Platies poop so much because that’s their nature. They tend to eat a lot, and, in return, they’ll poop as much. So it’s not a reason to get concerned.
Compared to other species, platies are known to poop a lot in short periods. For first-time owners, it can be troubling to see your tiny fish trailing around with poop almost the same length as it.
Or, if you see it poop three to four times in a matter of minutes. It sounds exaggerated, but really, it’s nothing but the platy’s nature!
But when should you be concerned, and what should you look out for when it comes to your platy’s poop?
Why Do Platies Poop So Much?
Unlike many other fish species, platies tend to poop a lot. And that’s because platies tend to eat a larger amount than their companions. So naturally, they’ll need to poop after.
Even if they didn’t have a large meal, you’d still find them pooping, and that’s perfectly normal. It’s how platies naturally are.
What to Look Out for in Your Platy’s Poop
As we’ve established, platies poop quite a lot compared to other fish species. However, if you notice them pooping continuously and non-stop, then this might be a sign you’re overfeeding them.
You’ll need to lessen the food amount. Assign one ‘no-feeding’ day per week. On this day, refrain from giving your platies any food. You can resume feeding it again the following day.
Color of Their Poop
Another thing you should keep in mind is their poop color. Platies’ poop tends to take after the color of their food. So, for example, if you’ve fed them something green, you’ll notice their poop also turning out green.
Healthy platies will have their poop solid, and it’ll fall quickly. It’ll also have a brownish color. But the color you should be wary of is the white one.
Long Stringy Poop
Suppose you notice your platy swimming around with a white stringy poop attached to it. Then this may be a sign that your fish is suffering from either internal infection or stress.
There are different types of internal infections, and some may be caused by parasites. These are not common but not rare either. Parasites are usually caused by adding a new object or a wild fish to your platy’s tank.
Another type of infection is bacterial. It can cause bloating and other symptoms, but it can be treated by medicine.
There’s also the chance of your platy having stringy poop due to high levels of stress. This usually occurs when it’s introduced to a new environment.
Thankfully though, once it’s used to its surroundings, your platy should be fine.
If the issue persists, it’s best to consult a veterinarian to make sure your platy is okay and provide the appropriate medical help.
Is White Poop Always an Indicator For a Disease?
As we’ve mentioned above, white stringy poop may be an indicator that your platy is sick. But before jumping to conclusions, you should know that it’s not always the case.
There are some situations when your platy hasn’t eaten in a while or hasn’t eaten at all since the last time they pooped.
In this case, you’ll notice it begins to poop a white, almost translucent string. This is basically only the mucus coating of your fish’s stomach. It’s simply expelling it instead of food since its stomach is currently empty.
Feeding your platy should help solve this problem, and it’ll go back to pooping normally. However, if this is not the case after a while, then it’s time to visit the vet.
Diarrhea
Just like people, platies can indeed get diarrhea. In this case, you won’t be seeing any poop. Rather, you’ll notice the water become slightly murky.
The cause for diarrhea in platies is either because of their food or an infection.
Algae are known to cause platies to have diarrhea if consumed a lot. So it’s better to avoid feeding it to your fish more than once a week.
Not only algae, but any meals that don’t go well with your platy may cause it to have diarrhea. Otherwise, the main culprit may be an infection.
Do Platies Eat Their Poop?
Despite them pooping a lot, platies are not the biggest fans of poop. You might see one of them swim around and chew another one of its tank mates’ poop, but this usually happens by accident.
The fish can mistake its poop as food when it sees it floating around in the water, but once it realizes its mistakes, chances are it’ll spit it right back out again!
So make sure to help your little fishies avoid such mistakes by cleaning their aquarium regularly.
Can Platies Suffer From Constipation?
Platies can suffer from constipation. The signs you should look for are:
- Stringy poop that stays attached to your platy
- Bloating
- Losing interest in food.
You might mistake these signs to be for dropsy, but the one difference between the two is that if your fish had dropsy, you’d notice its scales sticking out. It’s been said to appear almost like a pinecone from above.
In severe cases, your constipated platy might have difficulty swimming and become lethargic.
How Can You Help Your Constipated Platy?
One of the reasons why your platy may be suffering from constipation is because of its diet, which is why the treatment for constipation is directly related to the platy’s food.
To help treat a platy’s constipation, you’ll need to put it on a strict fibers-only diet. In this period, you can feed it algae or shelled peas, and they can even eat vegetables like cucumbers and its likes.
Another thing you can do is add an Elodea plant to the tank, which can act as both a decoration and food for your platies.
Since fibers can act like laxatives for your platies, hopefully, this will allow them to get better quickly!
Conclusion
So, in the end, even if you ask yourself what’s the reason behind platies pooping so much, there’s actually nothing you need to worry about! It’s completely normal.
Now that you know how to handle your platy in any situation, it should be easy to use this information to help ensure your platy enjoys a healthy life in its tank!