Platys Acting Unusually.

[WILDER]

Take a sample of your tap water in nitrate and let it stand for 24 hours, to increase aeration some filters you can turn up and down, or a pump and airstone, no salt then as you have some strimp and snails in there.

 

[Fastblur]

(does what wilder says)

About the shrimp, I can get them rehomed for a day or two in a friends tank. The snails are an infestation. If salt hurts them I'm all for it.

 

[WILDER]

Ok, as long as there is no scaless fish in the tank, one tablespoon to 5gal, but add it gradually, good luck.

When a fish flick and rubs his body or gills on gravel, ornaments,plants even filter.

 

[Fastblur]

When a fish flick and rubs his body or gills on gravel, ornaments,plants even filter.

Aha, a couple are doing that (not the two we've been discussing) against each other, not anything else but actually one another. I thought they were fighting but no, they've begun doing this with plants too. I think this might be bacterial then. I hadn't noticed until now (been watching them for almost a solid hour now.

 

[WILDER]

Could be skin flukes if there no signs of a golden dusting on the fish, or grains of salt.


http/article.dphnet.com/cat-02/flukes1.shtml

 

[Fastblur]

Wilder, I just skimmed that, I'm due at the pub twenty minutes ago, but that sounds an awful lot like my current problem.
If I may surmise the symptoms:
Two platys floating at surface and gasping.
One doing quick scratches.
Gourami suddenly very confident.
Tetras are a happy shoal (and making me think a tank of thirty tetras might be the best idea I ever had).

I was waiting for one of your posts to scare the crap out of me, that one did. Thankyou again though.

 

[WILDER]

Need location for a med, as the waterlife fluke meds are not that good.

 

[Fastblur]

Sunny Scotland. So given your location, available here?

The thing that most vexes me is that as of 3pm tomorrow I'm off to edinburgh for two days. So I have to cram as much maintenance and TLC in as I can.

 

[WILDER]

This is a good med, but need to know your ph.
http/www.jbl.de/uk/aqua/uk_10038.html

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...bb88ecadf913bd8

 

[Fastblur]

My Ph is a comfy 6.8 (as is most water round these parts) so that might be a problem, I can raise it, but the fish might have to wait a day or two. I wish I could cancel this trip...

Do you think they'll be alright for two days under observation of a (suitably briefed) friend?

 

[WILDER]

Well that med is no good then, flukes do alot of damage to a fish, as in the sucker peirce the skin with they have nasty bacteria in them, so they need treating fast.
I've used the waterlife med and its not that good on flukes, but that all you will be able to use, as your ph is not right for the other one.

http/www.waterlife.co.uk/waterlife/sterazin.htm

 

[Fastblur]

I have a bottle of (ph changing stuff) so I could have the ph increased while I'm away, and then medicate when I return, though that might prove counter productive (stressing fish further).

 

[WILDER]

Well that other med is great, some fish keepers have used it on here and it worked like a treat.
Plus flukes can kill and cause bacterial infections on top, you might and probably will lose the two that are gasping sorry.

 

[Fastblur]

Alright, thanks wilder.
Sorry to (probably lose) Stalin and Brezhnev though. I should really wait a while before naming my fish.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry but they don't sound to good, good luck.