Live Plant Bulbs With My Fish?

[fishiegirl72]

My platy keeps nibbling at an Apogeton plant bulb that i put in the water. is this safe for him? i put it in there because it seemed like my 2 fish (one swordtail and one platy) were gasping for air. i figured live plants would help oxygen levels. i also put some conditioner and aquarium salt in as well. (there was a bacterial bloom). they seem to be doing fine now. i did a test and the alkaline was the only thing that was high. My platy swims around alot but my swordtail stays mostly at the bottom. is the plant helping with the oxygen at all?. Is there anything else i need to do? i've only had them for a couple of days. they are in a five gallon tank. thanks

 

[mark.w.jones]

My platy keeps nibbling at an Apogeton plant bulb that i put in the water. is this safe for him? i put it in there because it seemed like my 2 fish (one swordtail and one platy) were gasping for air. i figured live plants would help oxygen levels. i also put some conditioner and aquarium salt in as well. (there was a bacterial bloom). they seem to be doing fine now. i did a test and the alkaline was the only thing that was high. My platy swims around alot but my swordtail stays mostly at the bottom. is the plant helping with the oxygen at all?. Is there anything else i need to do? i've only had them for a couple of days. they are in a five gallon tank. thanks

Plants don't really help to oxygenate water much at all. The only thing that really does is anything that disturbs the surface of the water. e.g. bubbles from airstone, spray bar from filter etc. Plants are great nitrate absorbers so help remove this from water and also look great and create a more natural environment for fish + good hiding places. Your main problems which are causing this behaviour are likely to be:

1. Did you cycle the tank before adding fish?
Read this: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

2. You are not overstocked but have 2 fish who prefer lots of space to swim in and who usually live in groups. Therefore they are nervous and probably unhappy about being made to live on their own. Your tank is not really big enough to accomadate any more thou.

3. A 5 gallon is only really big enough for maybe 3 platys all females or a betta on its own. Personally id take the sword tail back. Wait for the tank to cycle for a few weeks then add one more platy. Do a water test before this to make sure you have no ammonia or nitrite thou. Leave the 2 fish in the tank for a few more weeks and then add your last platy.

See what others say thou as Im not entirely convinced the tank is big enough for them or that they would be happy in a 5 gal.

Good luck