Bolivian Ram With Curved Back (Fish TB or Deformity)

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Rams seem to be one of the most deformed fish around. I see lots with hunchbacks and deformed mouths.
You cant really tell if its got TB without testing it but i would bet its just a deformed runt, personally i would put it out of its misery as it will never be a good fish and will most llikely end up getting killed by your other fish sooner or later.
 
Well I think my Bolivian Ram is on his death bed right now. He was swimming sluggishly yesterday. Now he's just been sitting in one place and gasping deeply. I put air stones in the tank but it doesn't seem to work. Do any of you have any suggestions on what to do? Or is he just dying of old age?
 
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I assume it’s a deformity. TB is not treatable. It’s got to a good size so far….any reason to euthanize it? Is it struggling to swim, grow or feed?
 
Of course there are common genetic deformities.
But alternatively.....young fish brought up in different water type than they are evolved over centuries to live in can create developmental deformities.
Fish evolved to live in mineral rich water, can develope deformities in soft mineral poor water.
Fish eveolved over millennia to live in soft, low pH water often develope poorly and have health problems in hard water.
Rams are notorious for this sensitivity.
Although Bolivian Rams (M altispinosa) are considered less sensitive than their northern counterparts, even a slight tweak in pH is known to skew sex ratios.
Consider, if a few simple degrees up or down, such as 6.4 to 6.8 can do that with gender, what trying to raise fry in pH of 7.8 or higher can do.
 
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