LilMan

Hello everyone, Merry Christmas!

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what is wrong with my fish and what I need to do, it is a female swordtail. One day I looked in the tank and the fish looked like this, it swims and eats but I am worried about it.

If you need more info just ask

Shawnie

aww poor thing..im sorry
if the fish was normal when you got it, id say it could maybe be tuberculosis or scoliosis? if you google search those for fish , you will see some of the causes..otherwise, id say maybe genetics?(but you said it just appeared one day)

Gouramiguy17

I had a molly like that, she got stuck inbetween the glass and a breeder net. I moved the box to get her free but I accidentally got her tail stuck and she jerked real hard and her back broken. She died a couple days later

Lucy

If I'm not mistaken, an inadequate diet or poor nutrition can cause this also.

Shawnie

thats the biggest cause for scoliosis

LilMan

I feel bad now, I feed them but I thought I was feeding too much so I cut back a little...

That one is eating normally when feeding time is but she has some white stuff where the bend is, I have been watching them since I discovered this and they appeared normal but now I see one of my GloFish laying on the bottom not eating. Any ideas which one it might be?

Shawnie

dont feel bad..its all a learning process..and you dont even know whats exactly wrong yet...we are just suggesting some issues...
what are your readings for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates right now?
cutting back on food wont hurt them..but the types of food can..what are you feeding them?

LilMan

Readings: 0,0,0

Aqueon flakes and sinking wafers for the cories

Shawnie

can you post the lot numbers on your test kit bottles?
and did you really bang that #2 bottle of the nitrates, on a hard surface to mix up the crystals? because you should NOT have a 0 reading for nitrates in a cycled tank

LilMan

Every bottle?

Yes, I asked you about that when I started my tank and you told me it was because of my plants... ill test it again.

Shawnie

well your info says you have 0 live plants so i guess i read it wrong LOL..typical of me!!
maybe put the words "I have" in front of 0( live plants?) sorry can you refresh me about what plants?

and just the ammonia/nitrites bottles..just want to be sure they arent expired and you arent getting false readings thats all...

LilMan

K, lol I have a a java fern and multiple small parts that grew off it. 5 types of Anubias and some valsnaria.

A1- 83A0209
A2- 84A0109
NI- 26A0109
Nitrate1- 17A1108
Nitrate2- 18B0109

Why do I have the feeling that the last 4 of those numbers is the date... and their expired...No wonder....

Shawnie

nope they arent expired..those are the dates they were manufactured (thanks again dozey!!!!!!) and they are suppose to be good for 3 years from those dates....I get a new one each year tho as im paranoid LOL

so at this point, it could be the diet or genetics....maybe try varying the diet a bit more....some frozen thawed blood worms, frozen thawed brine shrimp, spirulina, daphnia and soak all their food in fresh garlic juice might help some...