Tropical freshwater fish are one of the most delicate creatures and die very commonly. The cause of their death can be a mystery sometimes as the fish keepers may not have complete information on how to keep their fish happy and healthy.
Why are my platies dying? Platies mostly die due to the fluctuations in water conditions, sudden changes in temperature or inappropriate filtration system. Using untreated tap water can also cause your Platies to die as it contains chlorine and chloramines. These chemicals are used for disinfecting the water but they prove to be fatal for the fish.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to the death of your Platies. Let us find out some of the common causes for your dying platies and how you can take precautionary measures to avoid this sad situation.
How to Tell if Your Platy is Sick?
It is not that difficult to point out sick and dying platies. Platies are peaceful tropical fish and normally stay near the middle and top of the aquarium. This is why any kind of change in their behavior would be really easy to notice.
If you know the normal behavior of your Platies like their eating pattern, swimming routine, physical appearance etc. then you can easily tell whether your platies are sick or not. Just like any other living being, fish also look and act differently when they are sick. Recognizing these differences at the right time can be a matter of life and death for these delicate creatures.
Luckily the signs of illness are quite similar for all kinds of tropical fish and knowing them can be really helpful to avoid the death of your Platies. Some of the common signs of sick Platies include;
- Clamped Fins. If your Platy keeps its fins close to its body, that can be a sign of sickness.
- Frayed fins are a key indicator that your Platy is experiencing an infection.
- A Platy which is scraping itself on plants or filters of the aquarium indicates that it is in some sort of discomfort.
- If your Platy appears bloated and swollen, that can also indicate that it is sick.
- Eye enlargement can suggest that something is wrong with your Platy.
- If your Platy drifts close to the bottom or is gasping for air at the surface, it is definitely sick.
- Loss of appetite can indicate sickness in many cases which ultimately may result in death.
- If the Platy has cotton-like patches on the skin or fins, that indicates a bacterial infection
- If your Platy is normally active and now appearing still, that would entail that it is sick.
- Parasitic worms appearing on the body of your Platy can also cause serious, and at times, fatal sickness.
Aquarium Fish Keep Dying? #1 Reason Fish Die (Video)
What are the Major Causes of Dying Platies?
Millions of fish die every year in aquariums. As fun as it is to keep fish at home, it is also heartbreaking when they die, especially due to unknown causes. On average, tropical fish only have a lifespan of three weeks after you bring them home!
That is such a sad statistic as these fishes have lifespans that range to at least a few years. Such short lifespans for fish in domestic aquariums usually occur because people don’t have enough knowledge about their basic needs and proper care.
The above section clearly states the conditions that can indicate the sickness of your Platies. Now, let us have a look at the causes that can lead to the sickness and ultimately the death of your Platies.
In most of the cases, Platies die early because of the following mistakes committed by beginner fish-keepers.
- Poor Water Quality
- Sudden Fluctuations in Water Parameters
- Harmful Water pH Levels
- Ammonia Poisoning
- Overfeeding
- Diseases and Parasites
Poor Water Quality:
Using untreated tap water for your fish in the aquarium is the first mistake that most of the beginners commit. This water is extremely dangerous for the survival of your fish as it contains disinfecting chemicals like chlorine and chloramine. These chemicals are harmful to the fish and can be a cause of a quick death.
To avoid the death of your Platies due to untreated water, you can use aquarium water conditioners which are available in solid as well as liquid forms. These conditioners help in detoxifying the water for up to 48 hours.
If your aquarium is overcrowded, it may also contribute to the deteriorating health of your dying Platies. This not only increases stress amongst the fish due to their having less area to move around, but it also poisons the aquarium water.
To avoid overcrowding, you can follow a general rule: every centimeter of fish should have a liter of water in your aquarium tank. This will help you estimate how many fish you can put in your aquarium while bearing in mind that not all fish are of the same size.
Sudden Fluctuations in Water Parameters:
Most of the fish are capable of adapting to a range of water chemistry if they are given sufficient time to adapt. These fluctuations include pH levels, hardness, and temperature. Still, you have to take care of these factors before putting new fish in your tank. As the water in your aquarium is totally different than that in a plastic bag. So, if you directly dump your fish in the tank, there are chances that it might go in shock due to sudden changes in water parameters.
To avoid this situation, you must acclimate the fish. This involves putting the plastic bag with fish in the aquarium without opening it. This will make the temperature of the water inside the plastic bag same as that of the aquarium. Then you can open the plastic bag and let your fish into the tank.
Water pH Levels:
Another factor that can contribute to the death of your new fish is the sudden change in the pH level of the water. The water of your aquarium has a different chemistry than that of the water in the plastic bag. Again, you can avoid this sudden difference by acclimating.
Before putting the fish in the tank, you should put your fish in a separate plastic container with the same water in the plastic bag. Then remove some of the water and fill it up with some water from the aquarium. Repeat these steps every 10-15 minutes until all the water in the containers is replaced with the aquarium water.
This will give your new Platies time to adjust to the new environment without experiencing sudden changes and will keep them happy and safe.
Ammonia Poisoning:
Ammonia is a natural waste produced by the fish. It is poisonous for them and can be a cause for their death. In a natural environment, fish usually don’t die because of ammonia poisoning as there is so much water that it removes the ammonia readily.
However, in an aquarium tank, if the ammonia levels build up to a higher concentration, they can burn the gills of the fish and kill them.
Physically, it is not possible to remove ammonia from the water. However, in a well-made aquarium, there are naturally occurring bacteria that feed on ammonia and produce nitrite. Nitrite, on the other hand, is another problem to deal with as it also poisons the water and kills the fish.
To get rid of nitrite in the aquarium water, you can use filters where a special kind of bacteria exists that feeds on them and turns them into harmless nitrates. The presence of nitrates doesn’t cause any problem for the fish unless it is in an extremely high concentration.
Overfeeding:
Overfeeding is also one of the leading causes of fish death in general. Most of the beginner fish keepers have no idea about this and keep on feeding their fish large quantity of food multiple times a day. This can disturb the digestive system of the fish in no time and cause sudden and unexpected death.
Another problem that comes with overfeeding is that the uneaten food can pollute the water in the aquarium. It will increase the concentration of ammonia and nitrite in the water which are poisonous for the fish.
Diseases and Parasites:
Diseases and Parasites can also be the cause of death for your Platies. Most of the fish farms, warehouses, and fish pet stores have poorly managed aquariums. There are a number of contagious fish diseases like Fish Ick, Fish Mouth Rot etc. that spread quickly and can kill the fish if not treated at the right time.
If you bring a diseased fish in your aquarium, it can spread the bacteria to other fish in the tank and cause a lot of mayhem in the community.
FAQs
What are the ideal water temperature and pH levels that Platies need? In general, a healthy Platy can tolerate water temperature between the range of 68̊F to 82̊F or 20̊C to 28̊C. As far as the pH level is concerned, it must fall within the range of 6.8-8.
How to know if your Platies are stressed? If your Platy is gasping for air at the surface of the water, that can be a sign of stress due to the insufficient oxygen in the tank or poor water conditions. If your Platy doesn’t eat, that will also be a sign for the same. Strange swimming behavior by the fish such as sinking to the bottom, rubbing itself on the rocks or locking its fins is also a key indicator that your fish is stressed and needs help.
