What's This Coming Out Of My Phantom?

[scampi]

Sorry the pics aren't very clear - just noticed this female Phantom trying (I think) to pass this strange white thing. There's 6 females with 2 males who have been going bananas today flashing & chasing the females all over the place so I'm wondering whether its an egg problem or could it be a parasite?? I'm a complete novice so I just have no idea what it could be. Hoping someone can help. She's a little bit wobbly when she hovers. Should I remove her maybe ?

 

[scampi]

Sorry the pics aren't very clear - just noticed this female Phantom trying (I think) to pass this strange white thing. There's 6 females with 2 males who have been going bananas today flashing & chasing the females all over the place so I'm wondering whether its an egg problem or could it be a parasite?? I'm a complete novice so I just have no idea what it could be. Hoping someone can help. She's a little bit wobbly when she hovers. Should I remove her maybe ?

Does anyone know please - bit worried in case I need to isolate her cos of any others catching it whatever it is. Noticed this morning it's got bigger & there's another Phantom that I can see a white something but still inside her waiting to come out. Yewk - not nice.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I don't know what it is, but I'd be frightened as well. You should repost in Tropical Fish Emergencies. You should get a response right away.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

From the photo, it reminds me a lot of the injury I saw on one of my first Yellowtail Congo Tetra that died from their deadly "jousting" battles within a week.

Have you got the option of isolating it into a QT with a seeded filter? If so, I'd say try that and do ~25% water changes to the tank daily, while trying to get a good photo to post on here and/or show to your LFS for medication advice.

I tried Myxazin (a general anti-bacterial) with my Yellowtails to no avail, but its far better to get a definite diagnosis and then treat with the correct (and mildly toxic) medication.

 

[scampi]

Thx for the replies folks. It's disappeared - but she looks a bit battered like she's been squeezed sort of. Seems ok tho eating & swimming around. If it happens again I'll try isolating her. One thing I did think, the flake fish food I have has some little white hard bits in it - don't know what they are but the fish eventually eat them. I wondered if maybe she'd eaten one of them then struggled to pass it. Just a thought.

The red edging around the white is her fin not infammation by the way.