Normal rubberlip anatomy or parasite?... It's a parasite

[bekateen]

Advice and help please. Look at the corner of the mouth of this rubberlip,

Chaetostoma dorsale

. Are the white spots nothing or are they something like a parasite? Anyone ever seen oral parasites in the corner of the mouth of a pleco before? I probably wouldn't bother to care except it doesn't appear to be symmetrical.

Thanks, Eric

[bekateen]

It's a parasite! ( I seem to have the worst luck with rubberlips) Now treating with PraziPro. After that I'll try ProformC.

Wish me luck, please.

Direct link to YouTube video: Rubberlip pleco (Chaetostoma dorsale) with oral parasites

[Deb]

Eric, I was going to ask how you determined that the white things were a parasite, but after viewing the youtube, it's pretty clear that they are moving and alive.

But, are they parasites? Perhaps the creature and the fish are in some sort of symbiotic relationship? Shane used to post a lot about this genus, so maybe he would have some insight? If you could possibly remove one of these creatures and get it under a microscope, I hope you will.

I've kept Chaetostoma species since 2005, and have never seen such a thing. Just fyi, all of mine but three were PetSmart fish. Do not know if that makes any difference at all, but it might speak to the time elapsed from capture to purchase, which MIGHT make a difference.

[bekateen]

Hi Deb,

Thanks for the feedback about your Chaetostoma. I'm glad you've had such good fortune keeping rubberlips before. Are yours the same species as mine? I don't know if all species are equally rugged and adaptable (my impression is that

L445

/

Chaetostoma joropo

may be a little better, but I don't have first hand experience to know; as for dorsale, I like them much better than formosae, but the dorsale seem to be a sensitive species, at least for me).

I mentioned PetSmart and Petco because I bought this same species from those stores in the past and I had awful luck with Ich and fungus while the fish were still in quarantine. I lost so many fish (13, if I recall correctly), all within 2 weeks of purchase. I really like Chaetostoma but I've avoided buying any more since that experience because of (a) the generally poor health they have on arrival (often with ich and sunken stomachs), (b) the challenges they have adapting to captive food options, and (c) their need for cooler temperatures, which I have trouble providing at home. But I set up a cool water tank (<75F) at work and a friend gave these to me from an independent LFS which generally has healthy fish. These particular specimens have decent stomachs and no signs of Ich, so I thought they are worth a try.

As a biologist, in all my years of research I have not encountered a symbiotic animal in the mouth of a tropical fish. These white things move like leeches and flukes; I'm inclined to suspect a fluke. I handled the fish a lot yesterday trying to get the mystery organism out, with no success. So I won't attempt to remove the mystery organism again unless I anesthetize the fish first, so it is relaxed and not struggling. On Facebook, someone reported to me that they've collected plecos (not specifically Chaetostoma) with leech-like parasites in their mouth. This appears to be something similar.

If I am able to recover one, you can bet I'll get it under a microscope and take more photos (or video if my medication doesn't kill them all).

Cheers, Eric

[bekateen]

Update on the oral parasites: I did a triple-round of PraziPro treatments (1 dose every 3 days for 9 days). Now I don't see any more signs of the parasites in the mouth. I think the PraziPro got rid of them.

All four are doing well, feeding on - I don't know what. I provide them algae wafers, a few live black worms, (rehydrated) freeze-dried mysis shrimp, Bug-bites pleco sticks, and a mix of Repashy soilent green & bottom scratcher painted onto small flat stones.

I've never actually seen the rubberlips eat anything, but their stomachs are filling out since I bought them. Maybe they're eating more of the biofilm that's forming on the dried oak leaves in their tank. I wish I knew. The only thing I've seen eat the Repashy is all the stupid snails in the tank. They are out of control.

No matter, it's just really nice to have a positive experience (so far, anyway) with such a good looking rubberlip, compared to my first experiences with them. Hopefully they thrive and grow in this setup.

Cheers, Eric