What's Wrong With My New Platy?

[Paula83]

Hi,
 
I've had platys for about 2 years now, and they've had several babies, all seem happy and healthy.
On Monday I bought 2 new platys, one adapted well straightaway and is getting on fine.
The other seemed to be very nervous from the moment he was in the plastic bag at the pet store which i thought was quite normal so I hoped once i put him in the tank he would relax and be ok. He wasn't, he looked like he was shaking a lot and didn't want to swim, I watched him for a while, he'd rest on the gravel, trembling and if another fish was near he would swim away and rest somewhere else. (None of my other fish actually bothered him, they just swam close) I thought maybe being in a new tank with a lot of other fish might be scaring him so I took him out and put him in a temporary tank by himself to see if he'd relax. 2 days later, he is just sitting at the bottom, not eating and when i go to look over his fins move quickly, he doesn't swim away, he stays still and still looks scared.
 
Has anyone had any similar experiences? Is he sick? Scared? What can I do to help him? The other new fish is doing fine otherwise I'd think maybe my tank/water etc is set up differently to the pet store.
 
Thanks
Paula.

 

[the_lock_man]

Sometimes that just happens - I had it with a male Agassizii not so long ago - he just never settled, never came out of his cave to eat, sadly it took 2 or 3 weeks for him to give up the ghost.
 
Sorry I can't be more positive than that.

 

[Paula83]

Thank you for your reply, it's ok, I feel like I'm looking after a sick fish so I am prepared for the worst, I know it's rare for fish to bounce back when sick so can't see this one perking up. I just feel guilty as he looks so unhappy. 

 

[fishy_wishy]

Don't feel guilty, you haven't done anything wrong.
anyway, you never know, he might settle in and perk up in the end

 

[Paula83]

Thanks... hopefully he will but even now he's still not eating. It'd just be nice to understand what is wrong with him/why he's so scared but i suppose i'll never know )

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I had one that hated me forever.  Having lots of plants helped for swimming behind.
 
I hope he comes around!

 

[Paula83]

Haha is that what it is, he hates me ;o) it'd be funny if I returned him to the pet shop and he starts swimming happily again. Weird thing is I have a plant, and an arch for him to hide under but he doesn't seem to want to hide, and when I look over the tank he doesn't swim away, he just starts shaking and moving his fins really fast, I'm starting to wonder if maybe he is injured. He moves every so often but i've not seen him actually swim properly.

 

[fishy_wishy]

Done a bit of research, if a fish isn't settling in it could be because....
There was a significant PH/temperature change from your water and that of the pet shop.
(if this is the case your fish will recover if and when he gets used to the water)
OR....
He was ill when you got him
(if this is the case, you could try medicine but if you don't know what it is he has, there isn't a huge amount you can do)

 

[Meeresstille]

You could try soaking his food in garlic juice. It is a natural scent/flavour which fish are attracted to and hopefully he will feel enticed enough to eat again. Garlic would also help boost his immune-system, as would keeping the temperature of the tank nice and warm and keeping his water pristine. It's a freshwater fish and they just love fresh water. I think you're doing a great job giving him the best chance to pull through, but sometimes even doing all you can do is not enough if the fish is genetically weak or has some hidden illness. Good luck with the little guy!

 

[Paula83]

Thank you both, I appreciate your help!
He was acting strange before I put him in my tank but I did consider the water... also as the other new fish was fine from the moment he was in the tank I'm not sure thats the problem. I've got some of those pH strips so I'll test again now
I'll remember the garlic tip! !
He's still the same today, I've been watching him a bit more closely and I'm now wondering if he's injured and can't swim properly. He moves from one place to another every so often but when he does he doesn't swim like the others, his body seems a bit bent and he sort of waddles like its a struggle to move so when he shakes and moves his front fins really fast, I'm thinking he's trying to swim but can't rather than just really scared like I first thought.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Could you post a photo of him?  That might help.
 
I was just remembering a few years back on another forum I remember people talking about "belly shufflers", basically they were guppies born without the ability to swim all that much off the bottom so basically they fluttered around and shuffled along on their bellies.  In that case, it was put down to being a birth defect and usually they didn't live that long.
 
Was this fish swimming in the tank before you bought it?