The bent spine is a severe issue in your goldfish that seeks immediate action. So what are the causes and the treatment of the bent spine in goldfish? Let us discuss this below:
Fish Tuberculosis and scoliosis are the two leading causes of the bent spine in goldfish. Bent spine has no treatment, making euthanizing the only option left for your fish. Maintaining adequate water parameters and a healthy diet can help prevent bent spine in your fish.
Let us dive into the article to know more about the prevention you should take to avoid health issues in your goldfish. In addition, we will also discuss the humane way to euthanize your goldfish.
Contents
My goldfish has a bent spine:
There are two reasons why goldfish suffer from a bent spine: scoliosis and fish tuberculosis. Unfortunately, these two diseases have no treatment.
However, you can prevent your goldfish from suffering from such diseases by maintaining adequate water parameters and avoiding overstocking your fish.
Therefore, it will be advisable to quarantine the new fish before adding them directly to your goldfish tank, as it helps avoid such health issues.
What are the causes of the bent spine in goldfish?
The two leading causes of the bent spine in goldfish are:
- Scoliosis
- Fish Tuberculosis
Scoliosis
Your goldfish develops a “C” or “S” curve shape while suffering from scoliosis.
Unfortunately, scoliosis has no treatment, and the disease will either be stable or progress with time.
Goldfish suffering from scoliosis do not enjoy a better quality of life as other tankmates attack your sick goldfish.
Scoliosis in goldfish is caused due to the following reasons:
- Improper diet
- Hereditary factors
- Inadequate water parameters
Improper diet
Improper diet is the common cause behind your goldfish suffering from a bent spine.
We want you to know that goldfish are omnivore species requiring meat and green veggies for proper growth and development.
Hereditary factors
Hereditary factors are also the reason behind your goldfish suffering from scoliosis.
It would be advisable to prevent your goldfish from mating by placing them into a separate tank to prevent the disease from transferring to the goldfish fry.
If your pregnant goldfish suffers from scoliosis, it will transfer the disease to all the other fry.
So, it will be advisable to let your goldfish lay eggs in your home aquarium, as the adult goldfish will feed on the eggs or the fry once released.
Inadequate water parameters
Inadequate water parameters are also a reason behind your goldfish’s bent spine, making it vulnerable to diseases like scoliosis.
Also read: Goldfish Minimum Water Temperature
Fish Tuberculosis
Fish tuberculosis is an infectious disease that can be transferred to the other fish in the tank.
Your goldfish require immediate action if it is suffering from fish tuberculosis.
Fish tuberculosis is a disease that causes due to overstocking, lack of oxygen, and inadequate water conditions in the tank.
However, such diseases can even occur if you regularly maintain your goldfish tank’s water.
It usually happens when you add a new fish to your home aquarium before quarantining them into a separate tank.
It is hard to detect fish tuberculosis in your fish while purchasing it from a pet store.
So it is essential to quarantine the fish in a separate tank for a couple of weeks and examine them before adding them to your home aquarium.
Along with the bent spine, there are many other symptoms of fish tuberculosis. Some of them are as follows:
- Your goldfish losing its color is a symptom of fish tuberculosis.
- Fish tuberculosis can also make your goldfish lose its appetite.
- If you discover folded fins in your goldfish, it indicates fish tuberculosis.
- Your goldfish losing scales is a sign of fish tuberculosis.
- If you detect protruding eyes in goldfish, it shows fish tuberculosis in your fish.
- Lesions in your goldfish body indicate fish tuberculosis.
It requires immediate action if you discover this symptom and curvature in your fish.
However there are some traditional and antibiotic treatments, but such treatments are not successful.
It will be advisable not to increase the water temperatures or add sugar to your goldfish tank as it will make your goldfish suffer more.
Therefore, euthanizing your goldfish is the only option left in such a case.
How to prevent a bent spine in goldfish?
You can prevent a bent spine in goldfish in the following ways:
- Quarantine the new fish in a separate tank before adding them directly to your goldfish tank.
- Provide adequate water parameters to your goldfish.
- Provide a good quality diet to your goldfish.
- Avoid overstocking your goldfish tank.
Quarantine new fishes
To prevent such health issues, you should always quarantine the new fish in a separate tank before adding them directly to your goldfish tank.
Always quarantine the fish for 2-3 weeks to examine whether the fish is infected with diseases like fish tuberculosis, as fish tuberculosis is a symptom of a bent spine.
A new fish can carry many other diseases like ich or white spot. So, always quarantine them for a few weeks for the well-being of your goldfish.
Also read: How To Cure Goldfish Ich?
Provide adequate water parameters to your goldfish
Always provide suitable water parameters to avoid such health issues in your goldfish.
Good water conditions also help eliminate other health issues like stress in your goldfish.
Goldfish are messy fish requiring regular water changes to live happily.
| Particulars | Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Water Temperature | 68-74°F |
| Water Ph level | 7.5 |
| Ammonia Level | 0ppm |
| Nitrite Level | 0ppm |
Keep eyeing the tank’s ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate level, as excess ammonia in the tank can lead to significant health issues like ammonia poisoning in your goldfish, eventually making them pass away.
