Pearl Gourami with back issues?

[mgmason]

This pertains to a pearl gourami that I've had for 4 months or so. Spine seems to be curving down, causing some difficulty in swimming. Bio functions seem normal and she eats. None of the other PGs are displaying symptoms.
Parameters: Temp = 79F, ammonia = 0ppm, nitrates = 5ppm, nitrites = 0ppm, ph = 8.0.
Tank is 60 GA and has been up and running for nearly 2 years.
Filtration = in tank sponge filter and Marineland Emperor Pro 450 hob.
Maintenance includes 40% water changes every week w/light vacuum of the top sand layer. Water conditioner = Seachem Prime. 100% polyester filter sheets in hob replaced with each water change.
Sand substrate with artificial plants for the most part. Some Java Fern.
Tank population = 5 pearl gourami, 6 zebra loaches, 1 gold molly, 1 female betta
Feeding = Omega One freshwater flakes 1ce per day with a couple of sinking Kyorin wafers. Frozen Bloodworms and brine shrimp once per week.

pearl_g_backissues.mp4

pg_bi.jpg

Any thoughts as to what I might have going on here?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Andy Sager]

Sadly, bent spines can be caused by a few things: improper diet, poor genetics, Fish TB or scoliosis are the most common. Sadly, in advanced stages, there is nothing you can do. In early stages if the issue is improper diet, things can done that may revert the spine back to normal. So how do you know what it is? Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to do biopsies and x-rays and blood tests. This is a rather extreme way to go tho for a more common fish. If you are opposed to euthanizing the fish, the most sensible thing to do is isolate the fish in a quarantine tank and add liquid vitamins to the diet as well as adding more protein to the diet. You say you only feed the bloodworms and brine shrimp once a week when they should be fed daily or every other day. The fish should be fed 2-3 times per day, as much as the fish will eat in 2-3 minutes. I like to use Brine shrimp as the last feeding of the day to help pass the other foods fed during the day.

A word of caution: unfortunately, Fish TB is one of the few diseases that can be transferred from fish to humans so you want to sterilize any nets or items you use in the tank after each use and you want to protect yourself as well by not placing your bare hands in the tank without carefully sterilizing your hands afterwards and definitely do not put your bare hands or arms in the tank if you have any open wounds or scabs. For now, since we don't know the actual cause of the bent spine, this is precautionary but better safe than sorry.

 

[Aiken Drum]

https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping-news/should-you-be-worried-about-fish-tb/

 

[mgmason]

Thanks for the feedback. 2-3 times per day feeding would result in the death of the molly and the betta in short order - they have no control. My feeling is that I should probably euthanize the one PG (humanely with clove oil) on the off chance that fish TB is the cause. Either that or, after reading the article posted by Aiken, it might be that to nuke the aquarium would be the best route... I'd be crushed to lose it though.

 

[mgmason]

Thanks

Thanks for the info.

I think I'll humanely euthanize the PG experiencing the issues and keep an eye on things from there. If other occupants in that unit starts experiencing issues and I'll consider emptying it, bleaching everything and starting from scratch, though it'd break my heart to lose the zebra loaches in particular.

 

[Andy Sager]

Thanks for the feedback. 2-3 times per day feeding would result in the death of the molly and the betta in short order - they have no control. My feeling is that I should probably euthanize the one PG (humanely with clove oil) on the off chance that fish TB is the cause. Either that or, after reading the article posted by Aiken, it might be that to nuke the aquarium would be the best route... I'd be crushed to lose it though.

When it comes to feeding, think of it like a cut pizza pie. Say you feed 1 ounce of food per day. If you were to feed twice a day or 2 pieces of pizza, you'd only feed 1/2 ounce at each feeding. If you were feeding 3 times a day or 3 pieces of pizza, you'd only feed 1/3 ounce per feeding. 4 times a day= 1/4 ounce per feeding and so on. At the end of the day, you've fed the whole pizza, but you would not have fed more food, just fed them more often. One of the reasons your fish are so aggressive at the feeding is because they are hungry and at this point, they know nothing more is coming. Once they get used to feeding more often, they may not eat as aggressively. It won't happen immediately but over time, it will. One of the other good points of feeding like this is there should be less uneaten food in the substrate or filter and it's less strain on the biological filter as well.

As for nuking the tank, at this point, we are not sure that it's fish TB so if it were me, I wouldn't consider nuking the tank until after you make changes in the feeding and diet over all but a second fish comes down with the same symptoms or one of the other symptoms of TB. Then you know it's it's in your tank and a potential danger to you. At that point it's CLOROX time.

 

[Colin_T]

Don't nuke the tank unless you have confirmed the fish has TB. Then let the tank run until the fish have all or most have died, and then nuke it. Fish TB is common in pet shops, fish farms, and wholesalers/ importers all around the world. If you nuke the tank and start again, the new fish could have it too. If you want to nuke it, get the current fish necropsied (animal autopsy) by a fish vet and have samples taken and cultured to confirm Mycobacteria (TB). Then decide.


The risk of you catching Fish TB is very low unless you have a major health issue (cancer, heart disease, diabetes) or if you have open wounds on your skin and it gets contaminated by water with Mycobacteria. If you do have cuts or scratches on your hands or arms, stay out of the tank until they have healed, or wear rubber gloves to stop the water coming in contact with the skin. After working in the aquarium, wash your hands and arms thoroughly with warm soapy water.


I had Fish TB in my tanks for years and never caught it. I know of 2 people who have caught it and they both worked in the same shop (albeit 10 years apart) and both had open cuts on their hands from handling glass.