# Pink around the gills?



## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

They're transparent underneath, you're just seeing the blood in his gill filaments.


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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

I haven't kept otos so I don't know how normal that amount of pink is. As mentioned some pink is normal as that is just the blood in his gills.

But if the pink is a more intense red color that is a sign of gill irritation/damage, which could be from burns from chlorine or ammonia/nitrite. Or it could be from a infection in the gills (gill flukes, gill disease, etc). If it is really irritating to the gills the fish could possibly develop inflamed/enlarged gills and the fish would gasp at the water surface and/or flash (scratch/ram itself) against objects.

So if you see any of those more severe symptoms I would look at correcting the issue ASAP.

But from the pic it doesnt look very red so I am guessing either that amount of pink is either normal or slightly irritated (check water parameters, do water change).

Like I mentioned, I am not too familiar with otos so I dont know if some do and some dont show the pink (maybe some have more tissue or color in that area).


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

Thanks. No flashing or going to the surface. Just did a major water change.


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## lksdrinker (Feb 12, 2014)

Pink gills can be an indication of ammonia and/or chlorine burning the gills; but I'm honestly not sure what a healthy ott's gills looks like. That could just be normal.


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

lksdrinker said:


> Pink gills can be an indication of ammonia and/or chlorine burning the gills; but I'm honestly not sure what a healthy ott's gills looks like. That could just be normal.


I've regularly tested for ammonia and it has always been zero. Nitrates occasionally got a bit high, but I immediately did a water change.


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

This looks normal to me. My otos have that same color on the underside. If it looked red like bleeding, I would be alarmed. Nice closeup pic, by the way!


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

JJ09 said:


> This looks normal to me. My otos have that same color on the underside. If it looked red like bleeding, I would be alarmed.


Thanks. That is reassuring. 



> Nice closeup pic, by the way!


Nikon thanks you. :grin2:


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