B&W clowns with stringy poop

[RandomHero426]

I have a couple of black and white clowns, I have heard if they have stringy poop that they have internal parasites.

My question is what should I do about it?

Do I just keep them fed or should I use some medication?

 

[RandomHero426]

anybody?

 

[ocellaris123]

Clear stringy poop can indicate internal parasitic infection. You can treat this feeding various medicated flake foods available from your LFS. If your clowns start too look emaciated than internal parasites are the most likely cause. Soaking your food in garlic can also help your clowns.

 

[SlukBunWalla]

Stringy poop can also be a sign that they haven't gotten enough roughage in their diet. Clowns are omnivorous and need plant material in their diet as well. Try supplementing the diet with some spirulina algae flakes (which is what I use personally, but other things will work as well.) and see if that makes a difference. It could simply be that they need a salad sometimes too, just like us...

Although parasites are not ruled out. If a simple dietary change helps, then you don't have to worry about that so much.

 

[RandomHero426]

they eat alot....but I will get some spirulina flakes asap....would nori work?

 

[SlukBunWalla]

Eating is good...but eating a good diet is more important. I'm sure my clowns would love me if all I fed was frozen cyclops and brine shrimp...but that's not much for a complete diet.

Nori will work if they'll eat it. Crumble it up fairly small so they can eat it in one bite. If they don't seem interested the aforementioned garlic would help...or a vitamine supplement like selcon or vitality.

 

[RandomHero426]

what is the best food for them? I have prime reef that I just bought but it is big chunks and the pieces stay clumped

 

[SlukBunWalla]

Best food is what works for you.

I used ORAGlo for a while as my main food and then found that the it's very similar in composition to Hikari Marine S pellets. The Hikari is a smaller, rounder pellet that seems easier for smaller clowns like occelaris to eat so I've switched to that, and have been happy with it. The clowns gobble it up ravenously.

I also feed frozen brine, cyclops and mysis...also the spirulina flakes. Many people rave about Rod's Food...but I can't get it locally so I haven't tried it. Ocean Nutrition makes a good food too.

So basically you ask ten different people and you'll get ten different answers.

 

[RandomHero426]

Ive wanted to get that rods food....nobody around though....sadness...the funny thing is that i have the oraglo and they hate it....they only thing that will eat it are my hermits...

 

[LadyEquinox]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14650401#post14650401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SlukBunWalla
Best food is what works for you.

No !!!!!!!!The best food is the most nutrishous food the clowns will eat.

 

[SlukBunWalla]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14657363#post14657363 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LadyEquinox
No !!!!!!!!The best food is the most nutrishous food the clowns will eat.

OK fair enough. My comment can be interpreted many ways.

What I mean to say is if want to use Rods Food, use it. If you want to use Formula One Flake, use it. If you want to use a variety of frozen, flake and prepared foods, do that. But there is no ONE GOOD FOOD to use.


Clearly good nutrition is what this conversation is about...so thanks for your useful input.

 

[dc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14648816#post14648816 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RandomHero426
what is the best food for them? I have prime reef that I just bought but it is big chunks and the pieces stay clumped

Prime reef breaks up pretty easily when they start eating it.