mickey mouse platy

Question
I bought a mickey mouse platy around 3 months ago along with a few other fish, he was fine and got along with everyone  but during the last month its taken to laying at the base of a fake plant all the time, when I fed them though it was the first one to the top would eat like crazy and then go back to his spot, well in the last few days or so he doesn't eat, he almost looks like his body is kind of twisting a little and now I noticed today he seems to have a small scrape above his eye, he just doesn't look right, and his head and neck area look swollen, hes been a great fish all other fish are healthy, what could be wrong? do they have common health issues? thanks

Answer
Hi Kristine
Do you know what you're ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings are?  It's hard to say exactly what's wrong, the one hand it sounds like a parasite problem the other a bacterial problem, but if he's swelling up, sounds like an internal infection.  Since he's not eating, you'd probably be best off moving him to a separate tank, adding some aquarium salt-1 tablespoon per 5 US gallons, and trying an antibiotic like Maracyn Two.  Ideally, a medicated food would work best, but since he's not eating that's not helpful.  

As for a common health issue, just my opinion, but I think livebearers especially, are more prone to certain issues like that.  I've never had good luck with guppies or mollies, but have had ok luck with platies.  Though they don't tend to live as long as they should.  I think because they're so easily bred, a lot of inbreeding occurs with them, which diminishes they're ability to fight diseases and such, and the quality is pretty much bred out of them.  Again, just my opinion there from my experiences with them.

Christy