Why Is My Platy A Fatty?

[Bigman]

Hi friends,
 
A funny title to a serious issue I'm afraid. I have a male high fin rainbow platy that is starting to look like a puffer fish.... 3 days ago, it was fine swimming around as platies do, but it is now getting fatter by the day and is stuck at the top of the tank
 
When I say getting fatter by the day, I mean you can visually see it! Looks like he is going to explode any moment now, poor thing. 
 
Does anyone know what's wrong? 
 
Should I put him out of his misery?  Which leads me on to another question, What is the kindest way to euthanise a fish?
 
Best Regards
Tony
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Ninjouzata]

What are the parameters of the tank? Water change schedule? What are you feeding & how often? Could you post up a picture?

 

[Bigman]

Hi Ninjouzata,
 
Its a 60l tank, with 6 platys and 2 Siamese Algae Eaters...
25C, 8.2 PH, 0 ppm  Ammonia, 0 ppm Nitrites, 80 ppm Nitrates (tap water is 40ppm Nitrares)
Food is Tetra flake, and I would say the amount is 2 finger and thumb pinches a day?
I'll try and get a photo if I can, but he is over the back of the tank hiding.....
 

 
Sorry, water changes are 10% every other day

 

[the_lock_man]

Are its scales sticking up, making it look like a pinecone?

 

[fm1978]

Is he eating/pooping? What does the poop look like?
 
A photo would be really helpful on this one! If he's pine-coning (as above from TLM), heavy breathing, not eating anymore then he's almost certainly got dropsy (malawi bloat). And if so, there's not much that can be done, I'm afraid.

 

[Liv15]

Give him some cooked peas, take them out of their shells and break them up small enough for the platy to eat. Do his scales look rigid? Like they are sticking out? Because if he has dropsy then he actually can explode. When that happens I think it makes the dropsy contagious.

 

[Bigman]

Hi again,
 
Photo of my fatty platy.........

 

[the_lock_man]

Give him some cooked peas, take them out of their shells and break them up small enough for the platy to eat. Do his scales look rigid? Like they are sticking out? Because if he has dropsy then he actually can explode. When that happens I think it makes the dropsy contagious.

 
Peas will only be a solution if he is constipated. If he has dropsy, then he would die before the swelling tore the skin. I have certainly never come across a fish exploding before Dropsy isn't a disease, it's a sympton of disease, and that disease may or may not be contagious.
 

Hi again,
 
Photo of my fatty platy.........

 
Looks like it could be dropsy, but looking at the fish at the bottom of the picture makes me wonder if it's just the anlge of the flash that is making it look like that. You didn't say whether the scales were sticking out like a pinecone, so if you could answer that, it would help, as would a photo of the top view of the fish.

 

[Bigman]

Pic from the top.... and I think his scales are open....
 

 

 

[fm1978]

Oh dear, yes, that is dropsy, I'm afraid. 
 
At this stage there's nothing that can be done for him - internal damage to organs will already have taken place and there's no way to remedy that...
 
It would be your choice entirely, but, it may be time to euthanise him...sorry.
 
And just to mirror what TLM says, Dropsy (Malawi Bloat) is not in of itself a disease. It's a condition/symtpom that can arise for any of the following reasons; extended exposure to poor water conditions, poor diet and internal injury. There are other suspected causes, but these might be the most common.  

 

[Bigman]

Hi,
 
So it is something I have done then?
 
What is the kindest way to euthanise him?
 
Regards
Tony  

 

[fm1978]

Hi,
 
So it is something I have done then?

 
What is the kindest way to euthanise him?
 
Regards
Tony  

 
No, not necessarily. I had hoped that wouldn't be misinterpreted!
 
There are a number of causes for dropsy and it's not always as a direct result of something the fish-keeper does or doesn't do.
 
It could just as easily be a parasitic infection, internal injury or even a tumour.
 
Unfortunately, there's a huge debate on the "best" way to euthanise a fish. Some advocate the use of clove oil to gently and painlessly put the fish to sleep and eventually kill it. Others might suggest a more 'hands-on' approach by quickly cutting the head off and destroying the brain with something sharp. It's your choice. Perhaps someone else might suggest a 'better' way...

 

[daizeUK]

Aww poor fishie
 
I recommend clove oil.  See : http/kb.rspca.org.au/What-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanase-aquarium-fish_403.html
 
Put the fish in a container e.g. ice cream tub that you can throw away.  Mix the clove oil with some water and shake it really, really well to mix the oil with the water.  Then add slowly as directed.

 

[rpgmomma8404]

I was told to just flush em 

 but that is probably the worst thing to do. 

 

[Bigman]

Hi every one,
 
Ok, clove oil it is then  
 
I just hope it doesn't spread to my other plates......
 
Thank you all for your help with this.... something else I've learnt today......
 
Take Care all.
 
Tony