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Okay... most of you probably already know I'm soft-hearted. I confess.

In any case... My ten gallon tank contains three breeding female guppies and who-knows-how-many fry. The eldest fry are just getting to the point where I can separate out the males (Kitten does NOT allow free-for-all breeding). I just slipped the fourth male into the breeding net until I come up with a better solution (i.e. when the 12 gallon stabilizes).

When searching anal fins for the tell-tale gonopodium, I found Gimpy. Gimpy is a male guppy who just doesn't swim quite right. At his age (just showing gonopodium), it's hard to see all his fins, but they all SEEM to be in good shape. None missing or malformed from what I can tell. He just kind of shimmies through the water instead of swimming normally.

Before anyone suggests it, culling him is NOT an option. If he dies of his own accord, so be it, but I will not kill a perfectly healthy (if slightly disabled) fish. He gets to food perfectly fine, and has no other apparent disabilities besides swimming funny.

I am, however, pondering giving him his own tank... perhaps the two gallon QT that the betta girls will soon be vacating in favor of a more permanent home. I could set him up with a heater and mini filter. He's getting picked on a bit. (Though this could simply be a product of four *cough* teenage boys trapped in a small breeder net, surrounded by nubile females. )

Thoughts? Suggestions?

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

sounds like gimpy might have some birth defects.. i had some molly fry that had curved spines when they were born.. they swam in CIRCLES?!@?:%) well same as you, i didnt have the heart to euthanize... so i let em live out their lives.. they(three total) are currently 3 months old, no problems eating or anything, they even stay out of harms way in the 55 gallon, but they seem to be doing fine.. and it just seems to make you love em more when they have a rough life huh??

ahh.. i think gimpy will be fine.. if he can swim and eat.. then what else is left in a fishy life?

i thinks hes happy... although seperating him might not be a bad idea either.

Chelle

*Chelle*
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I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...

My only real concern with him at the moment is that the four boys are in a small enclosed area and that means that while he's WILLING and eager to eat, the other boys tend to chase him off. He seems to be perfectly formed, straight as an arrow, but of a much more slender build than the other fry... I have some nice plump lil guppies.

As he develops, I'm sure I'll be able to better see what's wrong with him.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Gimpy the Guppy



EDIT - it's been a week or so... any new developements?


Last edited by rjmcbean at 08-Nov-2005 00:23

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"it's the neck, it creaks under the weight of too much heavy thinking."