# Reddish Bulb on Fish



## Ollie (Sep 13, 2014)

One of my bottomfeeders has a reddish colored bulb attached to his head area. It looks like to veins or threads are holding it to his "forehead." I'll post photos in my gallery.... does anyone know what it is?


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

Post pictures. This will help us out a great deal


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## Ollie (Sep 13, 2014)

I posted images in the Gallery under Ollie.


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

How long do you think the fish has had this thing on it's head for? 

Does it look like it's coming out of the fish head or something else?


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## Big Dog (May 17, 2010)

Have you feed your fish any live food or something different in the past few weeks?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I have never seen anything like that!
I'll search ,but how long did it take to get like that and how did it start?


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## Ollie (Sep 13, 2014)

Since this particular fish hides most of the day, I am unsure. I noticed it yesterday when I went to clean the decorations in the tank and disturbed him. I have never seen anything like it in the years I have had tanks. I also have nothing that resembles it in my tank (otherwise I would think the item got stuck on the 'whiskers" of the catfish).


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Although it really doesn't look like one to me ,is that a bushynose pleco?Possibly it is a deformed version of a male bushynose?Other wise I could guess something like anchor/hook worms.I couldn't find a picture of anything looking like that,but some of the bushynose are pretty strange looking.
Being on its head if it is a worm or parasite I would not give the fish good odds.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

That's not a male bn for sure, their bristles don't look like that. It looks like worms to me. Actually blood worms.


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## discusbreeder (Oct 7, 2014)

Place fish in a shallow narrow container. HOLD DOWN GENTLY. Take a pieceof rock salt with forceps and hold against growth. If fish starts t writhe growth is likely a tumor and will prove fatal if growth starts to shrink and possibly detaches it was parasite and further treatment may be required.


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