parasite??

[jade71301]

I just got 2 platy fish last week, and I just found a tiny gray stick or something sticking out next to his gil everytime he swims. He also has been lying down i noticed today so i checked him out and thats when i noticed it. It almost looks like gray poop but very skinny. What is it? and what can cure it. I have been researching and found nothing yet except to take him out and remove it. I tried that with tweazers, but he freaked when i touched him. Poor boy probably will die from a heart attack now. Another thing I almost forgot to notice, my oto fish is always after him but leaves the other platy and fish alone.

 

[Lotus]

It could be a leach, anchor worm or fish louse. I guess it could be something else. Is it moving at all?

You can take a look here for a better ID, and some treatment options: Pandora's Aquarium

Sometimes the site doesn't load, and you have to try again later.

 

[jade71301]

thanks for the link. It looks a bit like round worms and anchor worms, but only a lot smaller.

 

[jade71301]

OMG you know what I thought was a parasite, it was a piece of his side fin. He is missing his side fin so basically he is a amputy fish. I must have got him like that and didn't notice. He is ok tho and swimming around with one side fin. Only question I am asking or wondering about is can it grow back? He seems to be ok otherwise, except always hiding so duuno what I should do. What do you think? Just don't know how I missed that but anyway.

 

[Fuzz16]

if it is his fin, yes they regenerate

 

[Timbo]

you could always christen him Nemo...

 

[sclabman]

does it look like this?

but yes the fin will regenerate if the base of it is fine