Gold barb with twisted spine....

[Andos99]

Not sure how it happened....possibly during a PWC? I have 3 gold barbs that have been tankmates for about 4 years now and one of them mysteriously now has a severely twisted spine. Not sure if it's some kind of disorder or possibly from an accident, just wondering if anyone has seen this. For now he seems to be acting fairly normal, appetite is in check, activity level is normal.

 

[Regen311]

I actually just had to euthanise a fish with the same problem. Today, I looked in and he was floating on his side, in a u shape with his head and tail pointing down. It was so sad because when I fed them, he swam towards the food and everything, and he looked COMPLETELY healthy except for his spine. It looked like his tail was paralyzed. The creepy thing is that after he died, his back straightened out. I have no idea what caused it. All the other fish are completely healthy, and this is the first death I've had in months. He was a platy.

 

[Zagz]

I've had fish with spinal deformities before. I had a serpae tetra that lived that way for 2 years. I would watch him carefully for signs of illness. It may be trauma but isn't necessarily fatal. If he is acting normal leave him be and just watch him.

 

[Karackle]

Yes, occasionally fish get kinks in their spines but can live quite happily anyway. At the Pet Store I used to work at we recieved a guppy with a kinked spine in one of our shipments, so we put him in the countertop display tank where he lived quite happily for close to a year, when the manager decided it was time to break down the display tank, I brought him home and he lived quite happily in my tank for another year or so So i have to agree with Zagz, keep an eye on him and if he looks like he's doing alright, i'd leave him be