Scraggly Gill

One of my wildtypes (the larger one) has a funky looking scraggly gill thing. At first I couldn't find her, but she was hiding under a pot. I went to poke her so she'd come out for food and she didnt move. I reached in and dragged her out (she still didnt move) but then she kind of 'woke up'. She swam around, and ate when I stuck the worm in front of her. But I noticed it looked like something was stuck to her gills. So I went to wipe it off, but it was attached. So I pulled her up to the top of the tank and saw that it was the end of her gill stalk. From the looks of it, the best I can tell is someone bit it (they nip at each other a lot) and its starting to fall off. I've attached a drawing (dont laugh!) as my camera does really bad close-ups. I immediately tested the water and nitrites were a bit high, but still within the 'limits'. ammonia was fine. I did a 20% water change. There are no signs of fungus or any other damage. It may be purely coincidence, but Blue is having some rear-end floating issues today too, although nothing too severe.

I had this happen when a gill got bitten hard enough to damage it but not hard enough to make it fall off. I'd assume it would eventually shrivel up and fall off by itself, leaving room for healing.

If it's falling away then just kep an eye out for secondary infection on the fresh exposed wound.

I wouldn't think that this is associated with the floaty back end thing.

Question. Has any one ever tied off a damaged bit of their axie so it does die, fall away and regrow. I have seen tournaquets fixed to other animals e.g skin tags and the next day the tag just fell away. with no observable harmful effect. I'm not advocating this as a treatment just curious if anyone has experienced or witnessed similar.

I figure it will just fall off. Definately keep an eye out for fungal infections. And Blue's rear-end is keeping itself planted (maybe the waxworms gave him gas).

I've never used the 'tags' (sounds like what you do when you're castrating pigs).

PS: She's also active again today, biting at me while I was trying to look at her.

(Message edited by kaysie on October 16, 2004)

Was this photo taken with a macro lens?

Geez guys. What else do you want to drag up from my youth?

I'm sure we will find something