have an adult female guppy, and i'm in something of a quandry about what to do with her. will need to give you her basic life history, for you to understand my dilemma........
she is of the 5th generation of guppies born in this tank. considering her coloration, i believe her 1st gen progenitrix was a mildly humpbacked female. although she looked "normal" as a fry, as she matured, i started noticing some physical deformities-----she is shaped more like, say, a zebra danio than a female guppy....body is more streamlined, without the deep "chest" normal in a guppy. her pectoral fins are smaller than they should be---somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 the size of her same-batch sister---and she has never developed a gravid spot (or had any fry, although she reached full growth about 3 months ago)! she has always, since maturing, swam at about a 45 degree upwards-tilting angle....i think due to a combination of the small fins, and possibly an underdeveloped swim bladder. however, since i don't give doodly-squat about breeding guppies---just keep 'em for enjoyment & color---the fact that she is seemingly infertile, and has definite "undesirable" physical deformities (?) does not bother me. if she was in distress, or was having problems, i would've euthanized her immediately, BUT........she has never had any problem getting around the tank, eating, socializing with the other fish, mating with the males, etc. she lives exactly like the other fish, acts exactly like the other fish, etc. so as long as she seems to be enjoying her life, i have no problem with allowing her to keep it, y'know?
now, however, i have noticed that it looks as if small, internal tumors are starting to grow along her spine---not actually attached to it, but alongside & below it (she is somewhat transparent, and the spine is easily visible). so far, 2---one just before her tail fin, 1 just behind the place her gravid spot should be. this does not seem to have affected her in any way...no change in behavior, eating, coloration, etc., and she exhibits no symptoms of any sort of disease or paracite.
so my problem is this----do i allow her to keep on as she has been until the time that these tumors start negatively affecting her, or do i go ahead and euthanize her before she starts ailing? on the one hand, i certainly don't want for her to be in any sort of pain or distress, but on the other hand, i don't want to take her life as long as she is still enjoying it.
any advice?
thanks!
fireclown
she is of the 5th generation of guppies born in this tank. considering her coloration, i believe her 1st gen progenitrix was a mildly humpbacked female. although she looked "normal" as a fry, as she matured, i started noticing some physical deformities-----she is shaped more like, say, a zebra danio than a female guppy....body is more streamlined, without the deep "chest" normal in a guppy. her pectoral fins are smaller than they should be---somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 the size of her same-batch sister---and she has never developed a gravid spot (or had any fry, although she reached full growth about 3 months ago)! she has always, since maturing, swam at about a 45 degree upwards-tilting angle....i think due to a combination of the small fins, and possibly an underdeveloped swim bladder. however, since i don't give doodly-squat about breeding guppies---just keep 'em for enjoyment & color---the fact that she is seemingly infertile, and has definite "undesirable" physical deformities (?) does not bother me. if she was in distress, or was having problems, i would've euthanized her immediately, BUT........she has never had any problem getting around the tank, eating, socializing with the other fish, mating with the males, etc. she lives exactly like the other fish, acts exactly like the other fish, etc. so as long as she seems to be enjoying her life, i have no problem with allowing her to keep it, y'know?
now, however, i have noticed that it looks as if small, internal tumors are starting to grow along her spine---not actually attached to it, but alongside & below it (she is somewhat transparent, and the spine is easily visible). so far, 2---one just before her tail fin, 1 just behind the place her gravid spot should be. this does not seem to have affected her in any way...no change in behavior, eating, coloration, etc., and she exhibits no symptoms of any sort of disease or paracite.
so my problem is this----do i allow her to keep on as she has been until the time that these tumors start negatively affecting her, or do i go ahead and euthanize her before she starts ailing? on the one hand, i certainly don't want for her to be in any sort of pain or distress, but on the other hand, i don't want to take her life as long as she is still enjoying it.
any advice?
thanks!
fireclown