I Have A Picky Platy?

[Norm_Deplume]

Cliff's notes of my history: New 10 gal tank at end of August, did a fish-in cycle with 2 platys. I lost one of them to ammonia/nitrite poisoning (still feeling guilty about that), the other, a male red wag survived the ordeal. After the tank was done cycling 3 weeks ago, we added two other platys (females) to the tank. One of them took to her new home very well, and the other (names Tammy) looked stressed at first.

After two weeks, I was sure that we were going to lose her. Fins clamped, hiding behind a plant, not all that interested in feedings, etc. Then, as a mode of last resort, I fed them a couple of peas. Tammy went nuts for the peas. She looked like she had been starving all along. Within a few minutes, her fins perked up, and she started swimming around.

Next day, fed flakes again. Two fish ate, Tammy ignored the food, was sad-looking all afternoon.

Next day, another pea. Another hungry Tammy.

I've tried two brands of flakes, and she doesn't want either one. Is there a surefire brand of flake food, or do I need to try branching out into different fish feeds to get her to take interest? Is she sick in some way, and the main symptom is anorexia? Everything I've read online states that platys are non-picky piggies, so I don't understand what's going on here.

 

[saffholly]

I have a fussy betta that will only eat bloodworm (turns his nose up at anything else) so she might just be fussy.

 

[Fish Lover Forever]

Different fish like different things so if she wont eat flakes and the other fish will then I would get something that she likes and feed that to her. If the other fish wont eat what she likes put some of both in then they can each have what they want. And no there is not anything wrong with her she is just a little bit fussy. Every fish is different!

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Has she tried the flakes at all? Might not be recognizing that they are food. How about ask the LFS where you bought her what they had been feeding their platy.

 

[Norm_Deplume]

She'll pick at the flakes a tiny bit, but is mostly uninterested in them. I have found that if I turn the filter off when I feed them she'll put a little more effort into the eating, but still not nearly as much as when I put a pea in the tank. Then she'll thrown down and get into some real fishy fisticuffs with the others (who also like the peas a lot).

What should I pick as a different balanced food for her? I'm assuming she's not a true vegetarian, so she can't live on just algae and peas, right?


My "lfs" is actually Petsmart, and the people I've talked to there aren't entirely helpful with questions like that. There isn't a true LFS in my area.

 

[Fish Lover Forever]

I would suggest sticking to the peas but platies are veg lovers. If you wanted to try a different vegetable then you can try breaking up half a leaf of lettuce. Not all platies like it but you can try it for a few days and see what her reaction is.