Platty Doesn't Look Happy

[LiveLifeGoJump]

hi.
I tried posting the question the other day but can't find it. Sorry if I am double posting.

My tank has been set up for several weeks now. I got 10 neons, 2 female m-mouse platties, 1 sucking loach & a male swordtail after tank had settled in. All was well (apart from the swordtail bullying the plattys a little bit). One of the plattys gave birth & I caught 4 & put them into a breeder tank. The water was checked & was ok to add some more fish so I got 2 dwarf gurami, 2 corys, & a small sucking loach.

Shortly after I lost 8 neons in 2 days (although I never saw these getting bullied), the remaining 2 I put in with the baby plattys as 1 neon went very dark coloured, lost it's neon glow & was swimming almost on it's side. Within hours it was back to normal. The gurami keeped chasing the plattys, the sword chased plattys & gurami & the large sucking loach started to hide under a stone most of the time, only coming out to chase anything other than the neons. I got 3 female orange swords (about the same size as the male) and 2 small plattys (one male) hope the females would calm him down.

One of the gurami appeared quite fat so I moved them to a breeding tank in case (also to stop them bullying as I thought they were responsible for the neon deaths). All the fish seemed happy and were no longer hiding, even the loach came out from under his stone and stayed out most of the day.

The male swordtail was showing lots of attention to the three female swordtails which I thought was a courting ritual until they all died in a couple of days. I released the baby plattys & 2 neons into the main tank & the swordtail promptly killed the fitter of the 2 neons so he is now in isolation.

All is well in the tank now (swordtail in 1 breeding tank, gurami in the other) except that 1 of the original plattys just tucks it's self into a ledge in the textured backdrop and stays there not moving more the 2mm all day unless 'encouraged' out at feeding time. She will swim around eating but her tailfin is not fanned out & all of her other fins are flat against her body. As soon as she can she goes back to the ledge and stays there the rest of the day.

Does anyone know why she does this? I'm worried that she may be stressed even though none of the other fish bully her, all is so peaceful now with the fish in the main tank.

I am thinking of transferring the gurami back into the main tank as they is no nest building despite what appeared to be a mock breeding session & isolating her to see if this helps, does anyone else think that this may help.

 

[donna123]

hi
it sounds like you have had a lot to deal with,
any fish with clamped fins is not a good sign,it will help if you posted what fish you have left,what size tank they are in,and all water test results. how is your platy now? all the best donna

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

hi
it sounds like you have had a lot to deal with,
any fish with clamped fins is not a good sign,it will help if you posted what fish you have left,what size tank they are in,and all water test results. how is your platy now? all the best donna

Hi thanks for the reply.

It is a 70Ltr Jewel tank with 1 albino & 1 peppered cory. 1 large & 1 small sucking loach, 2 small electric blue micky mouse plattys (1 male 1 female) 2 larger orange m-mouse plattys (female), 4 baby orange m.m. plattys & 1 neon tetra. all of the fish are quite happy now that the male sword is in one breeding tank & the 2 gurami are in the other. All of fish are swimming about and there is NO sign of any bullying at all. It is only one of the large orange m-mouse plattys that has taken to hiding in a ledge of the background and stays there. when she does come out, she swnis about getting food, is not hassled by any of the other fish but will not extend her fins.

The neon that is left (last of the 10) looked almost dead befor being isolated from the others. As soon as he'she was put in the breeding tank with the babies so improved quickly (hours) and now it is in the main tank again it is quite active & happy. The breeding tanks are in the main tank so can't be water quality (which tested ok). The only sign of bullying towards the tetras was to no. 9 which was killed by the swordfish within minutes of returning to the main area so we are assuming that this is also the cause of the other deaths.

The platty that is giving concern at the moment has been acting strange for about 4 dats now, appears to be in good health, can swin fast when she wants but never spreads her fins and will return to the ledge as soon as posible, stays head down (45%) and still for hours. All the other fish just leave her alone. No chance of her being pregnant as I've had her 8 or more weeks (unless the male swordfish 'got' her (which I understand is posible for sword & platty to crossbreed) but she is not showing signs of this & niether platty acted like this when I got them even though one of them must have been pregnant.

I am thinking of returning one of the gurami to the main tank to see nwhat happens, if this is ok then try with the second. As for the swordtail, I think he may have to go if he won't behave, anyone local want him? Is this a good or bad idea?

 

[donna123]

sorry to hear shes still not right,shes showing signs of ill health can she make it down to the bottom of the tank? im no expert when it comes to fish illness, so im not going to tell you what i think it could or could not be,post her syptoms in the emergancy section you will get a reply on possable illness,
as far as sword tails go males can be bossy it may be a good idea to take him back.hth donna

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

sorry to hear shes still not right,shes showing signs of ill health can she make it down to the bottom of the tank? im no expert when it comes to fish illness, so im not going to tell you what i think it could or could not be,post her syptoms in the emergancy section you will get a reply on possable illness,
as far as sword tails go males can be bossy it may be a good idea to take him back.hth donna

Thanks Donna.

She can swim to top or bottom, & very fast. When she comes out (which is not often) she doesn't get bullied or appear scared of any of the other fish & swims no problem but only seems to use her tail (unfanned). There are no signs of fungi etc. but has been acting like this for many days now.

Will try the emergency section, thanks for your help.