Platy - Scales 'malting'

[fakekerby]

Hi there,

I've got seven platys and i've noticed on one of them that his scales seem to be 'loose/malting'. It's only little bits so far, and the fish isn't acting in any strange way. It doesn't look like dropsy, it just looks like a few of the scales are coming off.

What could this be? He seems happy enough, he's eating and swimming around as usual.

I will say that this particular fish jumped out of my tank about a week ago, but I rescued him and he hasn't shown any signs of shock or anything like that - could this be as a result of that?

Anyways, please help me because if it's something bad I want it treated before it affects any of my other fish!

Just to add i've just seen one of its fins looked damaged at the end - could this be fin rot? I have some plants in my tank that are dying, i've just read this is related to cause fin rot so i'm going to get rid of them.

Thanks.

 

[orange shark]

any loss of colour, flashing ect.?

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
MIssing scales can mean a number of things, that they have knocked them off on ornaments in the tank.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Finrot does the tail or fins have a white edging, do the fins look transparent, red edging to the tail, or red streaking.

 

[fakekerby]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
MIssing scales can mean a number of things, that they have knocked them off on ornaments in the tank.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Finrot does the tail or fins have a white edging, do the fins look transparent, red edging to the tail, or red streaking.

Hi Wilder

I've got 7 platys, 4 coreys, 4 danios and 4 harlequins in a tank which is 2250 cm2

Water has no nitrite, 50 nitrate, high ph at least 8, no test for ammonia.

the fin which looks 'bitten' at the end does look to have white edging, it's certainly whiter than the OK fin. the fish itself is red so its hard to see for an extra red on it!

it swims fine and doesnt seem to fidget, flicker, or rub. i've seen some remnants of scales on my glass lid where it jumped out last week.

hope you can help. i've cleared the majority of dying plants and done a water change.

 

[WILDER]

White edging to fins is bacterial finrot.
If the platy jumped and hit the lid sounds like it knocked her scales off.

 

[fakekerby]

White edging to fins is bacterial finrot.
If the platy jumped and hit the lid sounds like it knocked her scales off.

and what can i do to help him?

i mean he seems happy enough, will it sort itself?

 

[WILDER]

If you can issolate him for treatment that would be good.
If not just add some myxazin by waterlife to the tank.
Don't forget to remove black carbon if you use it, and increase aeration with meds.

 

[fakekerby]

If you can issolate him for treatment that would be good.
If not just add some myxazin by waterlife to the tank.
Don't forget to remove black carbon if you use it, and increase aeration with meds.

Just to let you know the fish has been hiding all night behind the filter

He won't come out to eat either, he looks a little shaken. Do you think he's been bullied, or is his time up?

 

[WILDER]

Hiding away is not a good sign.
Can you issolate the sick fish even if its at the top of the tank in a ice cream container.

 

[fakekerby]

Hiding away is not a good sign.
Can you issolate the sick fish even if its at the top of the tank in a ice cream container.

yes i'm sure I can do that, how much water needs to be in the container? how many days can he stay in there? do i close the lid on him - as he's already proven to be a jumper! i've bought some medication for finrot.

sorry for all the questions, I'm just concerned!!

thanks for all your help so far!

 

[WILDER]

Forgot he was a jumper.
Add the med to the tank and see how the fish goes first.

 

[fakekerby]

Forgot he was a jumper.
Add the med to the tank and see how the fish goes first.

By way of update, i've added some nice plants, bogwood, and some meds and the tank seems a generally more happy place. The platy zoomed out from behind the filter and has been swimming about pestering the girly platys ever since! His scales dont look so bad, but his fin still looks white n rough around the edges. Hopefully he's on the mend. Only to find one of my coreys looks like (i could be wrong!) he's got some sort of cotton mouth but the meds say they cure that as well - so fingers crossed. they both look happy enough anyway.

 

[WILDER]

Cotton mouth yes is columnaris.
Keep an eye on his mouth has a bad strain can rot the mouth away.
Good luck.