Platy with bad spine

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Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Nuclear_Glitter
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Platy with bad spine

Post by Nuclear_Glitter »

Amomina:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:10
pH:7.6

36 gallon bowfront: 5 platies, 1 swordtail, 4 tetras, 1 dwarf gourami, and 2 peacock eels.

Fed fishflakes and earthworms. 65% water change every week, and 10% sand cleaning

The aquarium has been set for 9 months and was cycled using the fishless cycling method.

Okay, now, I have this female mickey mouse platy who a bent, upward, triangular shaped back. She often sits on the bottom of the tank, or in one corner at the top. She still eats, and swims normally when she does swim. She chases off the males when they try to fornicate with her, but then usually goes back to her corner.

This is how she looks: Image

(be very jealous of my drawing skills) She is never in a good enough spot for me to get a picture of her.

I have looked up fish tuberculosis, but she doesn't seem to have any of the symptoms beyond the out of shape back.

Thanks all in advance.
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Nuclear_Glitter
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by Nuclear_Glitter »

I do believe it's scoliosis
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by Pufferpunk »

A bent spine can also indicate tuberculosis, which is contagious to humans. Maybe euthanasia is in order. Be very careful to wash your hands after being in that tank!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by RTR »

+1 to PP's comments..
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by J-P »

in bread?
Guppies get like that when the genes are too close together.
if you follow me, you avoid stepping in the crap that I just did...

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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by scpion »

J-P wrote:in bread?
No J-P.. Hes not in bread yet. Its still swims at a corner in the tank... :lol:
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by J-P »

:P ok ok .. haha... tomatoes and mayo with that?
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by Nuclear_Glitter »

Well, I had prepared myself to euthanize her, and she died on her own. I really think it was scoliosis because she didn't have any signs of tuberculosis, other than bad spine. Ever since I first brought her home she's always seemed depressed and sulky, but she never had any visible signs of sickness. However, about a month ago her spine started going into a triangle. Either way, I am happy that she's no longer suffering because it was quite evident she wasn't doing well.
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by Pufferpunk »

:(
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by bertie 83 »

This concerns me slightly as I have a neon with a crooked spine, and I am always digging around in there for one reason or another. Sorry for your loss
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by scpion »

I have read somewhere neon have a kind of disease that cause them to have crooked spine. Not too sure if that's contagious or trans-species..
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by J-P »

That is neon tetra disease

do a quick search for:
Pleistophora hyphessobryconis
or
Pleistophora

it is contagious.
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by bertie 83 »

Thankyou jp will have a read
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by bertie 83 »

After a read through I don't believe it is this. Just old age perhaps? He just has a wonky spine, no other symptoms. I am however going to isolate him and keep an eye, I don't wish to euthanise unless I am certain.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Platy with bad spine

Post by Nuclear_Glitter »

Is his spine wavy, pointed up, or is it down-ish? I have found depending on the shape helps determine the disease, sometimes. My platy didn't always have it, she developed it about a month and a half ago-2months. None of the other fish seem to be affected by it, yet. I am curious as to how she got it though, or if she always had it and it just didn't show until later in her life.
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