Unhappy Platys

[CANicholls]

Hi - I have been through a bad patch with water quality but am now coming out the end.  Tank needed to recycle, as of today we're at:
 
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5.0
 
60L tank, no real plants or wood, Elite stingray 10 filter, 4 platys, 4 neon, 3 rummy nosed tetra, shrimp, hillside loach, honey gold gourami.
 
Didn't have any spikes that would have caused concern.  Thing is, of 4 platys, 3 have taken to the gravel.  They look well, no spots, droopy fins etc, they come up to eat etc but otherwise they don't move.
 
I had water temp at 23 and have turned it up to 26 on reading some blog advice.  Have airstone so oxygen should be OK.
 
Here's a pic....this guy we bred, born in November....has been happy and healthy since.  Assume I should sit tight and hope all is OK?
 

 

[TallTree01]

All is NOT okay. The ammonia should be at 0. Do a whole bunch water changes.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

TT is right.
 
The ammonia being anything besides zero is a concern.  What is your pH?   If the pH is under 7.0, then the ammonia isn't a big deal, but it should still be concerning that its there.  Ultimately, your "recycle" isn't finished until you hit zeros for the ammonia and nitrite for a solid week without doing a water change.
 
 
The platies hanging at the bottom is VERY unlike them.  They prefer harder, alkaline water normally. The other fish you have prefer softer, acid water conditions, so that might be the issue.
 
 
 
Ultimately, I'd do a very large water change and see if that helps to perk them up.

 

[DreamertK]

OP should try testing the tap water before doing any WC's. I noticed one of my cherries wasn't looking too colorful, so I checked my ammo in the tank and it was... .25ppm (!). I had just done a WC the night before, so that was odd and no other fish seemed to be distressed (in fact some looked a bit frisky). So I tested my tap and it was... .25ppm (usually it's 0 all the time)! So the way to go about that is to get your water ready the day before with the dechlorinator in so that it has time to work on the tap ammo.

 

[CANicholls]

Thank you.  I know recycle isn't complete.  Am trying not to change water to complete the cycle.  Had been advised I didn't need to change water unless ammonia hit 0.5.  PH is 7.2, normal for where I live.
 
I'll check tap water and do a water change.

 

[the_lock_man]

To explain for the benefit of Eagles, the OP lives about 10 miles away from me, our water is supplied by the same company. We live near a range of chalk downland hills, so our water has a very high carbonate hardness. It's perfect water for platies. In fact, I'm quite surprised her water is only pH7.2 - mine is higher, normally 7.6 although her water is supplied from different reservoirs than mine. (The water company buy all their locks from me, so I'm familiar with the layout of the reservoirs)
 
CANicholls, whilst everyone is right about the ammonia, can I check if any of the platies are girls, and if so, are they expecting? Platies hiding at the bottom can often be a sign of impending birth, and the males hang around for a free snack.

 

[CANicholls]

Interesting water info. Had considered pregnancy but we have had fry before and the fish don't look pregnant.  I did a 20% water change (not wanting to disrupt cycle too much).  Will keep doing small changes to manage ammonia and hopefully get to end of cycle.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

To explain for the benefit of Eagles, the OP lives about 10 miles away from me, our water is supplied by the same company. We live near a range of chalk downland hills, so our water has a very high carbonate hardness. It's perfect water for platies. In fact, I'm quite surprised her water is only pH7.2 - mine is higher, normally 7.6 although her water is supplied from different reservoirs than mine. (The water company buy all their locks from me, so I'm familiar with the layout of the reservoirs)
 
CANicholls, whilst everyone is right about the ammonia, can I check if any of the platies are girls, and if so, are they expecting? Platies hiding at the bottom can often be a sign of impending birth, and the males hang around for a free snack.

 
 
Yup, that answers the water hardness issue.  I brought it up just because as you know fish usually fair better in harder water than they prefer, rather than the opposite way.  Sometimes diagnosing issues over the internet is like reading tea leaves.  

 

[CANicholls]

One dead platy.
Did 75% water change.
Ammonia/Nitrate still at same level if not higher.
Remaining 3 platys still unhappy.  No signs of illness.
I'm not getting it

 

[eaglesaquarium]

What's the ammonia/nitrate level of your tap water?

 

[CANicholls]

8pm yesterday - did another big water change (80%).  Note this is without cleaning (gravel/glass etc).
 
This morning:
 
Tap water
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrate 20
 
Tank  water
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 40
 
What next?

 

[daizeUK]

What dechlorinator are you using?
 
Anyone with chloramines in their water supply will end up with a bit of ammonia.  I use Seachem Prime to detoxify the ammonia when doing water changes, this locks up the ammonia for 24 hours which gives the bacteria a chance to process it gradually.

 

[the_lock_man]

Also, which tests are you using, since the API one is notoriously difficult to distinguish 0 from 0.25 for ammonia.

 

[CANicholls]

AquaCare is the water conditioner I am using and I use API water test.

 

[the_lock_man]

Your ammonia might well be at 0ppm, then. Try viewing the test in sunlight, rather than under artificial lighting.