Help! Platy Questions

[Jake]

I just woke up getting ready to go to work, and I realized that one of my Red Platys, the smaller one of th efour platys is finding it very hard to swim to the top. He was laying on the bottom near a plant, when I turned the light on. Could it be that they are not used to the size of the 30g? Or is something wrong. All his fins look perfect. No spots on him or any other fish. The water temp is 78.

 

[Big Vine]

Was this right after the room and/or tank lights went on? Was he laying on his side or just resting on his belly? If he was more or less in his normal position (i.e. with his belly resting against a plant/gravel), he was probably sleeping, which is completely normal. What makes you think he had a hard time swimming to the water's surface? Did you try putting some flakes in there to see if he could swim to the top?

My guess would be that he was sleeping, in which case it is normal to sometimes rest on objects in the tank. If he has no trouble feeding at the water's surface, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Observe him closely.
Rapid gill movement and/or 'shimmying'/fin-clamping and/or excessive flashing are all 'red flags' indicative of a problem.

BV

 

[Jake]

Got home from work, and he is still on the bottom this morning I had put the food in all the Platys at a high speed went to the top. He didnt. Then I get home and feed them same thing. He swam around trying to get to the top, and it seems as if he cannot use his back fin. What could this be there seems to be a little white spot on his tail, that has always been there, but no other fish have it.
Anyone Help?