Platy On Bottom

[jenjen]

I've been having a similar problem, in my 10 gallon tank I currently have 2 Platy and 2 Guppy (each different sex for type of fish). My female Micky Mouse Platy just wants to sit at the bottom of the tank, I know she can swim fine but all she does is lay at the bottom on the gravel with her tail fin at an angle. And my male Sunburst Platy has a swollen gill on his right side (left if you looking at his face) because i was moving him from a different container and I accidentally hit him while trying to get him with the net. It is definitely swollen compared to the other one and it a little red too. Also just to mention, my female guppy is currently pregnant and in a breeders net. But what can I do for both of my platy?

 

[ncguppy830]

does your female look big or plump she might be pregnant, as for your male he should heal over time as i dont think you could do anything for that.

 

[jenjen]

No the male shows no signs of trying to breed with her and she looks the same size, colors when I got her. I doubt she pregnant, I know my male guppy usually chases her around all day but he stopped since she's been on the bottom.

 

[ncguppy830]

well if shes the same size then ok but i hope you now that femaes can store sperm for 7 months so it doesnt matter, BTW there should always be a 2 to1 female to male ratio in livebearers.what is your water readings and did you cycle?

 

[jenjen]

What do you mean by 'cycle'? And I don't currently have a water testing kit so I have no idea about the current readings. Because I used to feed my fish ignorantly and didnt turn off the filter or scoop up extra food, the water would cloud about once every week or two and I would actually clean out the whole tank, I kept the fish in a temporary container, dumped the water out and rinsed the gravel and added the conditioner and other water supplement I use before I refilled the tank so it would be even throughout the water. But now I do scoop up food and haven't changed the water in a week an it's still pretty clear

 

[ncguppy830]

if you dont know what cycling is your in trouble read the cycling forum on it its extremely important that you do cycle for the saftey of your fish

 

[jenjen]

Ok so how can I cycle without harming the fish? I still don't understand much of the big difference between adding all these different elements into the water then just adding the amount of dechlorinator needed for your tank. Cycling just seems really complicated, is there an easy way to do it?

 

[ncguppy830]

you could do fish in cycling it sint reccomended but you have no choice really

 

[mrhidley]

Ok so how can I cycle without harming the fish? I still don't understand much of the big difference between adding all these different elements into the water then just adding the amount of dechlorinator needed for your tank. Cycling just seems really complicated, is there an easy way to do it?

 
Please read this http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/
 
Without cycling your fish will experience ammonia poisoning. Cycling is the process of generating enough bacteria within the tank to convert the ammonia into nitrite, which is still very harmful to fish, and then converting that nitrite into nitrate, which in low levels is harmless to your fish. I would advise getting a water test kit, as quickly as possible, and then if your ammonia is high, you'll need to perform large water changes (75%+) at least once a day until the ammonia has been reduced to zero.
here is a guide to fish-in cycling http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/224306-fish-in-cycling/

 

[jenjen]

Wait I have a Top Fin Bacteria Supplement that i use in my fish tank, is that the same good bacteria that is established from cycling a tank?

Well, what i'm really asking is that the TopFin bacteria supplement replaces the need to cycle my tank?

 

[mrhidley]

Wait I have a Top Fin Bacteria Supplement that i use in my fish tank, is that the same good bacteria that is established from cycling a tank?

Well, what i'm really asking is that the TopFin bacteria supplement replaces the need to cycle my tank?

 
I have no experience of your particular brand, but overall i have found the bacterial supplements make little to no difference in the time taken to cycle.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

If you can get a hold of some mature media from a friend or LFS then that will help the fish and the cycle.
If you can't get any mature media, then see if you can buy Dr. Tim's One and Only or Tetra SafeStart. They contain the correct bacteria to help your cycle.
Top fin Bacterial supplement is pretty much useless from what I have heard.