In my 20 gal tank, I now have only one male Micky Mouse platy, one male Sunshine platy, and one Zebra Danio (sex unknown - possibly female - loks like it has a beer belly!). These three are all that's left of the original fish I started with a bit over six months ago. All the others have died some mysterious death. Several seemed to get thinner - didn't know if that was disease or just that they seemed to stop eating before they dies.
The danio has always been quite energetic, even a bit spastic. The MM platy had taken to hanging near motionless for long periods of time. The SS platy had taken to hiding under one of the decorations, literally all day. He'd come out to eat a bit, then go hide again. Yesterday I saw the two platies swimming together and thought it was nice. Then I saw the MM turn and nip the SS - several times! The SS retreated to his hideout, and the MM followed him there to pick on him. I used the "birthing net" to isolate the MM and give the SS some peace. The front half of the MM platy has always been white, but I noticed it was a very dull flat white. Also his belly seems to be flat, rather than slightly rounded like all the other fish. Taking in his behavior, shape and color, does this sound like a sick fish? Or just normal for having no females in the tank? Ed
