pleco has fuzz!

[fire7seven]

I am not computer friendly, so i hope i am doing this right.....I have a pleco that i've owned for about 5 years now. I just recently had a molly die from dropsy and i was looking over all my fish very carefully and noticed my pleco has (what looks like) white stringy cotton on his gills. I took him down to fishy store to ask how to fix him and they told me it was normal. Does that sound right to anyone??? He told me he has had one for 10 years and his had developed that same thing. Something about the bristles around their gills. I don't think it seems right though. Can anyone tell me if they have ever heard of this before? I can't find a single pic of a pleco with with on his gills.........

 

[WILDER]

hope this helps.
http/www.fishjunkies.com/Diseases/fungus.php

 

[smithrc]

sounds like gill flukes to me... tiny little stringy white wormy things?

 

[Bloo]

OK here is a stab in the dark and my first thought: without a pic it's hard, but could those not just be the normal cheek bristles in a adult male I'll try to find a pic in the mean time.....
OK, found something, although not quite the example I had in mind http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...danc/1143_2.php

Ps: Also do remember that even though dropsy is almost always fatal, it is not contagious.

 

[Bloo]

Ah well "fire7seven" you've probably disappeared now, however I came across this and it just reminded me that this is a better example of what I had in mind....
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...risom/289_3.php
If you appear back, let us know