The Puffer Forum

Hi,

Our Green Spotted Puffer has suddenly developed a bent, s-shaped spine... it has been like that for a few hours now, but otherwise the fish is swimming around and eating like normal. We have had it for 3 years, could it have something to do with age? Or is it a disease?

I hope someone can help!

Cheers

Hmm, how large is your fish, and in what size tank? Sometimes stunting can result in internal abnormalities, which might manifest in a bent spine or other visible problems.

The fish is about 1.5inches long...and the tank is a 50 litre one. The bend in its spine seemed to come on suddenly, it was fine yesterday but now it is severely bent.

I can't be sure, but a GSP should be 4 inches or even larger at 3 years old, so some growth abnormality is likely involved.

Is there a picture you can post?

Did you recently feed it? Is it skinny?

50 liters = 13g? At minimum your puffer needs a 30g tank.

Hi again...I tried to take some pictures of it but they all turned out really blurry and you cant really see the bent spine. It is no skinnier than usual, and we have been feeding it as normal.

We didnt realise the tank needed to be so large...maybe that is why it hasnt grown properly??

We are not really sure what to do...should we just hope it corrects itself or is that unlikely to happen?

Cheers

You'd need to get it in a 30 gallon tank if you want it to even out somewhat.

Getting him into a bigger tank, and doing 75% weekly water changes until then, will help his growth, which may help even out his spine.

I just saw a GSP with a hump in it's back, at my LFS today.

stunting creating a bent spine wouldn't happen suddenly.. it would be progressive


must be something else....