What's Up With My Platy? Internat Parasite?

[FishKeeperDaz]

I have a new 48 litre tank with filter, heater and air pump

cycled and levels are ammonia 0 nitrate 10 nitrite 0.2 and PH 6.5

first i added 1 blue siamese fighter, 3 silver tipped tetras and 3 small platys (one about 1cm and 2 about 1 1/2cm)

the fish were all fine and eating well

since i've added 3 more platys, one is about 3cm and the other 2 are about 4cm

the day after the new fish were introduced i came home to find 2 dead tetras in the plant and discovered one of my small platies had died hidden in the same plant, promptly removed them

later on last night after removing the dead fish my other tetra looked ill, swimming frantically and laying upside down in the same spot in the plant as the others had died.

this morning i woke up to find my tetra had dissapeared and the 2 largest platy's have long clear poops that are straight and trailing them (have been for a few hours now)

the 3smaller platys seem fine with normal poops and the siamese fighter is as happy as ever.

any idea's whats killing my fish or whats up with the adult platy's?

 

[fatheadminnow]

I have a new 48 litre tank with filter, heater and air pump

cycled and levels are ammonia 0 nitrate 10 nitrite 0.2 and PH 6.5

first i added 1 blue siamese fighter, 3 silver tipped tetras and 3 small platys (one about 1cm and 2 about 1 1/2cm)

the fish were all fine and eating well

since i've added 3 more platys, one is about 3cm and the other 2 are about 4cm

the day after the new fish were introduced i came home to find 2 dead tetras in the plant and discovered one of my small platies had died hidden in the same plant, promptly removed them

later on last night after removing the dead fish my other tetra looked ill, swimming frantically and laying upside down in the same spot in the plant as the others had died.

this morning i woke up to find my tetra had dissapeared and the 2 largest platy's have long clear poops that are straight and trailing them (have been for a few hours now)

the 3smaller platys seem fine with normal poops and the siamese fighter is as happy as ever.

any idea's whats killing my fish or whats up with the adult platy's?

What test kit are you using?

Your tank is not cycled being that you have 0.2 nitrite.

Tetras are very sensitive fish, and need a fully cycled tank to live in, with ammonia and nitrite at zero.

I would try to rehome your fish until your tank is fully cycled.

EDIT:Long stringy clear poo might be an indication of worms.

You could post your question about about the poo in the fish emergency section to get more info on the situation.

-FHM

 

[FishKeeperDaz]

im using an API liquid test kit. i have just tested again and the readings are now 0,0,10 and 6.3

still no sign of the dead tetra, do you think maybe one of the other fish ate it over night?

also my smallest platy has gone back into hiding..... god only knows where it hides but i cant find it

 

[fatheadminnow]

im using an API liquid test kit. i have just tested again and the readings are now 0,0,10 and 6.3

still no sign of the dead tetra, do you think maybe one of the other fish ate it over night?

also my smallest platy has gone back into hiding..... god only knows where it hides but i cant find it

API test kit is a very good product!

It is possible for the other fish to eat the tetra, but unlikely. I have the same problem with one of my fish, can't seem to find him anywhere?

6.3 for pH is getting pretty low, but unfortunately I do know what pH these fish like. But I am sure that it should be higher than that. Typically you want a pH of between 7 and 8.

This could be the cause for all the misfortune.

If you did not see my edit in my last post about the poo, here it is again...

Long stringy clear poo might be an indication of worms.

You could post your question about about the poo in the fish emergency section to get more info on the situation.

Hope this clears some stuff up a little?
-FHM

 

[FishKeeperDaz]

Just checked on google and the recommended PH levels are:

Silvertip tetra: 6 - 7.5

Platy: 6.8 - 8

Siamese Fighter: 6 - 8

So a little low for the platy i'll have to raise the PH

Also, the small platy that died looked to have a bent spine? ? ?

Will treat for internal parasites but should i treat them all or just the 2 showing symptoms?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Just checked on google and the recommended PH levels are:

Silvertip tetra: 6 - 7.5

Platy: 6.8 - 8

Siamese Fighter: 6 - 8

So a little low for the platy i'll have to raise the PH

Also, the small platy that died looked to have a bent spine? ? ?

Will treat for internal parasites but should i treat them all or just the 2 showing symptoms?

Good spot, bent spine is one symptom of internal parasite.

Its hard to say if the parasite has spread or not, but if you want to play it safe, it wont hurt to treat them all.

Better safe than sorry.

Hope they get better!
-FHM

 

[FishKeeperDaz]

Just a quick update.

The 2 adult platys now have no poop and are swimming fine

the 2 smaller platy's have short kinda stringy poops but are the colour of the food

and the smallest of the platys (i call him sunshine) still hasn't shown himself. the only real place i cant see into is the log which the betta guards most of the time so i cant see him being in there... god knows, he's good at hide and seek

Also, where should i look for the dead tetra? surely it cant help the other fish if it stays there as i have no idea where it is.

as far as i can tell it isnt in the plants.

The siamese fighter has taken his bat and ball home and gone to bed in his log - i heard i should have floating plants for him?is that true?

 

[fatheadminnow]

Just a quick update.

The 2 adult platys now have no poop and are swimming fine

the 2 smaller platy's have short kinda stringy poops but are the colour of the food

and the smallest of the platys (i call him sunshine) still hasn't shown himself. the only real place i cant see into is the log which the betta guards most of the time so i cant see him being in there... god knows, he's good at hide and seek

Also, where should i look for the dead tetra? surely it cant help the other fish if it stays there as i have no idea where it is.

as far as i can tell it isnt in the plants.

The siamese fighter has taken his bat and ball home and gone to bed in his log - i heard i should have floating plants for him?is that true?

I would just keep an eye on the fish for a couple more days and see if they show any signs of worms, then based on that take further action.

The tetra could easily be gobbled up by its take mates in the matter of hours if he were to die. And he probably did from the nitrite spike you had.

I am not sure with the plants, but I would say the more the better, and I like floating plants.

You could post in the plants section to get further info on that.

-FHM

 

[paulbr1]

Put this in the Emergencies section, the experts always come through.

 

[FishKeeperDaz]

I have just found the dead tetra, very sneaky hiding place but it is now removed.

The small platy has just come out bold as brass!

i'll watch for a few days and then treat them if things get any worse

 

[fatheadminnow]

I have just found the dead tetra, very sneaky hiding place but it is now removed.

The small platy has just come out bold as brass!

i'll watch for a few days and then treat them if things get any worse

Good move!

Sounds like your small platy has a funny personality!

-FHM