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I have a 29 gallon tank with 6 platys, 3 male and 3 female. I test the water regularly and all parameters (nitrite, nitrate, pH, etc.) are well within the correct range. I do a 1/3 - 1/2 change every week. I have one female who stays by the heater at all times. She seems unhappy. Recently, she is so immobile that I thought she was dead more than once (she is wedged between the heater and the tank, head down). But she was fine. She doesn't have white spots, the rest of the fish look healthy.

(I intend to buy more female to get the ratios better, but I want to make sure I have a healthy environment first.)

Thoughts? Is she just trying to get away from the males or is it something else? (I had another female die recently while I was on vacation and she displayed similar habits for about 4 months...she hid in the pirate ship we have in the tank and would only come out for feeding.)

Hi and Welcome to Fish Profiles!

I agree with you, I think the guys are driving the gals nutz and they are hiding anywhere that they can. More females, and provide plenty of places for them to hide. Include some plants as well. The one hiding behind the heater is probably on the weak side and may not survive.
That hiding place is a very poor one that will subject
her to huge temperature variances and could speed her
demise.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Just like Frank said, more females, and plenty plants for hiding places will help.

If you don't already have it pick up a master test kit. Or at the very least ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte tests. The liquid bottle ones are a little more expensive to purchase, but they last for longer making them a better choice. I've also found them a lot easier to read. Once you have all three test results post them up here so we can have a look as well.

So long as a fish is still eating there's still a chance they'll survive.

^_^

Thanks everyone. We added more females and now have 3 males and 8 females. There are plenty of plants and other hiding places in the tank, including a pirate ship and an alligator skull. I have tested the water regularly and change it weekly. After two weeks of the new fish, her behavior hasn't changed that much. She still sticks to herself, sometimes near the top of the tank, sometimes at the bottom.