Injury on Bristlenose Pleco

[Lauren0142]

Hello everyone! I’ve recently noticed this injury/sore on my gold Bristlenose and I have no idea what it is.. I can’t find anything online that looks similar so I’m really worried. he’s super shy and I barely ever get to see his belly and certainly don’t usually get close enough to the tank to get a picture before he shoots off.. so this is the best look I could get. I hope it’s good enough for some insight.. he lives in a 20 gallon heavily planted tank with gravel substrate

He is eating and swimming just fine, his whole demeanour hasn’t changed at all.

I did just have a small ammonia spike in my tank which I’ve sorted, could it be a burn from that? the other levels are all fine including ammonia now. I also had one of my poor Amano shrimp bite the dust maybe from the spike?!

I’m praying it’s not something like a parasite or another nasty because I currently have a dwarf gourami with a suspected ulcer/sore taking his time occupying and being treated in my quarantine tank.. it’s a bad time!!!!

Thank you so much for any help anyone can offer. I’m still pretty new to tropical fish so still learning a lot and I’d appreciate as much help and advice as possible!

 

[FishBearer9845]

@Colin_T

 

[Colin_T]

It's not a disease and not contagious.

It could be a burn or scratch. It might be clear skin and the black is part of the intestine showing through the clear skin.

Do a big water change and gravel clean the substrate. Clean the filter, then monitor the fish over the next few weeks.

 

[Lauren0142]

It's not a disease and not contagious.

It could be a burn or scratch. It might be clear skin and the black is part of the intestine showing through the clear skin.

Do a big water change and gravel clean the substrate. Clean the filter, then monitor the fish over the next few weeks.

Thank you so much!!