Platy has pale lower body and sitting on bottom of tank

[Livi Olson]

Hi, late yesterday night I noticed that my platy’s lower body was quite pale/white and there was a scratch looking thing on the edge of it (video included). She was eating and swam to the top of tank, but I was still concerned.
Today she has been sitting at the bottom of the tank all day. She’s moved to different spots at the bottom I suppose, but that’s it. Like she was under a plant. She didn’t swim up to come get food today so she is clearly getting worse. I’m very worried and don’t know what’s going on.

Notes
• 10% water change almost every week
• 10 gallon tank
• Recently treated for algae
• 1 other platy and two cory cats in tank

Picture from this evening

Picture from last night (and other side of her)

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

The fish has a bacterial infection and is dying. If it is sitting on the bottom and not swimming about then euthanise it.

Monitor the remaining fish for similar symptoms. If any of the others develop the same problem then get a broad spectrum medication that treats fungus, bacteria and protozoan infection and treat the tank. You can get the medication from and pet shop.

-------------------------
If you have to treat the tank, use the following information to work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working.

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.

-------------------------
Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for the next week. This will help dilute disease organisms in the water and reduce the chance of other fish getting sick. Then do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week from then on.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Don't add any new fish for a month.

If you can put a picture on the back of the tank it will help the fish feel more secure. You can buy aquarium backings form any pet shop or you can make one from coloured card/ newspaper, plastic bin liner or a piece of material. Just sticky tape it to the back of the tank (on the outside).

You should put some live plants in the tank. Water Sprite is a good one that floats on the surface and grows rapidly. It can also be planted in the substrate. Other good plants to try include Ambulia, Hygrophila polysperma, H. ruba/ rubra, Hydrilla, Elodia (don't get it in winter tho coz it dies), narrow Vallis, common Amazon sword plant.

-------------------------
How long has the tank been set up for?

 

[Livi Olson]

Hi and welcome to the forum

The fish has a bacterial infection and is dying. If it is sitting on the bottom and not swimming about then euthanise it.

Monitor the remaining fish for similar symptoms. If any of the others develop the same problem then get a broad spectrum medication that treats fungus, bacteria and protozoan infection and treat the tank. You can get the medication from and pet shop.

-------------------------
If you have to treat the tank, use the following information to work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

Remove carbon from the filter before treating or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working.

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.

-------------------------
Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for the next week. This will help dilute disease organisms in the water and reduce the chance of other fish getting sick. Then do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week from then on.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Don't add any new fish for a month.

If you can put a picture on the back of the tank it will help the fish feel more secure. You can buy aquarium backings form any pet shop or you can make one from coloured card/ newspaper, plastic bin liner or a piece of material. Just sticky tape it to the back of the tank (on the outside).

You should put some live plants in the tank. Water Sprite is a good one that floats on the surface and grows rapidly. It can also be planted in the substrate. Other good plants to try include Ambulia, Hygrophila polysperma, H. ruba/ rubra, Hydrilla, Elodia (don't get it in winter tho coz it dies), narrow Vallis, common Amazon sword plant.

-------------------------
How long has the tank been set up for?

I already have two live plants, an Amazon Sword and a Water Wisteria. The tank has been set up since late August of 2018


Edit: After I checked the tank when I woke up, she was dead. I’m kind of confused by your response. None of the other fish are showing signs as of now, but should I treat it anyway? And are the water changes part of the treatment or just what I should do just in case? And I would be worried that a 75% water change would kill the fish, it’s only a ten gallon tank