Bizarre emperor tetra emaciation and extruding bone?

[Tacocat]

Hey all, I was feeding the tank and noticed one of my emperors looked off. It looks like it has a concave belly in between the pelvic and anal fins, and the area around it looks slightly red. Weirdest and most concerning of all is what appears to be a protruding bone from the pelvic fins.

Its behaviour seemed perfectly normal, and no other fish had this. I haven’t added anything new in at least 6 months, and none of the tank mates are biters (school of 11 tetras, 3 festivums, 3 cories, 3 red lizards, 3 Pakistani loaches, 2 plecos, 1 pseudohemiodon). I was thinking to isolate and salt bath to treat the wound as well as a water change for the tank.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[GaryE]

I can't see it that well, but try looking up Camallanus. It may be that parasite at work.

 

[Tacocat]

I can't see it that well, but try looking up Camallanus. It may be that parasite at work.

Apologies for the bad pictures, this tetra was constantly moving and I couldn't get a good shot.

I had considered camallanus, but this looks much more bone-like, as it is translucent, rigid, and curved backwards, with a red pointed tip, as seen in the second picture. You can tell which one I'm talking about as it's the first spike that occurs in front of the gap between the pelvic and anal fins.

 

[Tacocat]

@GaryE The fish has been isolated and placed into a currently empty scud breeding bucket upon which I can unleash whatever medication or treatment I wish.

Also correction, I don’t know if it’s actually rigid, it just doesn’t sway or move in current, and has maintained its position ever since I noticed it.

 

[GaryE]

Again, bad eyes meet photo - but could that be an extruded length of bowel, which would explain the emaciation? A hernia, or a prolapse?

That isn't uncommon, but is always fatal and untreatable. Sometimes it goes back up into place for a short time if the fish is left unfed but it always returns.