Curved Spine Disease Guppy !!! Help

Hello, I noticed today when feeding my 10 gallon guppy tank with 4 male guppies that one seemed to have a curved spine that was described in an article. The guppy is breathing heavily and he seemed to be one of the more active fish but I noticed yesterday he was breathing air from the surface so I did a 50% water change on the whole tank. Today upon noticing the curved spine, I took him out and put him in my spare 3 gallon tank with a heater, no filter. I do not know what to do or how to treat him, I added a bit of aquarium salt because that is all I have on hand. The others seem to be fine although one of them is not eating as much as I would like. Please help!! Has anyone successfully treated this?? Or even had these symptoms???

 

You can try using Tetra Lifeguard on him to see if that works. There can be different reasons for a bent spine. He hasn't turned gaunt, has he? How long has this 10-gallon been set up, and how long have these boys been in there? Any new additions, such as fish, snails, plants, or decorations?

 

I've had guppies that other forum members thought had downward curved spine.
I didn't treat them specifically for that though.
I've only ever treated them for worms (PraziPro) and a case of mouth rot (Tetra Fungus Guard).

My biggest issues initially were caused by my water not being hard enough (low GH).

 

What should the proper GH be? I looked into it and curved spi

I've had guppies that other forum members thought had downward curved spine.
I didn't treat them specifically for that though.
I've only ever treated them for worms (PraziPro) and a case of mouth rot (Tetra Fungus Guard).

My biggest issues initially were caused by my water not being hard enough (low GH).

What should the proper GH be? I looked into it and curved spines can be caused by TB but I don't think that is what is happening to my guppy. Did the spine ever correct itself? Did your fish survive?

 

8 to 12 dkh (144 to 215 ppm) is the recommended range.

The curves never got better or worse: my guppies were not that hardy and they all eventually passed away over a 10 month period.

 

You can try using Tetra Lifeguard on him to see if that works. There can be different reasons for a bent spine. He hasn't turned gaunt, has he? How long has this 10-gallon been set up, and how long have these boys been in there? Any new additions, such as fish, snails, plants, or decorations?

Hi, just saw this reply now lol. I will try the Tetra Lifeguard if I can find it. He doesn't seem super gaunt but he seems a little skinnier than usual. My 10 gallon has been set up for about 2 weeks now, I used precycled media in the filter from my established tank. I have had this boy and one other since November, I got 2 new endler's guppies on boxing day and I added a java fern on Sunday.

 

You can get Jungle Lifeguard (same product) at Wal-Mart if there's one near you.

 

You can get Jungle Lifeguard (same product) at Wal-Mart if there's one near you.

Ok thank you, do you have any idea what is going on? Is it some kind of parasite?

 

Not sure myself what causes this, but I do get one that turns bent suddenly from time to time. Dosen't seem to be TB, as the fish are eating and otherwise healthy.
My best guess would be a sporazoan parasite that attacks the skin, Like Neon Tetra Disease.
I get quite a few bent spine young guppies, heres my solution, drop them in icewater and put in trash can. They are cheap, buy more.
Nothing can be done, ive also heard that just a typical "tail drooping" is because of any number of parasites, or because the fish is old and weak, burnt out. Normal for guppies that get old to tail droop, if not, there may be a parasite or internal problem, if the stomach hurts enough, the fish may not want to swim anymore, and may droop the cadual tail and cadual pendacule. I'd say, if there are no other symptoms, nothing to worry about. CULL CULL that is how you make strong guppies

 

I was told to cull a lot when I got some sick fish from a lab, but fish that aren't from such questionable backgrounds deserve a chance with some Tetra Lifeguard. I've managed to save 3 fish that way recently. Only 1 didn't make it through the hospitalization. So don't lose hope

 

Ya endler, it really shouldnt be that much. Too many fry that are weak/clamped or bent spines may suggest really weak fish, or some disease that should go away naturally, but the guppies are too inbred to fight it normally.
I think you can fight it by selective breeding, and survival of the fitest fry, but I do not belive that constant inbreeding to make tails bigger is the answer, just "survival of the fittest" is the answer!!!