Parasite On Rainbow Fish?

[MoonstruckMuse]

Alright, so my friend decided to give me a rainbow fish (can't seem to figure out his species - he's a juvie/pale and way too skittish to take photos of). I have him in a quarantine tank right, cycled and all.

He seems to have a puffy area that's whiteish with red flecks, and then has a white worm looking creature attached to the area. A flat-ish worm, slightly ruffled sides... or perhaps it's more then one, I can't tell for sure. It's about half a centimeter long.

I don't have any meds, and the stores are closing soon... can I just remove this worm mechanically (with tweezers)? Will this worm breed/infect other fish if I move him to his actual main tank?

edit: Took pictures of him, sorry if they're a bit blurry, he's a feisty bugger.

 

[*Fishkies*]

Do you have any sharp objects in your tank?
Did he has this when you got him? If so, did your friend have any sharp objects in the tank?
I would keep in in the hospital tank for now if you still can, just till you can be sure what "it" is.

 

[MoonstruckMuse]

I got him today, and he already had this thing on him. The only thing she has in her tank are live plants and pea gravel/sand, and my tank has plants and slightly larger gravel. Only thing I could see him injuring himself on would be the filter's intake tube...?

 

[*Fishkies*]

Does he seem to gasp at the top for air?
Have you seen him scraping against obejects trying to get it off?
Have you seen him trying to jump around trying to shake the thing off?


Right now i'm thinking either Anchor worm or skin flukes. However with the way it looks i am thinking more of skin flukes.

Skin flukes can result from bad water quality or overcrowding.

 

[WILDER]

Does the worm have a forked tail.

 

[MoonstruckMuse]

No gasping or abnormal behavior seen, and I don't quite think it is anchor worm, and no forked tail.
Upon looking up skin flukes, I think there's a good chance that it's that, heh.

What would be the best way to treat skin flukes, do you think? Will the flukes eventually just die off on their own if the fish is kept in good water conditions?

 

[WILDER]

Clout
Manufacturer: Aquarium Products
A very strong and effective medication for parasitic and protozoan infestations. Treats: Ich, Hydra, leeches, Planaria, Epistylis, Trichodina, Hexamita,Tetrahy-mena, body fungus, digenetic flukes, parasitic copepods, monogenetic flukes and anchor worms.

 

[Seanyboyrulz]

Clout
Manufacturer: Aquarium Products
A very strong and effective medication for parasitic and protozoan infestations. Treats: Ich, Hydra, leeches, Planaria, Epistylis, Trichodina, Hexamita,Tetrahy-mena, body fungus, digenetic flukes, parasitic copepods, monogenetic flukes and anchor worms.

Hi! I know this reply is a bit late and all.. but i have something similar to that little white thing on your rainbow growing on my Neon Rainbowfish's mouth. I posted up the problem and i think i got a satisfactory answer. Not sure if it'll help you:

http/www.fishforums.net/Mysterious-White...th-t200476.html

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Looks like a very young Parkinsons Rainbow.