Platy With Unknown Issue.

[PrairieSunflower]

I feel so plagued by fish problems in the last month and a bit!

This time it is a platy in my tank that has, up until now, had absolutely no issues... was thinking it was time to move some babies into this tank but glad I hadn't yet.

Anyhow... spotted one of my platies flashing quite a lot. Upon inspection the only symptom I can see is that the one pelvic fin is clamped (and the flashing of course). Will go and test my water shortly (only did a water change yesterday so that is likely not it).

Another thing... though I'm not sure if it is my imagination... but I am not so sure that the scales leading from her body to the tail aren't perfectly flat... but that could also be I've just never noticed that before and that is the way her coloring is.

Anyhow... will go away and come back with some water testing results.

Right.... hopefully this is the problem and I will promptly do a water change... not sure how the readings have changed as nothing has changed lately!

Ammonia... seems to be about 0.25... very surprised since I did a water change yesterday!
Nitrite... 0.5

Nitrates... 25 (actually surprised since it has been 10 as long as I can remember!!)

Other readings,
ph... 6.8
kh... 180
gh... 250

 

[the_lock_man]

But flashing isn't a symptom of nitrite poisoning, and clamping is a symptom of pretty much everything.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Phooey... so no way to know what it could be at this point then?

Levels are back to their proper places now (except nitrates but they are in a healthy level).

 

[the_lock_man]

Two things spring to mind as a possibility.
 
1) The increased nitrite has put a strain on the immune system such that something else (whitespot, velvet, parasites) have got in and started making it itch.
2) When you tested the water, you put an extra drop or two of the reagent in by accident, and it's therefore given you an over-reading.
 
's all I can fink ov, Guv.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

No sign of whitespot... but, she has previously had fungus on her tail that was treated without meds and just clean clean water... I wonder if it is possible it is re-occuring maybe on her fin this time and I just can't see it yet....

 

[the_lock_man]

You've had a sudden and unexplained spike in nitrite, which disappeared as quickly as it appeared. (2) seems more likely than anything. Is the fish still flashing?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I haven't noticed anything so far today... hopefully that is good.

My guppies have been doing their weird random hovering at a 45 degree angle on and off (something they did for about 2 weeks when my tap water dropped from a pH of 7.4 to 6.8).. not all of them... just the sensitive ones.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Ok... I have figured it out... half anyway.

I believe it is directly related to water changes as I have again changed the water and within an hour the same behavior came out... but is gone by today.

Not precisely sure what it is about the new water as I am careful to match it as closely as possible... but something seems to irritate her (I also do a thorough vacuuming each time and always try to minimize debris by trying not to have much... so much as is possible).

 

[greenmumma141]

If she has just recently healed from an infection, then the wc's could be irritating the area.  It's probably just something to do with her recently replaced slime coat.. ammonia can cause flashing as well, so just keep an eye on that as well. Kudos for clearing up the problem with no meds though  but make sure you watch for it to come back, sometimes that's the down side to not using meds, hopefully that won't happen though