Conjoined Twin Coho Salmon Found at Hoy Creek Hatchery

March 24, 2016 - Hoy Creek Hatchery, Coquitlam, BC, Canada (Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS)

March 24, 2016 - Hoy Creek Hatchery, Coquitlam, BC, Canada (Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS)

Hoy Creek hatchery manager, Rodney Lee noticed something peculiar while examining our 2015 -16 brood of coho salmon in the alevin stage in our incubation room at the hatchery recently - a two-headed, but one-body salmon living off of one yoke sac.

"This is an example of a Siamese fish, or conjoined twin," said Rodney. "It happens in nature occasionally."

When we posted a video of the fish on our Facebook page, some followers expressed concern that they might be in pain.

We've done some research online and we found one story about conjoined 8 month old Nile Tilapia fish.

"It is unlikely that they will survive once they need real food to live," said Rodney.