Red Wag Platy— Sick or Fine?

You read the title. I need to know if my Red Wag Platy is okay. Lately it’s been swimming in weird patterns, like straight up or straight down, and staying very close to the surface. It isn’t gulping for air though, and I have a moss ball and a well functioning filter that is most definitely giving enough oxygen. The orange from its body has been slowly bleeding into the black on its tail. It’s top fin has “chipped” in the middle, maybe fin rot? I’ve had it for a while now, about a year. I am near clueless when it comes to fish and I keep them just for fun. It’s a 10 gallon tank and I treat it with 10 mL of water conditioner every 2 months. I feed my fish on a regular schedule, and there’s no more fish. Before I’m asked the ph, ammonia, nitrate/nitrite levels, I don’t know, because as I said— I keep fish for fun and I’m not serious about it. I inherited the fish kit from my sister and she didn’t have a test kit either. Regardless, I still care about the fish and would appreciate suggestions on what could be going wrong. I’ve attached a link to a YouTube video of my fish.

Hi how often do you do o water changes? How much water do you change out each time?
What other fish do you have in the tank?
I would highly recommend getting a test kit. The API master test kit is the best that I have found

Water conditioner is not needed except when adding water during top ups or water changes

@Colin_T @Byron @Fishmanic @Retired Viking

JuiceBox52 said:

Hi how often do you do o water changes? How much water do you change out each time?
What other fish do you have in the tank?
I would highly recommend getting a test kit. The API master test kit is the best that I have found

Water conditioner is not needed except when adding water during top ups or water changes

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Hello, my Platy is the only fish in the tank, and I do water changes maybe every 3 months or so, as I change out the entire tank and wash the pebbles in hot water— that by itself can take an hour.

I would suggest doing a 50% water change every week and vaccum the gravel instead of what you are currently doing. Washing the gravel and changing all of the water can stress the fish and interfere with the nitrogen cycle, putting the fish under even more stress and making it prone to disease

Could you post some photos of the fin?
To help with fin rot if that is what it is do a 50-75% water change every day for two weeks to help it heal and prevent a secondary infection

JuiceBox52 said:

I would suggest doing a 50% water change every week and vaccum the gravel instead of what you are currently doing. Washing the gravel and changing all of the water can stress the fish and interfere with the nitrogen cycle, putting the fish under even more stress and making it prone to disease

Could you post some photos of the fin?
To help with fin rot if that is what it is do a 50-75% water change every day for two weeks to help it heal and prevent a secondary infection

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Sure, here’s some pictures. But I’m not sure if I’m able to do that frequent of a water change, perhaps weekly I could do, not sure if it makes a difference at that point though.

@JuiceBox52 is correct you need to do water changes, ammonia builds up quickly in the water. Do a 75% water change and vacuum the gravel. Do not wash the pebbles in hot water. That is where the good bacteria lives that helps deal with ammonia. What type of filter do you have? Do a 50% or more weekly water change from now on.

She has fin rot (or fungus) on her fins. She also has a sunken belly, platies are usually very plump. This likely means she has worms or an internal infection. She also has excess mucous on her.

Yes doing daily water changes will make a huge difference, she is not too far gone yet. What is preventing you?

You can treat for the worms or infection but the water changes will help the mucous and fins

Retired Viking said:

@JuiceBox52 is correct you need to do water changes, ammonia builds up quickly in the water. Do a 75% water change and vacuum the gravel. Do not wash the pebbles in hot water. That is where the good bacteria lives that helps deal with ammonia. What type of filter do you have?

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I would have to ask my sister, I got the tank, filter, and food from her. Again I am near clueless about fish . I think I may have read somewhere that Marimo moss balls help with nitrate/nitrite levels and ammonia levels.. is that true? I have one in my tank already.

angrysnort said:

I would have to ask my sister, I got the tank, filter, and food from her. Again I am near clueless about fish . I think I may have read somewhere that Marimo moss balls help with nitrate/nitrite levels and ammonia levels.. is that true? I have one in my tank already.

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It does but not nearly to the extent needed, the only thing to keep the tank safe for fish is weekly water changes of at least 50%

JuiceBox52 said:

She has fin rot (or fungus) on her fins. She also has a sunken belly, platies are usually very plump. This likely means she has worms or an internal infection. She also has excess mucous on her.

Yes doing daily water changes will make a huge difference, she is not too far gone yet. What is preventing you?

You can treat for the worms or infection but the water changes will help the mucous and fins

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Oh, I wouldn’t have guessed worms. Since the day I got her she has always looked like that. Perhaps not a Platy then, as I do remember all of the other fish in the pet store tank looked similarly to her. When she was healthy she looked like that too. Possibly a different species— the store tank wasn’t labeled.

What’s preventing me is my water bill.. I live with some other people and we’re tight on money.

marimo balls are a form of algae and absorb nitrate and nitrite but not ammonia.

She is a platy, and she is sick. The others in the store may have been as well. With worms or internal infection she will be suffering unless she is treated.

The best way to treat the fin rot and excess mucous is daily water changes. There is fungal treatment but that is more expensive and requires a few water changes a week as well.it also wont help with the ammonia