Fish hiding for days, and then is perfectly fine?

Austin

So, a couple weeks ago I bought a blue/red-orange Platy at the fish store along with a black (with some white) Platy.

What was really odd was that the blue/red Platy hid for days. I honestly couldn't find it. I discounted it was most likely going to die... I was moreso looking for a body and each time was surprised it was alive. Maybe I'm a bit pessimistic, but in my experience if fish do not adjust well, and integrate themselves into the community within a day they seem to die...

Anywho, this Platy hid for about solid 1-2 days. for days 3 and 4, she hid, but came out for food. By about day 5 she was coming out more, and after about a week she was just like all my other fish - a part of the community.

What I am wondering is what causes this snail-paced adjustment to happen to some fish? My black male Platy was perfectly fine. I have not had this happen with a positive outcome before. And while something was going on with my tank, and many of my fish were dying, she still survived.

I always assumed this was a sign of lethal stress from the transition... that some fish just don't do as well as others, and the fish store may have not handled her properly (I believe I am good when handling my fish).

Any explanations?

P.S. I think she just had babies recently. I hope some survive inside the tank. :)

tf1265

By "recently" you mean she had them in the first few days that you had her in your tank?

Female platies will often hide right before dropping fry. Mine hide in the craziest places, smashed up between plant bulbs the and glass, you name it. Combined with the stress of moving, as you mentioned, that is probably the explanation. You probably have just never gotten a female Platy that close to dropping fry before so never had to deal with the hiding and the moving stress at the same time.

None of my fry ever survive. I have a female betta in there, and she gobbles them all up. Good luck!