We suggest the API freshwater master test kit to look for the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH level of your goldfish tank, as it shows accurate results.
You can buy it from amazon: API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT.
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Goldfish?
Provide a good quality diet for your goldfish
You should always provide a proper diet to your goldfish to avoid such health issues.
Improper diet can lead to other health issues like losing appetite in your goldfish.
Goldfish are omnivore species, so they require meat and green veggies for their proper growth and development. Here is the list of food you can provide to your goldfish.
| Goldfish Ideal Dietary Needs | Serving Quantity | No.of times | Link To Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosquito larvae | 12-15 | 2-3 times a week | Feed Live |
| Freeze-Dried Bloodworms | One pinch at a time | 2 times a week | Freeze-dried bloodworms |
| Veggie pellets | One pinch at a time | 2-3 times a day | HIKARI SINKING FISH FOOD |
| Leafy greens ( Kale, spinach, lettuce) | A small piece of leaf | 3-4 times a week | Feed Fresh |
| Boiled Carrots | 1 small slice | 3-4 times a week | Feed Fresh |
| Tubifex worm | One pinch at a time | 1 time a week | HIKARI FREEZE DRIED TUBIFEX WORMS |
Also, read: Why Is My Goldfish Not Eating?
Avoid overstocking your goldfish tank.
Overstocking can lead to insufficient oxygen, making your fish gasp for air at the tank’s surface.
In addition, this overcrowded tank will pollute your goldfish tank very fast. As goldfish are messy fish, they produce more waste than other fishes.
Therefore such tank condition is the root of various health issues, including fish tuberculosis.
Also read: How Many Goldfish Can You Keep In A 10 Gallon Tank?
Is there any treatment for a bent spine in goldfish?
Unfortunately, there is no treatment for a bent spine in your goldfish. However, if your goldfish faces no issues in swimming and is not struggling for anything, your fish can normally live despite a curved spine.
But if your sick goldfish is attacked by the other fishes or spreads the diseases in the tank, then there is no option other than euthanizing your fish.
Euthanizing your goldfish is better than making them suffer through such painful diseases.
We have discussed the ways to euthanize your goldfish in the below article.
How to humanely euthanize your goldfish?
You should avoid euthanizing your goldfish if they are not struggling for anything despite suffering from a bent spine.
If your goldfish is spreading the disease or is attacked by the other tankmates, then only take the step of euthanizing your goldfish.
Scoliosis and fish tuberculosis has no treatment, making euthanizing the only option left. Euthanizing your fish is better than making them suffer through the pain.
However, we advise you to consult your veterinarian before euthanizing your goldfish.
Avoid euthanizing your goldfish in the following ways:
- Flushing them in the toilet.
- Keeping them out of the tank to make them suffocate and pass away.
- Freezing them to make them pass away.
- Use carbon dioxide to euthanize your goldfish.
These were some inhumane ways to euthanize your goldfish.
The correct way to humanely euthanize your goldfish is as follows:
- Clove Oil Method
- Stun and Stab Method
Clove Oil Method:
The clove oil method is the easy way of euthanizing your goldfish. The items you need to follow the clove oil method are:
- A bucket of water
- Clove oil
- Gloves ( For protection)
Here are the steps of performing the clove oil method for euthanizing your goldfish.
- The first step is to fill the bucket with one gallon of water.
- The next step is to place your goldfish in the bucket.
- The third step is to make a mixture of warm water and clove oil in a bowl.
- After making the mixture, the fourth step is to add the mixture to the bucket. ( 4-5 drops of clove oil will make your goldfish lose consciousness).
You can add 12-15 more drops of the clove oil to make your goldfish pass away by inducing hypoxia.
Stun and Stab Method
We do not recommend the stun and stab method for soft-hearted people as it is a violent way of euthanizing your goldfish.
Stun and stab is the fast method to euthanize your goldfish.
The items you need to perform the stun and stab method are:
- A sharp knife
- A rolling pin
- An aluminum foil
Here are the steps to perform the stun and stab method:
- The first step is to place your goldfish in the aluminum foil.
- The second is to aim at the head of your fish with the help of a rolling pin.
- The third step is to hit on the head of your goldfish using a blunt object.
- The final step, then, is to stab your goldfish.
You can make your goldfish instantly pass away by following this method. We want you to know that hitting on the head damages the nervous system of your goldfish that doesn’t let your fish feel anything.
Also read: How To Humanely Euthanize Goldfish?
Conclusion:
- Fish tuberculosis and scoliosis are two common reasons behind your goldfish suffering from a bent spine.
- You can prevent a bent spine in goldfish by quarantining the new fish for a couple of weeks, providing a proper diet, and maintaining adequate water parameters.
- Unfortunately, scoliosis and fish tuberculosis have no treatment other than euthanizing your goldfish.
- You should not euthanize your goldfish if they are not spreading the infection and not struggling for anything.
- The clove oil and stun and stab methods are the two best ways to euthanize your goldfish.
Reference: NCBI, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect