Conjoined Twins
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Dallascowboys16
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would honestly cull that fish. If it survives against all odds it will live a very unhappy and tough life. It will most likely starve as it is now if it is not culled. Something like this was posted about a couple of months ago and the fry ended up dead after one night.
Dallascowboys16
Aquarium Advice Addict
You obviously don't understand that it is most likely going to starve to death (a long and painful death) now or grow up and live a painful and stressful existence if it isn't culled now.
Bichir Bro
Aquarium Advice Addict
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I agree with Dallas, it will live (a very short) painful life filled with nothing but misery and suffering, It needs to be culled. Culling (If done properly) is a *far* more humane choice than letting it live.
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Scottyhorse
Aquarium Advice Addict
Question - how do we know it will have a painful life? Human conjoined twins, as far as I know, aren't in as much pain as you guys are making this fish out to be, and they can eat. This is a question of ethics, and I know the topic will get blown up out of proportion.
bettaowner
Aquarium Advice Addict
I don't like the idea of culling fish but in this case it might be the best idea. I've seen conjoined arrowana twins that reached adulthood but I can't imagine that it was easy or a comfortable process.
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anteatergoanna
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Who are we to tell him/her what to do, she/he wasn't asking anyone what should be done.
Thanks for posting a photo, I have never seen a conjoined fish, good luck.
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Thanks for posting a photo, I have never seen a conjoined fish, good luck.
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Dallascowboys16
Aquarium Advice Addict
On top of what Ive said what happens if it reaches adulthood and somehow breeds and passes along those genes causing countless more deformed fry. Either way the result is bad. Also have you ever seen one of those documentaries on human conjoined twins? they are constantly in pain (at least the one that I saw) and their bones/internal organs don't function right leading to a stressful and painful life.
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
Uhmm, that's how genetics work and how such twins are formed.
Maybe you should educate yourself a little on the topic.
Dallascowboys16
Aquarium Advice Addict
Uhmm, that's how genetics work and how such twins are formed.
Maybe you should educate yourself a little on the topic.
Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. I know that conjoined twins usually occur when an egg half way separates but stays connected. Still my main point is that the right thing to do in my opinion would still be to cull.
Pamiam
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have to jump on the band wagon here....fish lack the necessary pain receptors in their brains to experience pain the way humans and other animals do. While fish have nociceptors — sensory receptors that respond to physically damaging objects and events by sending warning signals to the brain — these receptors don't function in the same way in fish as they do in humans.
You have to remember this is a lower life form, their brains are set up more for instinct. Of course they will react if you pull a fin off but not in the same way as if you pulled a leg off a cat. I am not saying they will not feel it, it just just not the same signal we would receive.
You have to remember this is a lower life form, their brains are set up more for instinct. Of course they will react if you pull a fin off but not in the same way as if you pulled a leg off a cat. I am not saying they will not feel it, it just just not the same signal we would receive.
Dallascowboys16
Aquarium Advice Addict
I read the article that I'm assuming you copy and pasted the post from and further down it said that further studies put that claim on shaky ground. The jury is still out on wether fish feel pain or not but it seems that researchers are leaning towards that fish can feel pain as we know it. Still, even if your claim that fish just are sent alarms how would you like to live you life under constant alarm and stress like this fish will if they are just sent warnings to their brain?
Pamiam
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have a masters degree in genetics and have worked a few years in ichthyology. My specialty is cell signaling...aka..they ways cells communicate to each other. Sorry but the physiology isn't there. But thanks for asking.
By the way I have a full tank of mutant fish, some are going on 5 years, they are missing their mid sections...just heads and tails. Some of spent their live's upside down, some are midgets. Granted they take extra handleing, as some have to be hand fed, others need extra oxygen and others need their food ground up...but as far as I can tell...they seem fine and swim right along with the other fish.
By the way I have a full tank of mutant fish, some are going on 5 years, they are missing their mid sections...just heads and tails. Some of spent their live's upside down, some are midgets. Granted they take extra handleing, as some have to be hand fed, others need extra oxygen and others need their food ground up...but as far as I can tell...they seem fine and swim right along with the other fish.
Pamiam
Aquarium Advice Freak
And my project this summer which I am very excited about....is I have a female who produced a solid black peppered cory cat, much like a panther, you can barely see her spots. But she is still too young to mate, or I don't know if she can reproduce. I am going to try and reproduce that trait and get a hybrid cory cat.
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
I was also going to mention that they don't register pain the same as humans, but figured it would most likely be met with the response that was offered.
Humans tend to do a lot of anthropomorphizing regardless of what the science and facts tell us.
Thanks for the pic. Please keep us up dated on how the twins are doing. 
It is very interesting and kind of neat to see conjoined twin fish. Thank you very much for sharing the experience with us- I've never seen this before!
In response to the other part of this discussion brought up by other members, if I were in this situation, I would ask myself if the fish are OK this way. It is our responsibility and duty to do what is in the best interest of the fish, regardless of how cool it looks. I can see a few issues that I would want to assess before resorting to culling (probably the ultimate humane thing to do). How would they both eat? In nature, there is usually one that is more dominant than the other, so if one eats and the other doesn't, then both fish are at risk of dying and starving to death. Next, how are the organs functioning? Do both fish have good swim bladders? Digestive systems? etc? How are they going to poop? Can they poop (first thing I asked myself when I saw the picture)?
What about pain? I wouldn't say that they are in pain- I suppose they could be, but from the picture, they don't seem to show any signs of pain or stress. Conjoined twins could live without pain. The biggest worry is the overall health of the fish, which in turn, leads to pain. I know if it were me, I wouldn't want to live my life upside down-fish or not. Maybe a fish wouldn't care- and they probably wouldn't even understand that there is something wrong, because it doesn't know anything else besides this.. Ultimately, it's up to Lurker if he/she wants to keep it alive. I trust that he/she would use discretion in deciding.
In response to the other part of this discussion brought up by other members, if I were in this situation, I would ask myself if the fish are OK this way. It is our responsibility and duty to do what is in the best interest of the fish, regardless of how cool it looks. I can see a few issues that I would want to assess before resorting to culling (probably the ultimate humane thing to do). How would they both eat? In nature, there is usually one that is more dominant than the other, so if one eats and the other doesn't, then both fish are at risk of dying and starving to death. Next, how are the organs functioning? Do both fish have good swim bladders? Digestive systems? etc? How are they going to poop? Can they poop (first thing I asked myself when I saw the picture)?
What about pain? I wouldn't say that they are in pain- I suppose they could be, but from the picture, they don't seem to show any signs of pain or stress. Conjoined twins could live without pain. The biggest worry is the overall health of the fish, which in turn, leads to pain. I know if it were me, I wouldn't want to live my life upside down-fish or not. Maybe a fish wouldn't care- and they probably wouldn't even understand that there is something wrong, because it doesn't know anything else besides this.. Ultimately, it's up to Lurker if he/she wants to keep it alive. I trust that he/she would use discretion in deciding.
Thanks for all of the responses. They are still alive and seem to be doing well at the moment. I am watching for any signs of stress and haven't made a decision as to what I am going to do yet. They are able to swim and are getting better at swimming together. They are coming to the surface to eat and both seem to be eating. As of now they are exactly the same size and they take turns swimming upside down, some of the time they are even swimming on their sides. They are smaller than the rest of the brood but only slightly. If I see any sign that they are stressed or they stop eating or if one is growing and the other isn't I will cull them. Unless I see a clear reason not to I am going to watch them for a few more days, if they make it, and see how they do.
Btw I am a she.
Btw I am a she.
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