Guppy with arched back

[Scottx2]

Good evening everyone,

This is my first post here so I apologise if I've missed anything. However I have noticed that one my male guppies has a bit of arched back and isn't exactly swimming great.

I've attached the best picture I could get which showed the problem. It's quite hard to get a good photo as they're very active.

I do weekly 25% minimum water changes, and have my water tested regularly my local fish shop (I had the water tested just this afternoon and everyone was great) so I am unsure what could be causing it.

Does anyone have ideas?

:edit: Maybe a few more details, I've had the tank setup for around 7 months now and I currently have 7 cardinal tetras and 5 male guppies in a 98l tank.

 

[Matt68005]

I use to know of a parasite that causes this, but I plum forgot. Some google searches turned up little other than
1. Household contaminants
2. Vitamin deficiency/improper or spoiled food
3. Electrolyte problems, water too soft, add AQ salt or even AQ + Epsom salt
im assuming your from either UK or Aus since you said liters....you water needs to be hard for guppies to thrive. And since both UK and AUS have strick medicine limitations, I feel recommending anything other than a ick medication or anti-microbal would be pointless for you. If you feel the need to put him down, drop him in some ice water or put some clove oil (can find some at a health supply store, like for bodybuilders) in some water, about a drop per liter, and he should be sedated, then drop in ice water wait 10 minutes, and dispose of outside somewehere.
What is your GH? You can find medium sized round smooth limestone rocks at construction supply stores, you might want to switch to that as a substrate...it will make your water pretty hard. Guppies and mollies prefer 150-250 GH
If your serious about the hobby and want to have a lot of tanks, it would be worthwhile to at least get some test strips. Even better would be liquid API master kit, to learn, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate GH and PH.
- Note that AQ salt does little for hardness, its an electrolyte thing, and Epsom salt increases water hardness, but should not be used over the long term. If you water is indeed much too soft, consider another fish or using limestone in your tank. Neither salt nor the rock should affect PH.
Good luck. Guppies are a bit sensitive fish...

 

[coralbandit]

Sometimes this just happens due to the fin being so large the fish just can't 'carry'it properly.
I can't say I see anything .
He has large/long fins.
Handsome fish.

 

[Scottx2]

I use to know of a parasite that causes this, but I plum forgot. Some google searches turned up little other than
1. Household contaminants
2. Vitamin deficiency/improper or spoiled food
3. Electrolyte problems, water too soft, add AQ salt or even AQ + Epsom salt
im assuming your from either UK or Aus since you said liters....you water needs to be hard for guppies to thrive. And since both UK and AUS have strick medicine limitations, I feel recommending anything other than a ick medication or anti-microbal would be pointless for you. If you feel the need to put him down, drop him in some ice water or put some clove oil (can find some at a health supply store, like for bodybuilders) in some water, about a drop per liter, and he should be sedated, then drop in ice water wait 10 minutes, and dispose of outside somewehere.
What is your GH? You can find medium sized round smooth limestone rocks at construction supply stores, you might want to switch to that as a substrate...it will make your water pretty hard. Guppies and mollies prefer 150-250 GH
If your serious about the hobby and want to have a lot of tanks, it would be worthwhile to at least get some test strips. Even better would be liquid API master kit, to learn, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate GH and PH.
- Note that AQ salt does little for hardness, its an electrolyte thing, and Epsom salt increases water hardness, but should not be used over the long term. If you water is indeed much too soft, consider another fish or using limestone in your tank. Neither salt nor the rock should affect PH.
Good luck. Guppies are a bit sensitive fish...

Thanks for your post. Really appreciate your advice. I am unsure of my GH, I should really invest in a testing kit, I have a really good relationship with my local store and they will test it as often as I like for free so I've just gone in there but I think it would be best to get my own. Can you recommend one?

What would be best for an electrolyte issue?

 

[Scottx2]

Sometimes this just happens due to the fin being so large the fish just can't 'carry'it properly.
I can't say I see anything .
He has large/long fins.
Handsome fish.

Is this likely? His fins are very big, as the other of the same type I've got (but he isn't having any problems keeping his up). They are gorgeous fish, very happy to have them but I obviously don't want them to suffer.

 

[brennae]

Was The guppy born in your tank or you bought him like this? Guppies can be born with spine deformities at times and it's my understanding that it does not pass to the offspring

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[Scottx2]

Was The guppy born in your tank or you bought him like this? Guppies can be born with spine deformities at times and it's my understanding that it does not pass to the offspring

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Hi, thanks for your reply. Guppy wasn't born in my tank, and he wasn't like this when I bought him around 6 months ago. This is something he has developed very recently.

 

[brennae]

I couldn't say then. Are you feeding a high end food? Could be some deficiency if it's not the tail weight

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[Scottx2]

I couldn't say then. Are you feeding a high end food? Could be some deficiency if it's not the tail weight

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I recently purchased a higher quality food for them as well as some blood worms for a more varied diet. Could be the change in food?

 

[brennae]

I don't think a change to a better food would do damage and guppies seem to like blood worms. Could have been something lacking in the old food. If he struggles to eat or anything then he would need his own tank.

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[Matt68005]

If it swimming in place "shimming" then it is some disease, I cant find exactly what but if you search you can find out, its some parasite I think. Otherwise it could be the water parameters, tho I don't understand why it would suddenly appear like this.

 

[Scottx2]

Sorry for bringing this back up, unfortunately the fish in the picture died today . Another one of my guppies is showing early signs of the same symptoms. I have absolutely no idea what it is or could be. I inspected the fish that died today and there was no obvious sign of disease that I could see.

Water parameters are fine, I've had the water checked again and did a large water change on Thursday night and will do another water change Sunday.

Could this just be stress affecting the lifespan? Could they simply just be old?

:edit: I've now only got 4 guppies (including the one which is showing similar symptoms) and it looks like they may be nipping or beginning to bully one another. Could this be down to only having a small number of guppies left? I've read that males should be kept in groups of 6 at least.

 

[giantstx]

If you got the fish when its back was like this, it could be a birth defect which is fine, but if this spine curve has developed since getting the fish, it could be cause by an injury or a diet deficiency.

Source-
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freshwater Aquariums


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[Scottx2]

He wasn't like that when I got him, it definitely developed. What deficiency in their diet would cause this?