Fish Dying

[TTNO1]

I have 2 Platies, 2 Guppies, a snail, and an amazon sword in a 10 gallon tank. One of the platies died do to swim bladder disease and all of the fish are losing scales on the top of their heads. I figured that the scale loss was because of low kh so I started using Alkaline Buffer to raise the kh. I also started using melafix just to be safe. Now the fish seem to be losing color in their fins and one of the guppies seems to have hole-in-the-head disease (the scales are still missing). All of the water parameters are fine and they have been for as long as I've had the tank for about 6 months (except for the low kh). The fish are behaving normally. I have no idea what is causing this, can anyone help?

 

[TTNO1]

Also I think the orange guppy is bigger than the blue one like he is bloated. (The blue one is the one that I think has HITH)

Fin Discoloration: (Top fin on orange fish)

Scale Loss:

 

[HoldenOn]

@emeraldking ?

 

[HoldenOn]

What is your water hardness and what are your water parameters?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Missing scales can be a sign of an existing infection where the tissue holding the scales has become degraded.

I’m not sure on the color loss... usually fish loose color for 2 reasons, 1( They are stressed out, or 2( They aren’t being fed quality food.

 

[TTNO1]

My water hardness was 1-2dkh but I have raised it to 4dkh and am continuing to raise it.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20-30ppm
pH: 7.5 (might increase with alkaline buffer)
gh: 5-9

Temperature: 79 F

Edit:
I feed them TetraMin Tropical Flakes

 

[PheonixKingZ]

@essjay is the hardness conversation expert, she may be able to help.

I think I do remember her sayings not to use any chemical to raise or lower your water hardness, I could be wrong.

 

[HoldenOn]

@essjay is the hardness conversation expert, she may be able to help.

I think I do remember her sayings not to use any chemical to raise or lower your water hardness, I could be wrong.

Yep, never try and change your GH, KH and pH. It could get unstable and result in some very sad fishy moments.

 

[TTNO1]

The fish that died, died before I started using alkaline buffer. I tried using crushed coral but that only works if it has acids to react with, so that only raised it to about 2.5. I know that you shouldn't chase the pH but I don't think alkaline buffer will make the kh unstable (if that is even possible).

 

[HoldenOn]

The fish that died, died before I started using alkaline buffer. I tried using crushed coral but that only works if it has acids to react with, so that only raised it to about 2.5. I am not going to do nothing.

I understand. Someone with a bit more experience on the topic will comment soon, and we will get a more clear answer to your questions!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hopefully @essjay will be on shortly... I have to go for now.

 

[Essjay]

Your water is a bit soft for livebearers. It's not alkaline buffer that you need, it's the hardness minerals calcium and magnesium.

I have read that Rift Lake Cichlid salts can be used to raise GH for livebearers and these would also raise KH and pH. But only if there are no other fish besides the guppies and platies. Or use Seachem Replenish.
These should be added to the new water at a water change before it is added to the tank.

However, the water is not very soft and should not be causing the symptoms you are seeing. I am not very good with diseases, someone else may be able to suggest what is wrong.
Colin_T has stated that swim bladder disease is rare and what people think is swim bladder is really something else. With swim bladder disease the fish sinks to the bottom of the tank - is this what the platy did?



But I do need to make a couple of comments. 10 gallons is not big enough for platies, they need a tank at least 24 inches long. And I notice that you have white gravel. White is not a good colour for a substrate. No fish have evolved over white river or lake bottoms; it reflects light back up into the tank and this stresses fish. Neither of these would harm the fish quickly but over long term they will have an effect.

 

[TTNO1]

Does anyone know what might be causing this? I would really like to fix this as soon as I can.

 

[TTNO1]

bump

 

[HoldenOn]

@emeraldking @Byron @Deanasue