New Platy Does Not Seem Happy

[15sunny]

Hi All, I am new to this site and new to fishkeeping. I have a small 30ltr Tropical fish tank so I will only be keeping about 3 or 4 small fish in total. My first fish is a Male Dwaft Gourami and he seems very happy eats a lot and is swimming happy. After a month I added a Platy. I think it is male. The platy is tiny and the Gourami seems to chase him away. The Platy now just mainly stays at the bottom of the tank, hardly ever swims and does not seem to be eating much. I don't know if he is ill or just picked on by the other fish. I will be adding another fish in a week or two and it might be another platy. Any ideas why my Platy seems lifeless?

Thanks

 

[Andypalf]

I added a platy on his own to my tank about 3 weeks ago. All the other fish are peaceful but my yellowtail rasboras are very skittish and often spook the other fish. My platy spent the first week hiding and on her own at the bottom. Now she mingles with everyone else in the tank and competes for food with the larger more active fish.

My point is...give it a little time, he might settle in still.

 

[15sunny]

Thanks, I hope so, He has been in the tank for 2weeks. Maybe later when I add another platy of the same sex or small fish he will be more active.

 

[chibi]

30 liters is a bit too small for a gourami since they've got a lot of body mass and such. Since it's a smaller space, he may be a bit territorial. I think you should move the platy, if possible. He'd be happier with a few other platys in a bigger tank.

 

[Lynda B]

Platys require schools, don't they? There are many fish that you can buy just one of, but I don't believe platys are in that group.

 

[J4MES]

30lt is fine for a dwarf gouramie chibi.

J4MES

 

[15sunny]

Yeh it's a Dwarf Gourami so the tank is fine for it. I was going to get another dwarf as my second fish but they had none is stock at the time so I got the Platy.
Unfortunnatly with the size of the tank I can only have a small amount of fish and I add them one a month. I'd like to get another Platy but as I don't want them to breed I'd get another male Platy. But then I would probably run into problems with 2 male fighting and no female to mate with.

 

[chibi]

I just think a dwarf gourami wouldn't do well in a 30 liter with other fish in it. Even if you add another platy, they will still be pestered. Platies aren't "schooling" fish (those would be tetras), but they do enjoy each other's company. You'd be better off getting a few pygmy cories or something.

 

[Lynda B]

You don't have to limit yourself to adding just one fish per month, if it's your increased bioload you're concerned about.

As chibi said, platies prefer to have a group of their own kind around, but it isn't a requirement, like it is for a lot of others. Boy, the things I'm learning today. My head's chock full.

 

[15sunny]

Thanks guys, I think i'll get another Platy during the week to keep the other company. i'd say when they grow to their full size they will be similar size to the Gourami and happier.

 

[chibi]

Umm, do you mean the platys grow as big as the gourami? Because they'll never get that big. They barely reach 2 inches. I used to have a dwarf that grew to about 3 inches.

 

[15sunny]

Well I added another Platy yesterday Female as I'm now pretty sure the other is Female. They told me in the pet shop that the Platy they were giving me was pregnant and that they all come into the shop like that So I will have lots of fry soon. She took to her new home and other two fish great. The Gourami tried to chase her away a bit but she was having none of it. The other Platy started to swim around a bit more and is curious of the other fish although yesterday she was trying to chase away the new fish. Anyway the first Platy still looks like she is not eating. The water is fine etc. so I will just have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Lynda B]

You have to be patient when you add anything new to the tank, be it fish or decor. Any time the tank changes, your fish have to work out their hierarchy system again. They're a tad stressed during that period.

 

[15sunny]

First Casualty. The Platy died, found him dead this morning. He was not eating and I noticed yesterday there were bits of his top fin gone. I don't know if he had some sort of Fin rot or was bullied as the Gourami is a bully. Should I do a partial water change today. I will check the water today for amonia etc.

 

[15sunny]

I did a search on this site and I think my Platy died of Ich as there was also a small white raised spot near its head that was there only yesterday. My question now is. Now that the fish is removed would the parisite still be present in the tank. What should I do? ( The other two fish seem fine and the second fish was only just added to the tank on Wednesday.) Would it be wise to add another Platy to the tank to keep teh remaining one company or should I wait to see that the tank is ICH free?