Endler curved back, shimmy - What's wrong?

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Oto

Aquarium Advice Activist
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Sep 1, 2014
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Location
Massachusetts, USA
Hello,

I recently got some endlers (about 2 weeks ago) and I've noticed that one male (named Delta blue by my brother) swims with his back slightly curved downward, and sometimes shimmies. When he swims, I've noticed that he rocks slightly side to side. He also has a sunken belly, especially when compared to other endlers. I have noticed him shimmying, and not like the display the other male endlers do in front of the females.

The tank is heavily planted, and 15% water changes are done every week. Nitrates are kept below 50 ppm. I add 1/2 tsp of baking soda per gallon to increase the hardness.

The tank is stocked with nine endlers, including the one with the bent spine. There is one male which seems to be higher in the pecking order, but there hasn't been bullying except for brief chases during feeding time. Most of the fish are juvies, with 4 adults. There are also many (too many:ermm:) pond snails.

I've moved the endler to my 5 gallon hospital tank, which I've cycled by moving the sack of extra filter media into the 5 gallon filter. Temperature is kept from 78 -82 degress, and the hospital tank has a plastic plant and a clay pot. The behavior is somewhat normal. Besides the swimming, the endler eats normally and swims around, but I sometimes see him resting on the gravel, more and more often now.

Because of the bent spine and sunken belly, I'm worried about fish TB. I haven't noticed any other symptoms. Does anybody know what's wrong, have any experience, and what can be done about it?

Here's some photos: sorry about the bad quality.
Thanks~:thanks:
 
Here's the photos:
 

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Sorry: here's the photo again the last one didn't upload.
 

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Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that will sometimes happen with fish that have been inbred too much.
 
So would be safe to put the endler back to the 10 gallon?

NO! Bent spine yes is a sign of inbreeding. Sunken belly is a sign of intestinal problems usually callapari and callamunus nematodes when dealing with guppies guppies normally don't get fish TB or Hexitima HOTH disorder their prone to nematodes that cause sunken bellies, bare bottom tank, use a online dewormer flake with garlic if alot of fish are infected, treat ever day for 5 days and do PWC sucking up the poop or any worms off the bottom of the tank(s) every day or every other day until it is resolved. Very tough to get rid of. IF not alotta fish, just cull him and move on.
http://angelsplus.com/FlakeMedWorm.htm
The other signs, shimmy and whanot can be a sign of flukes of course, you could try some praziquentel, again, IF alot of fish are effected.
 
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