Full Version: Curved Spine
I had 6 comets and one has died after looking like it had a lump or curved spine. It restricted its swimming, but kept eating. one of the others is starting to show the same symptoms. We have them in an outdoor pond about 150 liters with flowing water. It is quite new. We don't do any water testing and we were led to believe that these are very hardy fish.
Hi red rocker and 
If it's a newly set up pond, then water quality may be your issue. Do you have a filter for the pond? How often do you do waterchanges?
A fish that is bent at the spine is suffering badly and unfortunately it usually spells the end but in the meantime, there's something you can do that would help them and that's a massive waterchange using a tap water conditioner.
Continue to do these changes daily if you can and you should see an improvement.
So please post back on the waterchanges and filtration and we can take it from there
If it's a newly set up pond, then water quality may be your issue. Do you have a filter for the pond? How often do you do waterchanges?
A fish that is bent at the spine is suffering badly and unfortunately it usually spells the end but in the meantime, there's something you can do that would help them and that's a massive waterchange using a tap water conditioner.
Continue to do these changes daily if you can and you should see an improvement.
So please post back on the waterchanges and filtration and we can take it from there
Does the fish with the bent spine look emaciated in any way?
How long did you have the deceases fish, since it was young? And if so was the bent spine already there when you first got the fish or more of a recent thing?
The pond sounds too small and being overcrowded can cause the spine to bend as it grows. Check your water quality and look to giving each fish at least 50 gallons or thin out your stock.
How long did you have the deceases fish, since it was young? And if so was the bent spine already there when you first got the fish or more of a recent thing?
The pond sounds too small and being overcrowded can cause the spine to bend as it grows. Check your water quality and look to giving each fish at least 50 gallons or thin out your stock.
thanks guys. Both two have died; 10 days apart they gradually got slower and swum slightly tilted over.
We have 4 separate ponds of varying sizes with a total 800 litres [180 gallons]. we have 6 fish left which are fit and growing quite quickly. The pond is quite new and is concrete with a waterproof coating. We washed and rinsed and waited for a month before introducing fish. I did put 2 of the fish into the section which has the recirculaing pump for 2 weeks. I am guessing that it was these 2 that have died. Maybe magnetic field or even a tiny electrical leakage has caused the problem as I see that electricity can cause bent spine. The water is clear and we have plants, waterfalling to oxygenate the water, water trickling over a pebble spillway so that we feel we have a healthy water feature.
We have 4 separate ponds of varying sizes with a total 800 litres [180 gallons]. we have 6 fish left which are fit and growing quite quickly. The pond is quite new and is concrete with a waterproof coating. We washed and rinsed and waited for a month before introducing fish. I did put 2 of the fish into the section which has the recirculaing pump for 2 weeks. I am guessing that it was these 2 that have died. Maybe magnetic field or even a tiny electrical leakage has caused the problem as I see that electricity can cause bent spine. The water is clear and we have plants, waterfalling to oxygenate the water, water trickling over a pebble spillway so that we feel we have a healthy water feature.
thanks guys. Both two have died; 10 days apart they gradually got slower and swum slightly tilted over.
We have 4 separate ponds of varying sizes with a total 800 litres [180 gallons]. we have 6 fish left which are fit and growing quite quickly. The pond is quite new and is concrete with a waterproof coating. We washed and rinsed and waited for a month before introducing fish. I did put 2 of the fish into the section which has the recirculaing pump for 2 weeks. I am guessing that it was these 2 that have died. Maybe magnetic field or even a tiny electrical leakage has caused the problem as I see that electricity can cause bent spine. The water is clear and we have plants, waterfalling to oxygenate the water, water trickling over a pebble spillway so that we feel we have a healthy water feature.
We have 4 separate ponds of varying sizes with a total 800 litres [180 gallons]. we have 6 fish left which are fit and growing quite quickly. The pond is quite new and is concrete with a waterproof coating. We washed and rinsed and waited for a month before introducing fish. I did put 2 of the fish into the section which has the recirculaing pump for 2 weeks. I am guessing that it was these 2 that have died. Maybe magnetic field or even a tiny electrical leakage has caused the problem as I see that electricity can cause bent spine. The water is clear and we have plants, waterfalling to oxygenate the water, water trickling over a pebble spillway so that we feel we have a healthy water feature.
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