Polypterus Endlicheri spine question

[uszkatatouestela]

Hey guys,
I got a new polypterus today, and upon further inspection his back looks a little crooked and I'm unsure whether he's hurt or it's a birth defect .
Do you guys think I should be concerned?
http://min.us/mObawhzuMifHD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePJ4o-Up3eI


Thank you

 

[Dr.B]

idk can you get maybe some more side shots.... does he swim kinda weird or diagonally when he tries to go straight? and does he ver strighten out or does it stay like that?

 

[uszkatatouestela]

He seems to move normally, but he doesn't straighten out completely. He can turn and move (as pictured in the video), but he always returns to that weird crooked back position (in the end of the video).

 

[JamesF]

He looks pretty skinny. Get some good food into and see if it straightens him out. If you can, some good side shots would be great.

 

[uszkatatouestela]

Yeah he's very young.. I will feed him and follow up with you guys.

 

[Dr.B]

......... try and feed small things so if his organs are formed a certain way the food won't just blow through the body and destroy the organs or get stuck....

 

[uszkatatouestela]

I fed him some little cut up chunks of defrosted beefheart, and hand fed some live black worms. He's very small, I really hope he makes it.

 

[Dr.B]

I think he'll make it polys handle hardships better than most fish

 

[uszkatatouestela]

Update : I took him to the vet/lfs that I got him from, and he had a bacterial infection that was causing the curvature. Thanks for everyones advice!

 

[Dr.B]

where do you live i want a vet that deals with fish..........