Guppy with attached twin - or tumor

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karen99

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Nov 21, 2005
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I was looking at the LFS today for fish for my new tank. I wasn't interested in guppies, but still happened to notice one female fancy guppy with what seemed to be a large tumor on her belly. On closer look, the tumor had fins and a black spot which I first thought was an underdeveloped eye (turns out it wasn't though).
I pointed her out to a salesperson there, and said she's also noticed that fish. She said I could have her, and since I have a nice planted tank with a couple young guppies in it for her to live in, I decided to take her.

Then I started thinking this thing was perhaps not a twin but a tumor, and I think some parasites cause tumors in fish, so I was afraid to put her in with my fish... but I couldn't bring myself to flush her so she is in with my other fish in the planted tank (at least the other fish in the store tank all looked healthy).

So i am really just interested if anyone has an idea exactly what this thing on the guppy may be. It is very strange; I have some pictures of it but it's not exactly an attractive looking fish. One thing that is especially odd and unpleasant, which I found after getting the fish home, is that the tumor/twin poops... it's as if she might have two digestive systems or something.


http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2280930220053468193WdUdUy
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2126444500053468193UBACPg
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2386003530053468193UhogsO
 
Sell it to some research company so they can research.

But fish with defects are common when they are breed so offten such as guppies.
 
I vote for putting it out of its misery.

Mainly for the the sake of the deformed twin.

Imagine what you would feel like if that was your head growing out of your brother/sisters stomach.
 
I don't know. The twin, if that's what it is, doesn't seem complete enough to be conscious at all (it seems to be mostly stomach and fins), so I don't think it could be suffering. The guppy herself doesn't seem to be bothered.
 
I've seen guppies like her happen before and worse. Usually it's the result of massive inbreeding. I know this because my friend's mother allowed a lot of inbreeding in her fish and after 3 generations of siblings breeding, her fry began coming out with double tails, massively warped spines, no eyes, and masses that were much like the one on your little girlie. Most of them died young or were stillborn. If she doesn't have a dark egg spot on her belly, she's probably sterile anyways and won't breed. And as long as the other fish don't bully her, I see no reason why you can't keep the strange little girl right where she is.

But definitely, if she breeds, destroy her fry. She's probably the result of VERY bad genetics. Certainly nothing that needs to propagate!!
 
Actually, the tank she's in only has female guppies and a few other peaceful fish; it's a tank I use mostly for plants so it doesn't have too many fish. I don't want to breed her.
There were some male endler's livebearers in the store tank with her, though.
 
karen99 said:
Actually, the tank she's in only has female guppies and a few other peaceful fish; it's a tank I use mostly for plants so it doesn't have too many fish. I don't want to breed her.
There were some male endler's livebearers in the store tank with her, though.
Click to expand...

Most females who are capable of breeding will have a dark area near their anal vent which is the signs of her carrying potential eggs to fertilize. If that patch is tiny or nonexistent (which yours seems so), that means the female is probably barren and incapable of breeding. So I think you don't have anything to worry about with her. I think she'll do just... well... swimmingly!! ^_^
 
Thats kinda creepy, I dont think if will be harmful to other fish, but if it breeds i would not save the babys
 
karen99 said:
I was looking at the LFS today for fish for my new tank. I wasn't interested in guppies, but still happened to notice one female fancy guppy with what seemed to be a large tumor on her belly. On closer look, the tumor had fins and a black spot which I first thought was an underdeveloped eye (turns out it wasn't though).
Click to expand...

It looks just like an eye in that second linked picture! What changed your mind?

I'm a twin myself, just the normal kind though. :p:
 
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