Crooked Spine

Question
I took interest in a fish at the petstore because i felt sorry for it; so they gave the fish to me because they cant sell it (because it has a defect). It is a rainbow shark that has a crooked spine. The fish seems happy, swims better then i assumed it would, and eats just fine. This does not seem to me that he has fish Tuberculosis or any other bacterial disease. Could he just be deformed without having a disease? or just deformed from too many fish in a tank when he was breed? I just really do not think he is a "sick" fish, just a poor little guy with a defect.

Answer
Hi Mandy,
Usually if a fish is bred with a deformity they can pass it onto their young. It may be the same in this case. If your fish appears to have difficulty in swimming then the fish should be euthanized. The fish should never be bred due to the spinal deformity as the fish can pass it onto their young.
There is no treatment for this problem as it is a deformity and nothing can be done I'm sorry.

Regards,
Chloe.