would be willing to donate some used filter media to you. Maybe you have a local aquarium club on FB, or do an online search?

 

[This Old Spouse]

Agree with lock_man. How big is your tank? Do you have any live plants? 

 

[ChloeXD]

Ok I will get a tester kit as soon as I can and my tank is 40l and have no Iive plants just plastic ones and a sea shell and a ship

 

[the_lock_man]

Need to think about rehoming some of the fish, particularly the mollies. THat's a lot of fish in a small space, so ammonia and nitrite would build up pretty quickly in there.