Molly Not Behaving Right

[Beth_Laubenthal]

My mickey mouse platy, female, has been laying at the bottom of the tank for the last week. She lays still for up to a half hour at a time, swims around for a few minutes and lays back down. She eats really good. Her breathing is great. Tank chemistry is right where it should be. The other fish are not bothering her either. She's been laying at the bottom so much that it is starting to affect her shape. Her top is more curved and the underside is straight now (which has oddly not affected her ability to swim). I tried to put her in a breeder's nest today, inside her tank, so I could observe her more closely. She did not rest at the bottom of it at all. In fact, her mate, my sunburst platy, got really upset about it and she tried getting out to get to him.

I've never had this happen before. I don't know what's going on. The only change to the tank was that my betta committed fishy suicide (I accidentally left the top open and I had an athletic jumper). I replaced him with a much more friendlier betta (this one is very very docile). However, the betta issues happened a few days after my platy issues started, so I doubt the betta issue would bother the platy.

When I do water changes, she swims around with the other fish just fine. One of my fish made a shallow like hole in the gravel and she seems to like it there. Any ideas? Am I missing something?
--Beth

 

[OldMan47]

By your description it sounds like she is wasting away. I am going to move this to tropical emergencies so that maybe people there can help you out.

 

[Beth_Laubenthal]

I'm still stumped. I looked up wasting disease. She does not fit that description at all. She eats just fine. In fact, she went after the algae wafer I left for the otos. She has no outward physical changes except for the bottom, which I attribute to her laying at the bottom of the tank. Her mate is encouraging her to swim, which is working. She's a bit more active, but not as nearly active as the other fish. I feel like Dr. House on the show "House." I've got to be missing something. I've looked over her several times. No lesions, no missing scales, no fungus, not loosing body mass.

I did a 50 percent water change about an hour ago. Treated the tank with melafix. Tea tree oil (which is a big component of that product) is great for fungal and bacterial infections. I have medicine for parasites, but I'm unsure if I should treat for that too. Something is missing. I'm afraid if I turn up the heater, I will cook the fish. I also put aquarium salt in the tank. Full dose.

Last night, I took the betta out as well as 75 percent of the decor. All I have is 3 plants and 1 cave in there. That seemed to help a bit. She became a bit more active after that.

All of my other fish are healthy, even the ones who share the same tank as she does. What am I missing? I've had her since December. Should I treat for parasite infection too (just in case)?

 

[Beth_Laubenthal]

I think I might have figured it out. Rarely, but sometimes swim bladder diseases can make it difficult for fish to swim. When she's down at the bottom, sometimes she flips to her side. Going to try to treat for that and see if it works.