Platies

[Loughrea]

I have 5 Platies my Dad gave me on Monday of this week, I have them in a 10 gallon tank,
the first day they eat fine, then all of a sudden they stopped.

I know at least 3 are preganet, but I also lost all my Neon Tetars yestriday.
They were dropping like flies, one at a time.

The tank is going through a cycle, I changed 1/2 the water, but the numbers are still showing
for No2 and No3, no Ammonia, if any.

Any ideas why they are not eating?

 

[dwarfgourami]

If you added 5 platies all at once to a 10 gallon tank (unless right at the end of a fishless cycle), that will have caused a large ammonia and later nitrite spike- the reason they are not eating is probably nitrite poisoning. Keep doing daily water changes and add a little salt to help them cope (yes, I know neons aren't happy with salt, but they are even less happy with nitrite). What else have you got in there?

 

[Loughrea]

Well I had the 5 Platies, 10 neon Tetars and 1 Zebra Tetra.

All of the Neons are gone

What kind of salt?

 

[Loughrea]

Okay, got home from work and I had lost 1 Platy. Did water
check and here are the results.

PH - 6.4 Slightly green
No2 - .50
No3 - Between 2.0 - 5.0 can't really tell which
Ammonia - .5 - 1.0 ppm

How much water should i change to bring down the levels?

Help

 

[dwarfgourami]

Do a 50% today, then 30% tomorrow, then keep on doing 25 % a day until the levels go down. You are still slightly overstocked, even for a mature tank, and if that zebra tetra is actually a zebra danio, he will be very lonely without a proper school+ tank is a bit small for his activity levels anyway. So I would see if you can find him a home elsewhere, where he can be with some chums. And carry on water changes.

Aquarium salt.

 

[Loughrea]

Thanks for the info dwarfgourami.

Not sure if it is a Zebra Tetar or Danio.

Here is a picture or two.

 

[wendywc]

That's a zebra danio and like dwarfgourami said, it should be in a group of 6+ but they need a bigger tank because they are so active. Best to return him to the LFS or he may start getting aggressive on his own.

You need to wait about a month before you add any more fish. Basically the platies will be cycling the tank for you; more neons will have to wait until your tank matures and the ammonia and nitrite goes to 0. If water changes don't drop the ammonia, ammochips and other products like it do work to lower it. Fish will eat and be better once the water is better. Good luck.

 

[Loughrea]

That's a zebra danio and like dwarfgourami said, it should be in a group of 6+ but they need a bigger tank because they are so active. Best to return him to the LFS or he may start getting aggressive on his own.

I have a 29 gallon tank with 2 BP's, 6 Rosy Bars, 6 Silver Tip Tetras, and 3 Green Corys, can
I add the 1 Zebra in with this mix and he would be happier ?

This tank is already cycled.

I will just keep the 3 Plaies I have left in the 10 gallon. I lost another one this morning.
I think I have 2 females and 1 male left.

The Zebra is aggravating the Platies as I type this.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I have a 29 gallon tank with 2 BP's, 6 Rosy Bars, 6 Silver Tip Tetras, and 3 Green Corys, can
I add the 1 Zebra in with this mix and he would be happier ?

The Zebra is aggravating the Platies as I type this. [/color]

I am afraid chances are he will keep aggravating the other fish until he finds himself in a proper sized group of his own conspecifics.

 

[Loughrea]

I have a 29 gallon tank with 2 BP's, 6 Rosy Bars, 6 Silver Tip Tetras, and 3 Green Corys, can
I add the 1 Zebra in with this mix and he would be happier ?

The Zebra is aggravating the Platies as I type this. [/color]

I am afraid chances are he will keep aggravating the other fish until he finds himself in a proper sized group of his own conspecifics.

Okay basically I need to buy some more like him, and then he will be happy

About 5 more?

 

[wendywc]

No, no. A 10 gallon is way, way too small for a group of danios. They're very active and need a bigger tank of at least 20 gallons... a 20 gallon long would be better.

 

[Loughrea]

No, no. A 10 gallon is way, way too small for a group of danios. They're very active and need a bigger tank of at least 20 gallons... a 20 gallon long would be better.

I have a 29 Gallon tank, that I was going to move it into, with 5 more like him/her.

Would that be okay?

 

[wendywc]

I have a 29 Gallon tank, that I was going to move it into, with 5 more like him/her.

Would that be okay?

Oh, okay. That'll work nicely then.