Red Platy - Skin missing

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I'm currently in my possibly probable over reaction freaking out stage!

Yesterday I noticed a red platy (the small red fish that have over produced in my pond) with a huge (for a fish that size) white spot on him. As I looked closer it looks like a huge chunk of skin is missing. This could be from another fish biting him or a near miss with the green heron (who I know has been visiting) - there's a mouse that hangs out in a plant in the pond - would a mouse try to bite a fish? OR it could be some terrible disease.

This appeared rather suddenly (seemingly overnight) so I am more inclined to believe its an injury over disease, but there is just a nagging feeling (called over reaction) that I can't shake. I don't see anything strange on any of the other fish. Did I just not see this spot getting bigger over time? Is something going to infect all my fish? There's all these nagging feelings .......

I know there's not much anyone can do to help right now as I can't catch the fish for a picture. I think I am only person on this site keeping platys in a pond.

I'm trying to catch the little bugger, but its not easy. Will post a picture once I get one.
 

fishin4cars

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Water conditions? Have you checked to see what the KH and PH is in the pond. Platies require a ph of 7.0 or higher. If your PH is fluctuating and the PH drastically dropped do to a PH crash typically skin issues are one of the first signs. Ammonia can also cause this so first thing I would do is check all your water parameters.
 
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My water is normally pretty steady, so I hadn't tested in a while. Just did a full work up.

Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 0
Nitrite: 0
PH: 7.5 to 8 hard to match the color exactly
Nitrate: 0
KH: 7 drops
GH: 25-27 drops (got a little carried away and was doing two drops at a time because I know my water is super hardy
 
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UPDATE: That fish seemed (I say seemed: read below) to have gone missing for one of two reason 1. Heron got him 2. he died.

Yesterday, I see a fish with the same issue, same place. Is it the same fish or a new fish?

I don't know. They all look alike and are the same size (more or less).

I'm not sure what to think.

Here are my thoughts:
1. Have the fish become so interbred that this one simply had pigment problems and I didn't notice it before (hard to believe but possible)
2. Is something biting these fish? Yes, a heron is coming there every night to eat them, I guess its possible he nipped two (or is it the same one?)
3. Is this a slow moving disease? Are there slow moving diseases? I mean I have lots of these type of fish - if it is a disease only two fish (or the same fish) in two weeks.
4. It doesn't not look like cotton on the fish, it looks like his skin is missing or pigment problem. Its just white and smooth.
5. I can't catch this bugger - believe me I have tried. A inch fish in a pond 14 feet wide is VERY tricky to catch. I am still trying.

@Dave 54 would appreciate your opinion.
 
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Could you post a photo so that we could take a look at this white area on your fish please Priscilla it should give us some idea of anything being wrong with this fish however tropicals atrent my area of expertise nor Val's butt we'll have a good look close up photo if you can please ?

Dave
 
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Could you post a photo so that we could take a look at this white area on your fish please Priscilla it should give us some idea of anything being wrong with this fish however tropicals atrent my area of expertise nor Val's butt we'll have a good look close up photo if you can please ?

Dave

I'll try to get a picture. I know, I just wondered on your general thoughts.
 
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I think you should try to catch that fish and put it somewhere. So if you see another fish like that in the pond you will know it's not the same one.

I keep guppies in the pond. Just took all the girls and babies out so I only have boys now, no more breeding!!
 
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But how in the world do you catch them all? There is no way I could catch all these fish in my pond.

In my 20/20 hind sight I wish I had not put these fish in the pond, but ....... too late now. I would have to drain the pond to catch them all.
 
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My pond is small :)

I put the food in, they come in, I catch them. repeat like this a few days. catch the one you can and in period of a few days you should be able to catch most of them. then wait a few days for them to not get too skittish and they will show up and you can start doing it again. I used big net, not too large or it'll b too slow.
 

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