# PLATY has huge bulge under its chin



## dkssmb (May 25, 2010)

I have 2 platys among other fish in a 30 gallon tank. The platys have been in the tank since day one of cycling (I am new to this and knew nothing about it...lost a guppy, 2 black mollies, little catfish, and 2 dwarf frogs). The platys both survived along with 3 glofish and seemed to be fine...kind of fat but ok. I have a sucker fish that jumped out of the water. Thankfully, my husband found it before my dogs. We put it back in the tank and all of its skin was sloughing off. Now, it is much bigger and looks great. (loves the peas) We have another guppy, 4 neon tetras, a red-eyed tetra, 2 cory cats, a swordtail (that I have since learned can breed with Platys and does follow the one in the tank around a lot) and one other with a black patch by its eye...I forgot the name. Anyway, the Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Cl, and pH have all been in range and good now for a while. I feed flakes, bloodfish, and now peas.

One of the Platys started laying down in the rocks and hiding. It was keeping its fins in toward its body and not really eating. I moved it out of the tank and into its own 10 gallon tank.

It also had this bulge under its chin almost like it ate a small pebble or something. It was not eating at all as far as I could tell. I thought it might be pregnant but the bulge is really far forward by its face so I don't know. I see no gravid spot (but I have never really seen one other than online). I also read online that the females have the triangle fin. My other platy distinctly has that fin and is also fat (maybe pregnant?) but it looks totally different. After trying to determine the sex of the sick platy, I have only seen what looks to be a male appendage unless the female is holding the fin up ALL THE TIME. 

So, anyway, I put salt in the 10 gallon tank. All the water readings have been fine. Nothing changed so I added one of the parasite/fungal dissolving tablets. After that, I couldn't tell much difference. I wasn't sure if I should add more or not if it was pregnant so I just changed the water out, put in salt, tried peas in case it is constipation. It did eat a little bit this week FINALLY. I have given it bloodworms and flakes and it actually went to the bathroom FINALLY. Still no change in the big knot though...it is actually bigger and still by the front of the body. If fish could have breech deliveries...???  It looks like the front of its chest is going to pop. I see no "pine cone" look to it. It has scratched on the plant leaves a few times but it is not swimming in the crazy spiral circles that the guppy did before it died. 

My fish in the other tank have been doing fine as far as I can tell. They do sometimes have the whitish stringy poop which I read can be bad??? They all eat the peas, bloodworms, and flakes so I don't know. Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, Cl are all fine. When I was cycling, I used Prime. I always add the bacteria, treat the tap water. I added live plants, I added air pump. The main filter seems pretty strong (Marineland 150) but I have no idea if that has anything to do with it. (stress) I put in a second filter just to try to slow the flow a little.

I will attach pictures of the sick platy and the other platy in the main tank.

Oh, and if you say it is dropsy, why would it still be alive after all these weeks? Can it keep living like that? Is it contagious? Pregnancies, I read are not this long except that they can hold them in if they are stressed? But it looks male anyway. Someone else said they can change sexes?? The water temperature has been varied. I increased the heat to almost 80 with the high salt in hopes of killing anything else in there. Now, it is about 76.

I know I have put a lot of questions out there but I am at a total loss and nothing is happening??? Thanks for any help as soon as possible!!!

Sharon


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## fryup (Jan 12, 2010)

has it been like that when you got it???....if so it just looks deformed


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## dkssmb (May 25, 2010)

The last picture shows my other platy in the main tank. Neither of them were that big in the stomach area when I got them. One started to look swollen but then it went away after a brief time of hanging out at the bottom. I now think maybe it was pregnant...but again, I have never seen fry so I don't know what I am looking for and with all the other fish in the tank...

So, to answer your question, no, it did not have that big bulge until about 3 weeks ago. It was like one day I came in and it had swallowed a rock. The difference over the 3 weeks is that it is now huge.


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## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

First thing that comes to mind is cancer.


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## dkssmb (May 25, 2010)

*if cancer*

if so, it would be ok for him to go back with his tank mates? Also, does anyone know if the tumor typically causes breathing and other issues prior to bursting? Should I treat him for bacterial infection or anything else just in case???

THANKS everyone!!


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## fryup (Jan 12, 2010)

im sorry i really dnt no but hopefully someone can help....maybe private message 1 of the moderators so if they can help you


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