Platys appear a bit shy

[alicater]

Hi hope someone can advise me.....

Had my tank now for a couple of months and have guppies which are doing fine. Added 3 platys today and they have hidden at the bottom of the tank since we introduced them.

Is this normal? Do they tend to be a bit on they shy side and if so, how do they feed as the guppies wolf the food down as soon as its added.

Any advise gratefully received.

 

[Helena21]

Hi there, welcome to the tank!

Have you checked the water parameters? If you have only introduced them today, chances are they are just ajusting to the tank. In the next few days they should be fine.
What size tank is this?

 

[big54bob]

Welcome to heck
I have nothing for info though

 

[MissFishy]

They are likely just going through introduction shock. They should be alright within a couple days. However, if this tank is too small for the fish that you have, the ammonia levels may have risen in your tank, which means all of your fish are in danger. What size tank is this and do you have your water parameters?

 

[Big Vine]

Hi alicater, welcome to MFT.
I just wanted to add that happy, comfortable platies are usually out and about and 'beg' for food against the side of the tank whenever someone walks by. They eat like pigs!

So look for this behavior in the next few days, but make sure your water parameters are as they should be right away, as suggested earlier.

BV

 

[alicater]

Thanks for all your help, my tank is 60 Litres and hexagonal in shape. I have 9 guppies and 3 danios and now only 2 out of 3 platys. All the water parameters were fine when added yesterday but will check ammonia levels later today. 3rd platy was found at bottom of tank floating on side with a silver covering so he was removed for the sake of the other fish. I look forward to the 2 remaining platys getting their appetite back and joining in the feeding frenzy with the guppies!!

Ali

 

[homebunnyj]

Hmm. Since you've had a loss, perhaps you could post up your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings?

I think you might be a bit overstocked. How do you maintain your tank-- water change frequency/amount, filter maintenance, vacuuming the gravel, etc.? How long's it been set up? Do you add any chemicals to the tank?

 

[firefighter32]

yea whenever i introduce new fish to my tank they usually stay towards the bottom of the tank for a while but after a few days they swim around like happy little buggers

 

[Fuzz16]

how did you acclimate them?
what temperture is your tank?
personally i think platys can be a bit touchy sometimes for a livebearer.
it might just be stress from the new envirement

 

[alicater]

Thanks folks - an update - since my last post yesterday I have lost one guppy and one not looking so good so I've isolated him. He appears to have some kind of growth on his tummy and which could be white spot I guess but they are so small its hard to see.

My tank is a constant 25 degrees, this evening the amonia and nitrite levels were 0, PH 7.8 and nitrate 40. I add safestart to the water each time I add new fish along with the white spot treatment. Do one waterchange each week and wash the filter out at the same time in the water taken out the tank. Think I am doing everything I'm meant to.

The sick fish seemed fine last night, they then started swimming on the spot, flipped over and kinda gave up on life.........

Any suggestions? Perhaps more regular water changes? Up the anti on the white spot treatment? Not sure if the fish can overdose on the stuff!

Oh - had the tank up and running now for 2 months.

 

[big54bob]

Yikes

Is Your tank 25 degrees farinheit or celsius

 

[Fuzz16]

celsius im sure...he would have to have it in the snow to be farinheit. thats around 77F.
your nitrates are really high...possibly a ncie big wc is in order.
dont treat for anything unless you know they have it...is it actually a white spot or like a fungus?

 

[JWright]

Is Your tank 25 degrees farinheit or celsius

Bob... water freezes as 32 degrees Fahrenheit... and since she mentions that her fish can indeed move, I think it's safe to say it's the Celsius scale we're talking about here (25C is a very reasonable temperature... about 77F)

 

[alicater]

Yes its 25 celsius and today I did a big water change. The sick looking guppy was dead this morning (odd as its the 3 golden blond guppies that have now died along with the platy), its was strange condition as on closer inspection it looked like it was covered in tiny air bubbles and when isolated they seemed to go.

The other 2 platy are doing fine at the moment as are the rest of my guppy but you can't help worrying when you take a look just incase another is on its way out. It may be that the ones I bought on Sunday were a bad lot (3 platy and 2 guppy of which 1 platy and 2 guppy haven't made it).

Oh and thanks to all your replies - find it very helpful.

Ali