Platy Problems

[platy guy]

My red wagtails developed some sort of disease, all my other fish are fine. Black spots (actually it's more like smudges or patches) developing above the front fins, and behind the eyes, but nowhere else on their bodies. One has it really badly, and it appears that it's lost the use of it's tail. please help me identify whatever this is.

 

[brian1973]

any chance of posting a pic..also i see in you sig, your getting new fish. I would wait until you know what is wrong with the ones you have before adding anything else.

I doubt this will help but figured i would link it. Freshwater Fish Disease

 

[platy guy]

picture

I managed to find one on the web; notice the black spots on the top of the head. This is what mine look like, except it is much worse

 

[platy guy]

oh come on people, 50 views and no one else has commented? please... my fish are dying

 

[jen0910]

Are you sure its not just the coloration of the fish?
The black could just be getting more prominant as they get older.
What do you mean that it is losing the use of its tail?

 

[iapetus]

I think jen0910 might be right. I sorta panicked when I noticed the same thing on my pineapple swordtail; it looks just like that. However, I haven't noticed any other problems with her. She's been perfectly healthy ever since (in fact, she gave birth to fry two weeks ago); so, I've assumed that it's a non-problem.

But, what's going on with the one who's losing the use of his tail? Maybe the problem is unrelated to the darker patches you've begun noticing?

 

[platy guy]

thanks for the help people, but it turns out there's no problem. A fish expert I know said platies usually develope the black when they get older, and sometimes when they get it bad and can't swim right, it means they're just about at the end of their run

 

[Punkrulz]

I've been concerned about my red wag platy as well... I have two of them. One is a very beautiful red / orange color, and the other is a really pale orange... I always thought it was unhealthy but it doesn't seem to be that way. They have quickly become my favorite fish because everytime I get near the tank, they come to the edge and follow me around to see what I'm up to.

Unfortunately the pretty red one seems to have some weird bald spot on the top of what I would call his forehead... it seems shiny and off color, but I can't get a good look, as he always follows me in a position that it's tough to see him in. Otherwise he seems incredibly healthy, and perhaps he got injured rubbing against something in my tank, I'm not sure. I'm keeping an eye on him though!

 

[joy613]

Unfortunately the pretty red one seems to have some weird bald spot on the top of what I would call his forehead... it seems shiny and off color, but I can't get a good look, as he always follows me in a position that it's tough to see him in. Otherwise he seems incredibly healthy, and perhaps he got injured rubbing against something in my tank, I'm not sure. I'm keeping an eye on him though![/QUOTE]

I was looking at your stocking in your 10 gallon. Your platy might not have rubbed itself against anything, but it could be your chinese algae eater you might want to investigate. I would suspect he likes to suck slim coat off other fish.

 

[Punkrulz]

I have yet to see that the algae eater has done any damage to the other fish. Sometimes he will chase them away, but after a short distance he seems satisfied with their distance and goes back to his original location. He hasn't really displayed any real particular area that he would call his own, and usually I see the platy's and him on opposite ends of the tank. Though you're right, it is entirely possible as I know their aggressiveness and I will keep an eye out.

 

[Dynamicfisher]

Sorry to hear about your fish.
I had a beta come down with a small growth beside his eye. And as it kept growing he kept loosing mobility. I was not ever able to find out what it was. So I just kept him as comfortable as I could till he died. I guess it may have been an equivalent to a cyst/tumor? It started small and grew fairly large for him. It ended looking like a dark blood blister. What ever it was it attacked the fishes nerves and slowly shut him down. I hope your fish do not have this !!!