Pink Gills! Should I Be Alarmed?

[truetotexas]

hey guys i have 10 platys in my 30 gallon and i have noticed that about 7 of them have pinkish colored gills. i have read in some placed that this could mean that they are well oxygenated or have a parasite. how would i know? i have never had any kind of sickness in my tank before.

any advice is appreciated.....

thanks a bunch

 

[Colin_T]

Pink gills can mean anaemia or low blood levels in the fish. This is often associated with intestinal worms and gill flukes. These organisms suck the blood out of the fish. Low oxygen levels can be fixed by increasing surface turbulence. Have an airstone bubbling away in the tank all the time. This will maximise the oxygen levels in the water and can help reduce other problems.

 

[LauraFrog]

Are they breathing fast? Fast breathing coupled with inflamed looking gills usually means something is wrong. Have the gills changed colour or are they always that colour?

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Signs of skin and gill flukes are.
Pale gills with excess mucas, or red and inflamed gills.
Opaque body with excess slime.
Flicking and rubbing against objects in the tank.
Gasping at the surface of the tank, or laboured breathing.
Sores on the body of the fish.
Erratic swimming, or darting.
Spitting food out.
Swimming in a jerky movement.
Sometime weightloss.

 

[truetotexas]

in an effort to answer all of the questions at once

30 gallon tank

2 Blue Platies
2 Calico Platies
3 Sunset Platies
3 Hi Fin Mickey Mouse Platies
1 Gold Veil Angel

I primarily notice the pinkish gills on the Hi Fins. Maybe its their color that lets me see it better. I can barely notice them (pinkish gills) on the other platies. noticed them last night when i fed them some blood worms. my angel fish looks perfect no pink gills or anything.

water stats

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
.5 Nitrates

I have a pretty big airstone in the tank with lots of bubbles. and a pretty big filter that moves alot of water...

i mean they play around alot and chase each other through the bubble curtain so im not sure if that constitutes as erratic or jerky, but they have always done that

what do you think?

 

[WILDER]

If they had gills flukes would of expected to see some signs of flicking and rubbing, and maybe laboured breathing.
Here is a link to gill flukes.
http/article.dphnet.com/cat-02/flukes.shtml