Glofish issues

[AdsMommy]

So we bought two new glofish yesterday and today when i was cleaning the tank i noticed one of the new fish is missing part of his gill, i posted a pic on facebook and two of my friends said gill flukes, but with everything ive been reading i'm not 100% sure. I bought some melafix and started treatment since i can't really put him in his own tank and the green fish was bought at the same time. The infected fish doesn't swim near the top or bottom of the tank i haven't seen him rub against the tank and he doesn't appear to be gasping. However he is missing so much of his puter gill i can see like the layers of his gill. I'm not sure i'm makin any since. The fish belong to my four year old and i'm worried for his sake.

 

[upside-down catfish]

sometimes they are just born like that. Did you notice the missing gill when you bought them?

 

[AdsMommy]

No i didn't notice it when we bought him, literally bought him Wednesday and noticed it yesterday when i went to clean the tank. Took him back today, the store advised i treat my tank and are treating theirs just incase. I just feel so bad my son was ok with the idea that fish was sick but doesn't understand why we haven't gotten a new one yet.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

That looks like either he was born like that or someone chomped on him. Either way, if he's swimming and eating, it should be fine. Assuming there isn't anyone else in the tank inclined to chomp on it some more. Presumably the other side of his gill cover looks fine?

I had a black neon tetra that had a chunk of gill cover eaten off by a paradise fish. That bugger also ate the eye of another black neon - apparently paradise fish aren't great community tank mates - had to return him to the store. Anyways, I had the two "handicapped" black neons for quite a while (years) with no ill effects.

Also good pictures on him!