Black algae growing on adult blue phantom pleco

[Robert C]

I've noticed recently my blue phantom pleco has black hair algae growing on one of its fins. Should I be concerned? If so how do I treat it?

[Guppysnail]

Are you sure it is algae?  My bn plecos look a bit fuzzy on fins  Can you get a photo? 
 

This is the tip of one of mines fin. Ignore the red he injured himself. But you can see it looks like hair or fuzz. It’s not. 

Edited November 10, 2022 by Guppysnail

[nabokovfan87]

If it is BBA, I would recommend anti-fungal meds and bacterial meds and then daily salt baths until you see the algae start to back off.  If the fish isn't moving around and algae took hold.... that's probably an indication of something deeper going on.

If you have BBA issues, whatever your tank lights are at, shorten the light span and potentially drop intensity as to try to reduce some of that stuff.  The other thing to potentially help is lean dosing your plants.  I've also heard others with success by relying on very low dosing and root tabs.

[Robert C]

It stays stationary until I approach. So it's hard to get a good clear picture. Attached the best pictures I could take. So I guess I would say it is active.  The stuff is actually on both side fins. One of the fins does have some green looking "algae". 

[nabokovfan87]

Definitely interesting. It looks like something may have gotten stuck in the spikey bits on the fins of the fish.  I've seen the same thing happen with otos and some netting materials.

Let's see what Guppysnail says!  A lot of great pleco experience there.

Before I forget, welcome to the forums as well 🙂