White 'tufts' on sewellia fins.

[ApiApi]

I just today noticed that some of my sewellia lineolata have these white 'tufts' on the outer edge of their modified fins.  As such, I am wondering if this is normal (i.e. sensory organs, common growths, results of territorial sparring, etc) or if it could be a sign of disease/parasites?

The six loaches are all very active, frequently sparring, unafraid of their tankmates and not at all shy, and none of the other fish in the tank are showing any signs of disease or stress (rather the opposite as they are frequently scattering eggs).

Any ideas of what this could be?

 

Tank parameters are as follows:

pH - 6.8

Nitrates - 10ppm

Hardness - GH5

Nitrite - 0ppm

Ammonia - 0ppm

KH/Buffer - 6°d

Water Temperature - 25°C/77F

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Don’t quote me on it, but possibly anchor worms? How long have you had them?

@Colu

Edited January 15, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Colu]

It could be excess slime coat  have you added anything new to the tank recently any rapid breathing listlessness loss of appetite do you use a water conditioner when doing water changes @ApiApi

[ApiApi]

On 1/16/2023 at 12:37 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Don’t quote me on it, but possibly anchor worms? How long have you had them?

@Colu

I have had them for about three weeks and noticed this for the first time yesterday.  They do not spend a lot of time on the front glass, however, so it could be I just have not seen it before now.   I am not sure how to recognize anchor worms, however.  The tufts are soft, clear white (as seen on the picture), swaying with the water's current and the fish's movement, only 1-3 millimeters long and less than the width of a hair.

 

On 1/16/2023 at 1:16 AM, Colu said:

It could be excess slime coat  have you added anything new to the tank recently any rapid breathing listlessness loss of appetite do you use a water conditioner when doing water changes @ApiApi

The sewellia are the last ones I stocked and nothing but food, water and small amounts of liquid ferts has been added since.  None of them show any rapid breathing or listlessness, neither those with nor without the tufts, nor does any of their tank mates.  All fish in the tank are quite active, with their tank mates scattering eggs all over the place pretty much daily and the sewellia rarely staying in one place for more than a minute and frequently sparring.   

The sewellia are constantly grazing and become very active when there is food in the tank.  They are still confused about gel- and tablet foods, butting their heads and swimming in circles around it, but they are quick to 'hoover' it up as soon as it starts falling apart, they also go crazy over frozen cyclops.  The rest of the tank pretty much go into a frenzy the moment I open the lid to feed.

I have not been adding any water conditioners during water change (other than gh- and kh/ph buffers for my livebearer tanks) as my tap water does not have chlorine/chloramine or has had any problems with heavy metals.  I have never used water conditioners for any of my breeding-, fry grow-out- or community tanks over the past four years and never had any trouble.  I have not kept sewellia before, however.  Could it be they are sensitive to things other fish, including fry, would not mind?

[Colu]

 What I would do is monitor for the next week update if you think it's getting worse if it's slime coat it's usually caused by poor war quality  he's some pictures of anchor worms for comparison @ApiApi

Edited January 16, 2023 by Colu

[ApiApi]

On 1/16/2023 at 1:11 PM, Colu said:

 What I would do is monitor for the next week update if you think it's getting worse if it's slime coat it's usually caused poor war quality  he's some pictures of anchor worms for comparison @ApiApi

Will do, and thank you for the quick reply!

While anchor worm looks to have the right 'consistency', colour and look to be 'trailing' in the same way, whatever it is on my sewellia it looks to be much smaller and does not branch at the ends like the worms in the pictures.  But perhaps it is just early stages?

As for water quality—is there anything that immediately stand out to you in the parameters I posted?  In the four years I have kept fish I have only had one outbreak of ich and other than that, never really had to deal with issues of that nature, so this is kind of new to me 😅

[Colu]

On 1/16/2023 at 1:20 PM, ApiApi said:

Will do, and thank you for the quick reply!

While anchor worm looks to have the right 'consistency', colour and look to be 'trailing' in the same way, whatever it is on my sewellia it looks to be much smaller and does not branch at the ends like the worms in the pictures.  But perhaps it is just early stages?

As for water quality—is there anything that immediately stand out to you in the parameters I posted?  In the four years I have kept fish I have only had one outbreak of ich and other than that, never really had to deal with issues of that nature, so this is kind of new to me 😅

Your water parameters look fine if it were anchor worms you would want to treat with hikari cyropro 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/16/2023 at 8:20 AM, ApiApi said:

and does not branch at the ends like the worms in the pictures

Hmm you are right, I do not see that Y shape like in the photos of the goldfish.  Is there any direct contact of these guys w/ filter floss?  Some people keep it in the tank, wrapped around a sponge filter for polishing the water, or they let it hang in the outflow of their hang-on-back filter to reduce flow, etc?

Edited January 16, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea