sick keyhole?

Question
I noticed one of my keyholes was acting a little legarthic and hiding more than usual.  When he came out during feeding he had a white strand hanging from around his anal fin.  The strand was approx. 1/4 to 1/2 inches long.  I was wondering if this was a worm of some sort or another type of infection?

Answer
Hi Jerry,
The poor little guy is constipated.  Feed him a cooked frozen pea with the outer layer removed.  Cut the pea into bite size pieces, and hopefully he will eat it.  He must waste, and his waste must be of normal colour.  Do not give him anything else to eat for a day, and watch to see if he has wasted.  Constipation leads to Swim Bladder Disease.  When caught early, this disease is curable.  If he refuses to eat the pea, you will have to treat him with an antibiotic.  Kanamycin is very good for Swim Bladder, but hard to find.  If you cannot find it, buy Tetracycline, or Furan 2.  Follow the directions on the package, be careful not to overdose, and keep his water very clean.  Test your water to make sure that your water had zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and that nitrates are low before putting in antibiotics.
I hope the little guy gets well soon.
Lynda