Does pleco have hairs on back?

[ae123]

I've noticed hair-like thingies(techinical term)on my plecos back. The only things I know to think are hairs, parasites, algae. That's just what can think of. I'm hoping, of course, natural growths or algae.

Do plecos, mine is pterygoplichthys paradalis, have hairs naturally? Don't see these on any of my other fish. But if it is something potentially harmful, I'd want to deal with it.

Any ideas? Thanks.

ae123

 

[Flossie]

I think u are referring to part of the plecos armor

 

[ae123]

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[ae123]

Yes, on his dorsal side. Dunno what it is. Thanks

ae123

 

[Flossie]

Yes, on his dorsal side. Dunno what it is. Thanks

ae123

It looks like little tannish spikes? It's part of his armor.

 

[ae123]

No, no. It's treadlike "thingies" & sometimes accompanied by a little speck somewhere on the thread. Can parasites attach to his armored parts? If so, what kind would they be? I don't think it's ich. Ich grows right down on the skin & is not thread-like. I dunno.

I hope it is algae or something else & not some sort of obscure parasite. I've got the heat up just in case. Do other types of parasites have the same type of life cycle as ich--attached, spore, free swimming? If so then I guess I'd have to be doing some gravel vacs & water changes.

 

[Flossie]

No, no. It's treadlike "thingies" & sometimes accompanied by a little speck somewhere on the thread. Can parasites attach to his armored parts? If so, what kind would they be? I don't think it's ich. Ich grows right down on the skin & is not thread-like. I dunno.

I hope it is algae or something else & not some sort of obscure parasite. I've got the heat up just in case. Do other types of parasites have the same type of life cycle as ich--attached, spore, free swimming? If so then I guess I'd have to be doing some gravel vacs & water changes.

Can u get a picture?

 

[ae123]

My camera is does not focus that well. It would not be a good picture--wouldn't be helpful.

Nonetheless, any thoughts? Could I treat my tank with something like Ich Attack? Its good for some parasites and is gentle med compared to malachite, formalin, copper. Or another general parasite med? I have week old fry I cannot move to take into consideraton. Ich Attack would be safe for them and pleco. Lot of questions, I know. Any help though.

Thanks.

 

[ae123]

You know, I just took another look as I was trying to get a good picture(to no avail). Some of the hairs were pretty long, like 1/4 and longer. And they, like I said before, have little whitish specks attached to some of them. The longest hair was about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch and had several, maybe 3 or 4 very tiny specks on its length. Does this help?

Thanks.

ae123

 

[ae123]

I saw some pictures of hair and thread alage. Some of them looked a lot like what is on plecos back. Would high temps increase the likelyhood of algal bloom? Would algae grow on plecos dorsal/armor side?

Sounds like a possibility. This would not be harmful & would fall away with activity.

I hope very much this is the case.

ae123

 

[ae123]

The larger ones kinda resemble a cob-webbish growth.

 

[Flossie]

I saw some pictures of hair and thread alage. Some of them looked a lot like what is on plecos back. Would high temps increase the likelyhood of algal bloom? Would algae grow on plecos dorsal/armor side?

Sounds like a possibility. This would not be harmful & would fall away with activity.

I hope very much this is the case.

ae123

I'm not an expert so idk but i don't Think it would be algae.... I wish someone with more experience would catch your thread

 

[Flossie]

Can u QT the fish... Separate and treat him. It could be a fungus. I wouldn't use quick cure or anything for ich. U can use a 5 gallon bucket for a qt if u need... With a heater and filter.

 

[Flossie]

Check this out or google anchor worms... Sounds possibly like ur issue http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/anchor_worms/

 

[ae123]

Not sure about anchor worms. Thanks for looking around for me.

No, they're on his armor--back and sides, and they're just hairs. A couple cm long. I noticed these things on him but other places in the tank I'm not sure yet. They're very slender--less so than a human hair.

They could be algae. They could be some sort of parasite, I guess, too. Or fungi. Anybody have clues?

No pics. Camera's not good enough.