Strangers Passing in the Night

[gwand]

 

[GaryE]

One of those strangers in the night may have been living in clubland a bit too much. That's a diseased looking glowlight, with that kind of spinal twist. It's a great photo, but watch that fish.

 

[gwand]

One of those strangers in the night may have been living in clubland a bit too much. That's a diseased looking glowlight, with that kind of spinal twist. It's a great photo, but watch that fish.

What is the differential diagnosis for a bent spine?

 

[GaryE]

Differential? Since we can only use our eyes, there's little solid. Either TB, injury when young or birth defect. If it wasn't like that when you acquired it and it has developed, I'd suspect Myco.

Then again, I tend to suspect Myco a fair bit.

 

[gwand]

Differential? Since we can only use our eyes, there's little solid. Either TB, injury when young or birth defect. If it wasn't like that when you acquired it and it has developed, I'd suspect Myco.

Then again, I tend to suspect Myco a fair bit.

Should I isolate the fish? Euthanize? He seems healthy otherwise. Feeding well. Very active.

 

[GaryE]

That's the call no one else can make. If it is Myco, then he shouldn't die in the tank. But if he isn't dying, nothing much changes. The Myco would be encysted, and that would cause the spine deformity. When the cyst breaks though, the Myco hits the water running. So you have to balance the possibility.

 

[gwand]

So if I leave him be I’m playing roulette. I guess I could euthanize him if he begins to exhibit signs of deterioration.

 

[GaryE]

The joy of Myco is all your fish probably have it now, if not from that fish, from where he got it. My understanding is that if a cyst bursts and releases the pathogen, it can overwhelm fish already containing this slow killer, and the killing gets fast. A glowlight that might live 7 or 8 years might get 3 with Myco. The disease has become fact of life in the aquarium trade, as like any form of TB I know of, it spreads in crowding and rough conditions. Fish farms shipping fish thousands of km as air freight fit that bill very well. Their bottom line is their shareholders (for the biggest ones on the Singapore exchange) and as usual, not really their customers.

 

[gwand]

Oh you made my day! You are a pessimist BUT I admit you're usually correct.