Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: Anne on June 12, 2015, 12:25:36 AM
-
Last Saturday I did my usual tank maintenance - cleaned the sand, glass and filter, tidied up the plants and did a 15% waster change.
I was away Saturday night and all day Sunday so I didn't feed the fish till Monday morning. I noticed the male Platy wasn't in the feeding scrum but as I had to dash off to work I didnt think too much about it. When I came home Monday night I feed the fish and the male Platy still wasn't there so I decided to have a look for him and couldn't find him anywhere.
The last time I had seen him was Saturday so I thought maybe he'd died which was a surprise as he seemed quite healthy. I had read in previous posts that you often don't find fish remains as the other fish/shrimp/snails make short work of the body. I tested the water and the ammonia and nitrite were both 0 and nitrates were 15 which is normal. I did a 15% water change just in case. :'(
I was away Tuesday night and got back home on the Wednesday night and had another look for the remains as I found it hard to beleive there werent any but no luck, checked the water again all OK.
Been thinking about it again today I decided to check the filter as the Fluval U2 is on a rocker which lets you pull the filter forwards to change the cartridges and when you are done you push it back into the cradle which is attached to the glass, thought I might have trapped the fish on Saturday when I cleaned it. A couple of minutes after I had done this the male Platy reappeared with a damaged to his body near his tail and looking thinner so I think I must have trapped him somehow. Either that or he has something seriously wrong with him and was hiding if so he is amazing at hide and seek as I looked everywhere and I only have a 90 litre tank.
I have attached some pictures of him and his poorly body, it looks quite bad the skin/scales have come off any suggestions on what I can do to help him would be welcome. Also would like to warn others about possible entrapment with the filter rocker.
-
Oops, sorry about the photos don't know why they are upside down.
Anne
-
Do a few extra water changes to keep the water extra clean. He should heal up but be on the look out for infection getting in to the damaged area.
-
I have 2 different sizes of fluval filters and for a while a daft glowlight kept swimming up the groove of the filter casing, he did it 3 days in a row and finally I blocked the gap with filter wool, we also did exactly the same as you to an otto once so these things do happen and I actually think it's a design flaw in the fluval U series filters.
The glowlight remained daft and we watched the otto very carefully for a few days until he'd healed.
-
Yes, I couldn't believe there was no trace of his body. Good job I kept looking as I don't know how long he would have lasted in there!
He's all OK now, in fact on day 2 of his release he was back chasing / stalking his favourite female.