# What's going on with my Platy?



## IronDoll (Nov 8, 2010)

My Platy has been acting strangely lately; sitting on the bottom of the tank and staying ever so still. Also, she's been keeping her tail closed very tightly, rather than fanned-out like the others. In addition to that, she appears very bloated. This has been going on for a week now.


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## Homer (Sep 6, 2010)

pics would be helpful. Maybe she is pregnant?


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## Homer (Sep 6, 2010)

i hate when a thread dies and somebody doesnt get an answer. Did you find out what was wrong? Do you have any pictures? Is the platy still alive?


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## IronDoll (Nov 8, 2010)

I know what you mean, sorry, I bought two baby lovebirds and handfeeding around the clock. Can't wait until they are weaned, it's a big demand. Fortunately, it's temporary. Thanks for checking on the thread though.

OK, so it's been five days since I started the thread and she's still doing it. No pictures, life's too busy. I did some reading though and this behavior is linked to some sort of stress. It's discussed that water conditions could be the culprit but I check that off as a no because everyone else is thriving. The other stress that is named is bullying and I have a definate yes on that. There's this big male platy that bullies all of the platies. One of the other male platies has been changing color for months and is constantly bullied, so the stress is a problem for other platies too. My husband says to flush the big buger but I have all those girly feelings about criters so I can't. He's getting on in age so I'm waiting for him to die of natural causes. I thought about moving him to another tank but the other fish may not get along. So long story short, it looks like stress, poor little girl. 

You sure have a lot of platies, how do you handle a bully????

Thanks again for your input.


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## Homer (Sep 6, 2010)

IronDoll said:


> I know what you mean, sorry, I bought two baby lovebirds and handfeeding around the clock. Can't wait until they are weaned, it's a big demand. Fortunately, it's temporary. Thanks for checking on the thread though.
> 
> OK, so it's been five days since I started the thread and she's still doing it. No pictures, life's too busy. I did some reading though and this behavior is linked to some sort of stress. It's discussed that water conditions could be the culprit but I check that off as a no because everyone else is thriving. The other stress that is named is bullying and I have a definate yes on that. There's this big male platy that bullies all of the platies. One of the other male platies has been changing color for months and is constantly bullied, so the stress is a problem for other platies too. My husband says to flush the big buger but I have all those girly feelings about criters so I can't. He's getting on in age so I'm waiting for him to die of natural causes. I thought about moving him to another tank but the other fish may not get along. So long story short, it looks like stress, poor little girl.
> 
> ...



I have lots of hiding places but it sucks because my favorite platy is a male that has the best coloring to him. I want to breed him but the stress he puts on the other platys must make them infertile. I have had him for 6 months and he hasnt made 1 platy pregnant. At one point i separated him but it didnt work. All my females have been around for a while so they arent stressed enough to the point of death but thats probably because i have a lot of hiding spots so when he chases them they can get away quick.


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## IronDoll (Nov 8, 2010)

Yeah, they spend so much time chasing I guess they think that's more fun than doin' the wild thang. I have a cichlid tank where a jewel is doing the same thing. All of these bullies have ME stressed out. HA! Funny, I have hinding places like you do and this female platy prefers just to lay on the gravel. Just goofy, we'll have to wait and see what happens.


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## IronDoll (Nov 8, 2010)

Update for anyone who reads this, I'm thinking it could be helpful. 

A new development. I feel like saying "Breaking News", LOL. Seriously, the female platy's body has suddenly changed. This is very odd. Her tummy is flat and she's developed a rounded body on the top. With this new development, I did some more reading to discover it is a parasitic disease. I wondered about the stringy poo that I found a few days ago but all of the symptoms are in line. 

The treatment is to isolate her, do daily water changes and Melafix. My husband has been wanting to flush her and guess what? He did. I woke up to check on her and she was gone so I inquired about it. He said it wasn't logical to go through all of that for a dying fish. He said she probably wouldn't make it and it would be a waste of money. Perhaps he's right.


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