Platy acting strange and weak

[James_R]

Hi everyone,





I just noticed one of my platies lying on its side at the bottom of the tank. When I tried to move it with a net, it swam away, but it was swimming at an upright angle. It wasn’t really using its back fin (caudal fin) and was only using the fin closer to its head (pectoral fin).





As I watched, it started shaking its head side to side while swimming, which I think is called “shimmying.” Sometimes it goes up for air and then swims near the surface, looking upward, almost vertically.





The fish doesn’t look skinny, but since I’ve had them in quarantine for two weeks, I’ve noticed their poop has been white or a mix of white and brown.





I just did a 75% water change in case it’s related to water quality, but I tested the parameters before doing it. Here’s what I got:


• Ammonia: 0 ppm


• Nitrite: 0 ppm


• Nitrate: 5-10 ppm


• pH: 7-7.2





Can anyone help me figure out what’s going on? I’d appreciate any advice on what to do next!





Thank you!

 

[James_R]

Unfortunately, the guy did die yesterday. The body looked perfectly fine to me, so I’m thinking the shimmying was either from water quality, genetics, or internal parasites. I tested with an API KH/GH kit, and my tap water is really soft—0-1 kGH and 2 dKH. I’ve had about 10 platies in the community tank for 4 months now, and they’re doing fine with this water.

Right now, I’m doing a 3-week Paracleanse treatment just in case there are parasites. The other two look healthy and are eating normally, though they sometimes still have white/clear poop. It’s been looking darker and brown more often now, so I think the meds are helping. If needed, I might try Expel-P since I have it, but only after finishing Paracleanse. I’d do a dose, then a big water change with carbon before starting Expel-P weekly if it’s still an issue.

 

[Essjay]

my tap water is really soft—0-1 kGH and 2 dKH

Platies are hard water fish and suffer long term if kept in soft water. Shimmies it a typical response to being kept in soft water.


What other fish are in the tank? If it's just platies to can add hardness salts to make the water harder for them. But if you have any soft water fish in the tank, you can't do that.

 

[GaryE]

In soft water, platies tend to suffer from kidney failure, as well as neurological issues. Their systems evolved for them to live in hard water over limestone, and keeping them in tanks doesn't change that adaptation. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't know what their water is like when they start in the hobby.