Hiding Platy

[Mola Mola]

Hi,
I currently have 8 Platies and 5 Black Mollies in my 80L tank. I currently only have one ornament (a diver's helmet) and no plants. Yeah, I know, I need to get more cover in the tank.

Anyway, I have the water level quite low, so there is a lot of surface agitation with causes a big stream of bubbles in the tank.

Most of the fish pretty much spend all day (and I mean all day) just swimming in the stream of bubbles. The only thing that takes them away from it is feeding.

However, I have one platy that has taken to spending long periods of time during the day, in the diver's helmet. There is a sort of ledge/lip inside the helmet and the platy lodges itself in there.

It will still come out to get food, and will also come out on its own accord and swim with the rest of the fish (just not all day). I would say that it maybe spends about 2 hours a day in the helmet, whereas the others might have a quick swim in and out of it a couple of times a day.

Should I be concerned, or is this just a bit of individualism?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[chickennuggets123]

Possible Reasons-

1. It could be its personality. It's shy and doesnt like how the tank is all open
2. The water parametres are effecting it.
3. It could be pregnant- female fish, around giving birth, hide in places. That's if it's female though. And fat.

 

[Mola Mola]

Possible Reasons-

1. It could be its personality. It's shy and doesnt like how the tank is all open
2. The water parametres are effecting it.
3. It could be pregnant- female fish, around giving birth, hide in places. That's if it's female though. And fat.

Thanks ChickenNuggets.

I'll check the water (haven't done so for a few days). I do have my suspicions that one of the platies might be pregnant, but this one doesn't seem to be showing any signs.

Thanks again.

 

[Mola Mola]

Hmmm...little bit of ammonia when I tested.

I have just vacuumed the gravel which, I reckon, is about a 20% water change. It was overdue anyway.

I've also just stuck another thermometer in the tank, which seems to confirm that the tank temp is about 29C. This is with no heater running.

 

[chickennuggets123]

Hmmm...little bit of ammonia when I tested.

I have just vacuumed the gravel which, I reckon, is about a 20% water change. It was overdue anyway.

I've also just stuck another thermometer in the tank, which seems to confirm that the tank temp is about 29C. This is with no heater running.

Wow, why's it so high?
They prefer around 26.

 

[Mola Mola]

Hmmm...little bit of ammonia when I tested.

I have just vacuumed the gravel which, I reckon, is about a 20% water change. It was overdue anyway.

I've also just stuck another thermometer in the tank, which seems to confirm that the tank temp is about 29C. This is with no heater running.

Wow, why's it so high?
They prefer around 26.

Yeah, I've been having trouble with the tank temperature for a while. I think that I had a faulty heater to start, and I don't think that the replacement is any better, but I wasn't sure whether it was the thermometer.

Anyway, I've managed to get it down a bit now, by leaving the light off. It is down to 27 today, which I think is much better.

It seems that the temperature of the room is about 25.5C, going up to 28C when the oven is on (the tank is in the kitchen), so I suppose that doesn't help.

I'm hoping the temp will fall down to 26, and then I'll have more of a play with the heater to see if I can get it to maintain it around there.