Halfbeak Autopsy

[nmonks]

Well, the lady halfbeak died in the night.

Strangely, she wasn't floating, but sunk to the bottom, a sure sign something was very wrong. Upon dissection I found a massive swelling. Apparently one half of the uterus was blocked by a swelling. You can see some baby fish inside the swelling if you look carefully. The other uterus was fine, though the babies were (obviously) dead.

All I can conclude is that the swelling prevent proper childbirth, and at some point caused the death of the fish, perhaps by increasing the pressure on the internal organs or circulatory system. Not a nice way to go, and I'm feeling more than a little sad.

But, her previous broods are doing well, so the species continues, in my corner of Hertfordshire anyway.

Cheers,

Neale

Click on the link below if you want to see the picture.

http/homepage.mac.com/nmonks/temp/DSCN3309.jpg

 

[blitztidus]

I did the same thing to a dead guppy. IT STANK REALLY BAD

 

[juliehainsworth]

It's a shame you hadnt been there when she died as you might have been able to have saved some of the babies I once did a c-section on a guppy and some of the fry survived!

I feel bad for your loss! I understand how you must be feeling! The poor halfbeak going out that way! RIP

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Small fish decompose very quickly in tank water, so its imposible to accuratly say what killed the fish from the autopsy unless you get to the fish within the first 2hrs of its death.
Did you notice any symptoms or strange behavior the fish was displaying before death?

 

[nmonks]

Yes, did notice some odd rather than worrying things. She was breathing heavily, which I put down to being pregnant and close to parturition. She was also swimming slightly tail-downwards, which I thought was to do with her overall heaviness.

But otherwise she seemed OK, swmming about and eating.

The swelling was visible in the last few days; if you looked at her from above she was obviously bigger on her right side than her left.

Never seen anything like this. Not sure if this was bad luck, caused by trauma somehow, or something that I did wrong.

Cheers,

Neale

Did you notice any symptoms or strange behavior the fish was displaying before death?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I've seen this condition before once in a female guppy, i am not sure what causes the condition but as far as i know its untreatable- it is probably caused by a fungal infection of the ovarys, i doubt there was much you could do about it though, if she had miscarried before and been internally damaged, the wound probably got infected. Its still a rare disorder/illness/injury though, not infectious as far as i know.

 

[nmonks]

Thanks for this. The odd thing is the swelling didn't look necrotic but rather more like a swollen oedema type of thing. Like a cyst. I'm guessing something got infected or damaged, and tissue fluid built up, plugging this arm of the uterus.

It's sad though, she was a champion fish and really big! Very tame and intensely curious. One of those fish that sits and watches you. I do have some of her daughters growing on, and one of them at least seems to exhibit similar character traits, like digging up food with her beak.

Cheers,

Neale

I've seen this condition before once in a female guppy, i am not sure what causes the condition but as far as i know its untreatable- it is probably caused by a fungal infection of the ovarys, i doubt there was much you could do about it though, if she had miscarried before and been internally damaged, the wound probably got infected. Its still a rare disorder/illness/injury though, not infectious as far as i know.

 

[penguinpimp1990]

I once did a c-section on a guppy and some of the fry survived!

how the hell did you manage that?

 

[Asmp41]

Sad but at least your trying to find out more and if it happens again you will be more informed. She had offspring and I am sure you gave her a good life. Count those as a blessing. I hope your research helps.

 

[Elisabeth83]

Yes, did notice some odd rather than worrying things. She was breathing heavily, which I put down to being pregnant and close to parturition. She was also swimming slightly tail-downwards, which I thought was to do with her overall heaviness.

But otherwise she seemed OK, swmming about and eating.

The swelling was visible in the last few days; if you looked at her from above she was obviously bigger on her right side than her left.

Never seen anything like this. Not sure if this was bad luck, caused by trauma somehow, or something that I did wrong.

Cheers,

Neale

Did you notice any symptoms or strange behavior the fish was displaying before death?

Hey Neale, I haven't been on the forums lately but came across this post of yours. I had the same thing happen to a female halfbeak of mine. She was pregnant and one day started swimming tail down near the bottom of the tank. If I disturbed her she would go to the top and try to swim normally but would always go back to the bottom quite quickly and start swimming tail down. Near the end she was swimming tail down in circles. I saw 2 tails poking out of her vent so decided to pull them out as I knew she wasn't going to survive. The first fry was very small and dead and the second one was twice the size and alive. I ended up giving the other female halfbeak and the fry I had to a guy at a shop that was really interested in trying them out. The fry didn't survive but the female did and he has brought in about 10 others to live with her. It's quite a nice place. This guy is a genius when it comes to fish keeping. Here's his website: http/www.sodermalmsakvarieaffar.se/index3.htm it's in Swedish but you can just click around and I'm sure you'll find your way

 

[dwarfgourami]

That's a brilliant collection of links!

 

[Elisabeth83]

That's a brilliant collection of links!

yeah this guy has so many small rare fish it's amazing. That list isn't even close to what he actually has. He's in the process of moving about 300 aquariums from his house to his new shop. He breeds all different types of small fish. Very simple way of breeding too. Small tank, peat, java moss and snails and feeds every other day and because the peat and java moss as well as the snails act exactly like a filter everything is so balanced he doesn't have to do water changes often. Last time I was in his shop he had about 100-150 15 litre tanks set up (in the back) probably 50-70 different types of killis, bettas (wilds), just all kinds of fish. I usually spend about 3 hours in there everytime I visit. He takes me around with a small flashlight and shows me all the fish and their amazing colors. Some fish I can't even believe are real because the colors are just incredible!!

Anyways I'm sure once he gets some more time he'll add everything he has to the list. He still has a regular job as an architect so he's very busy!

 

[wendywc]

Neale, your picture isn't coming up for me. Is it just me?

 

[Luke_e]

Wasnt working for me the last few times i tried, came up with apple page not found.
Working now though.

 

[nmonks]

wendywc -- I'd taken the picture down. It's back up now.

Elisabeth83 -- Thanks for letting me know you'd had a similar thing. I think that halfbeaks are not so easy to breed as, say, guppies. More seems to go wrong. Not sure why. I don't think this was stress, since she had been in the tank about 9 months, and had doubled in size. So otherwise she seemed happy and healthy. This would have been her third brood. Her daughters are doing well though, and I sold eleven males to a local tropical fish shop.

Cheers,

Neale