# Rest in peace, Blue :-/



## Copachick (Jun 7, 2011)

So my Platy didnt make it. We dont know what happened? We've had her for maybe 6 months. Shes one out of 5 Platys in our tank. All of a sudden for the past few days she sat on the bottom in the back corner of the tank and wouldnt move. She wasnt eating. She would come out at night and go into the cave. We thought maybe she was just pregnant and acting funny. Well this morning we found her stuck to the filter. She must have not been there long because when I woke up this morning around 6 (the tank lights were still off) I saw her moving around with everyone else like she was still sleeping. An hour later when i turn the lights on shes on the filter :-( 
when my boyfriend took her out he said her stomach look kind of swollen. 
Any thoughts on that?

I know you'll ask about all my water parameters. (as of last weekend we did have a midge of ammonia at maybe .25 and nitrates were 60 I believe. A lithe higher than normal. Ph is usually always 6 (always low for some reason in that tank) So we did a water change, then did another one just two days ago to make sure the ammonia and nitrates were down. 

All of the other fish seem fine. Perky. Darty. Eat like fatties. I have cardinals neons, two tetras, a 2 1/2 month old baby platy in there (Blue was the mother) otos and a catfish. 

Just weird. I dont want anything else to happen to any of the other ones.


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## Crazy (Mar 1, 2012)

I try to keep my nitrates below 40 so those for me were high, combined with the ammonia it makes me think dropsy.


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## Copachick (Jun 7, 2011)

Yea my nitrates were high this time. Wasnt sure why. We skipped a week with changing the water I think. Thats why we've done 2 water changes since then just incase. Maybe she couldnt handle it but how come the others could? even the baby is fine. And the neons as delicate as they can be. I dunno but it was sad. 

How can you tell beforehand if its dropsy?


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## Crazy (Mar 1, 2012)

they will bloat, balance may be off (leaning to one side), sitting on bottom not moving much, as it advances the scales will puff out like a pinecone.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

That's not a big amount of ammonia but along with the nitrates it was probably enough to get to a weak fish. Keep an eye on the ammonia, if it's a once off it's nothing to worry about much but if you often get ammonia readings it could be that you are overstocked, are over feeding, or underfiltered.


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