What is going on with this HBG?

WAG...cross bred with a 'guppie' and now having live birth?? Ha!

But in truth, no idea.

Not sure what I'm looking for here -- well-healed, previously damaged anal fin that's now split in two pieces?

I can appreciate that observation Bocomo! It sure looked like it was coming out of it's urinogentital opening or anus, but you are probably right.

This angled photo does show a couple dark spots ahead of the odd protrusions/fin spines.



I feel better knowing it's not an alien...LOL...Carp infestation, then aliens...I don't think I could take that.

Just a question here.. Is it possible this is bone material of "claws" being passed through??

Do you happen to use any lure or artificial grub that is similar to the protrusions? It does look like the fish is trying to pass something.

I am betting that the "Chicken Dinner" goes to Bocomo. The only bony materials in the pond are crawdads and other fish. The only artificial lures used in the pond have been small rooster-tails (besides hook and pieces of rubber worm) and I have not lost any yet.

I did catch a different gill that had a damaged tail fin that had healed. It was split down the middle all the way to the meat to give it an upper and lower fin.

The anal fin in the first pic does look a bit off and the protrusions do have color patterns consistent with the fin.

My first thoughts were parasites or hemorrhaging internals.

I dont guess you felt of the protrusions to see if they would push back inside or not? Kinda looks like a craw claw trying to be expelled.

No touchie feelie. I wanted to pull at it, but I wasn't sure what I was seeing, didn't want to hurt the fish, or contract alien spawn.

Funny adder to this thread...My pond has seen A LOT of flow-through over the last week and when this happens the outlet pipe overshoots a catch basin and ends up flowing water through the yard. Many, many tadpoles were beached in the grass, but so was the topic of this thread. He was alive and flipping'about in 2 inches of water struggling with the taller grass. His colors were fantastic, a lot of blues and greens. At any rate, he was quickly returned to the pond and named "Finley" just in case I see him again.