bent mollies

[rommers]

I've got a community tank, about 9 months old, good water quality, planted, with livebearers (platies and mollies) and a couple of corydoras.
Recently (last few months) first one then the other molly have been becoming really bent - their back ends are bent round sideways and they look unhappy. It seems to get worse and better, but never completely go. I can't find reference to any disease that could cause this. My fish shop was at a loss - we tried medicine to kill internal flagellates, but no change. A couple of the other fish have recently died after getting very thin.

it's a 50 litre tank, 7 fish, I change 10% of the water every week. The water quality is good, pH 7, with a little salt added.

Any ideas?

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like fish tb if they are wasting a way, no inernal parasites, anything prutruding from the anus, and is it red and inflamed.
http/www.4qd.org/Aqua/disease/tb.html

 

[WILDER]

So they have definately had these.
Not the writer of this information below.

Blood Flagellates - Normally aquarium fish are not affected by this. This disease consists of single-celled organisms with hair-like flagellae. They live as parasites in the blood of the fish. They live in a leeches intestines and are passed on to the fish when the leech bites the fish. Symptoms: Fish will appear listless and swim abnormally. They become emaciated, with sunken eyes and pale gills (this indicates low red blood cells). Severely infected fish will die. Treatment: No chemical treatment has been found to be effective against blood flagellates in fish. Since only fish that have been attacked by leeches become infected, it is most effective to remove the infected fish and eliminate the leeches. It is an easier task to accomplish in an aquarium than a pond. (back to top)

 

[Erised]

Honestly, it sounds like old age to me ... bend spine and getting thinner are signs of old-age ... and for livebearers, 9 months can very well mean the end of their life.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Honestly, it sounds like old age to me ... bend spine and getting thinner are signs of old-age ... and for livebearers, 9 months can very well mean the end of their life.

[snapback]859601[/snapback]​

I'm just curious where you heard this from. I've always been told that a bent spine is fish TB, and getting thinner is also a symptom of fish TB.

 

[Annastasia]

Honestly, it sounds like old age to me ... bend spine and getting thinner are signs of old-age ... and for livebearers, 9 months can very well mean the end of their life.

[snapback]859601[/snapback]​

I'm just curious where you heard this from. I've always been told that a bent spine is fish TB, and getting thinner is also a symptom of fish TB.

[snapback]859616[/snapback]​

Me too, tttnjfttt.

It can't be old age, because Mollies aren't even mature until they are 1 year old. Their life span is usually at least 2 years, usually longer. I'd say they have TB, or another disease.

 

[rommers]

Thanks for the comments, peoples - I don't really think it is TB as the bentness seems to come and go to some extent, and one of the fish has lived with it for months. Someone suggested this happens to mollies - perhaps a genetic defect? There are no signs of inflammation or redness. The really bent one first 'bent' when I transferred her from another tank back to the main one some time ago - almost like a muscle spasm - some sort of shock - but the other has never been moved.

 

[tttnjfttt]

If you are thinking genetic defect, were the fish this way when you bought them?

And a FYI, fish TB is a slow death, and at times can go on for a few months.

 

[WILDER]

Also an electrical fault can cause a bent spine.

 

[Erised]

One of my older male bettas is getting smaller, his body is arching, and he is losing color but eats fine and doesn't act any differently. Could it be old age?

Yes. These are definite signs of old age in fish.

Information found here:
Aquariumpros.com

Look for fish that are not hunchbacked which can be a sign of old age.

Information found here:
Advanced Fish

And I'm quite sure I read it on this forum somewhere as well =/ ... Unfortunatly, I'm having absolutely no luck finding that.