B/W Occ. Clowns with stringy white poop

jmadison

jmadison

rebmeM deretsigeR
Also posted this in the disease forum-

A few weeks ago noticed a little bit of white stringy stuff coming from her behind. Water tests fine across the board using API, and other inhabitants are just fine(firefish, ywg, fire shrimp). She had a good apetite initially, then lost it.

I didnt have a qt tank(as i am living somewhere different for the summer) so I put her in a breeder net and did 3 days of FW dips. After this I left her in the in tank breeder for a day or too more to observe, and the white stringy poop went away and her apetite came back in a big way. So for the past week she has been eating frozen mysis, flake, and frozen brine like a champ!

Well yesterday (after a heavy day of feeding/eating, they prior day) i noticed a little more of the white stringy poop again . Apetite is still great!

Well i went out and bout a qt tank and need to find out what I can treat her with to make her all better. I have heard diagnosis of internal parasite or fungis. In either case what do I treat with.


Thank you all so very much in advance
-J


__________________
 
either internal parasite or bacterial infection, either way do a formalin dip. Has worked for me in the past with these symptoms
 
Formalin dip, have any instructions for that? Is the QT even needed then? Where do you think I coudl purchase formalin.

thanks for your very quick response flasher!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13231190#post13231190 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmadison
Formalin dip, have any instructions for that? Is the QT even needed then? Where do you think I coudl purchase formalin.

thanks for your very quick response flasher!
Click to expand...

Some LFS's should carry Formalin... but I wouldn't bet on Petco/ Petsmart. I have set up a small 3 gallon bucket of tank water and then mixed the formalin in using the correct dilution factor and set up a small air stone in there to create extra oxygen. Dip your clowns in there for half an hour or so (again, depends on the dilution factor) and then return it to the display. It is really important to get extra oxygen in the formalin bucket via the air stone! Hopefully it isn't Brooklynella but from what you've described, I would agree with the above poster that it is likely some kind of internal parasite. Good luck!
 
So i have a 20g high for a QT, should I do formalin dips with a bucket then put her back into the QT for observation over the next week or so, or should I dose formalin to the QT itself?

I picked up some formalin and some 'anti parasite' food from a LFS and was thinking about trying the food first as I have been told treating with formalin is basically like treating with Chemo in people and can be pretty harsh. Is there any truth to this? Either way the anti parasite food couldnt hurt her in the QT IMO.

thanks again!!
 
Whoa...hold off on formalin until there are specific symptoms indicating it should be used.

None of the symptoms you list specifically call out for formalin, especially if you are not experienced with it's use.

From what you describe, it may just be internal parasites which formalin is useless against.

Formalin is only recommended for use against Brook:
http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/brooklynella.html
 
Kinda what I was thinking. Seemed a bit of overkill right off the bat. Has anyone had success with the anti parasite food? Should I stick to the QT, fw dips and the anti parasite food? What are your recomendations traveller?
 
fwiw: many keepers of rare and wild caught clowns perform a formalin treatment as soon as the fish arrive. The treatment can be quite dicey and IMHO is not something to take lightly. Formalin is dangerous to us, the fish, and it requires a very regimented approach to it's administration.

Brook is just one reason to QT everything before putting it in your tank, and I do mean everything.

Good luck.
 
So do you suggest a formilin treatment with great caution and after more reading, or do you recomend a different route since it doesnt appear to be brook related?
 
There are rumors that feeding foods soaked in garlic will help with this problem. I don't think it has been proven to be affective, but it may be worth a shot.
I put a tiny bit of liquid garlic in the foods I make. All though, I'm not sure why really. I have three wild caught Perc's that were showing these symptoms for about the first week. It's been about a month now and the symptoms are gone. I have no idea if the garlic had anything to do with it or not.
Good luck, and I hope your fish gets better.
 
In my opinion, if you have to treat anything based on the symptoms provided, you'll need to treat all of them.

At this point, I would proceed with the diagnosis of internal parasites of all the fish in the system.

If the fish exhibit elevated rate of breathing, swimming extensively in head up or head down position, show signs of spots or a slimy coat, start scratching....provide an update and we'll go from there :)
 
So i should assume that all the fish are affected even though it has almost been three weeks since the first signs of the clown with the stringy poop, and the ywg and the firefish have yet to change any behaviour or show any signs of illness? should I quarintine all three in the QT or just feed the 'special' food the the display tank?
 
Assume they all have it is the only safe bet. At a minimum, have Praziquantel in some form on hand and ready for use in a hospital tank.

If they are all eating, maintaining weight, not bloated, etc., then I would consider waiting for more or continued symptoms. Given your listed hobby experience, I would likely focus on feeding 3 times a day, 10% water changes weekly, and monitor for changes. Post here with updates :)

Either path is somewhat of a dice roll. As you get more experience, you will be able to ID the symptoms and changes much sooner. For now, have the meds and hospital tank ready for set up and wait.
 
Thank you for your advice and patients!

Thank you for your advice and patients!

Traveller thank you so much for your prompt advice! This afternoon until present clown shows no signs or symptoms again. All fish maintain good apetites and attitudes. Corals show impressive growth and vitality. All appears and tests out well across the board.

I have maintained a dedicated 5 gallon water change weekly since day one, but must admit my feeding schedule was shifted this summer to a later feeding schedule and only two feedings(2 and 9) this summer due to a job that hasnt accomidated for three feedings.

I will continue to monitor the inhabitants. What is praziquantel? I will do some reading about it. Due you suggest that I feed the DT the food with the so called anti parasite medicine in it?
 
Re: Thank you for your advice and patients!

Re: Thank you for your advice and patients!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13236155#post13236155 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmadison
What is praziquantel?
Click to expand...
A currently available to the hobby anti parasite medicine. At proper dosage, it is effective against common internal and some external infections. It will be the active ingredient in products like PraziPro linked above.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13236155#post13236155 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmadison
Due you suggest that I feed the DT the food with the so called anti parasite medicine in it?
Click to expand...
Probobly...what is the name of the food and the active ingredient?
 
The actives and warning about inverts:
Anti-Parasite contains metronidazole and praziquantel for internal parasites including flagellates, trematodes, cestodes, hexamita, intestinal worms, and nematodes. Not for use in aquariums with desirable, ornamental invertebrates. 1.5 mm pellets.

What else do you have in the tank?
 
Fired shrimp, peppermint, CUC, softies, zoos etc..

I was going to not use the food as no one is showing signs of anything. The last stringy poop citing was after a large day of feeding, and in the stringy poop i noticed it to be more like a tube full of normal waste as opposed to just a string of white nothing(if that makes any sense).

I will only use the food if/when I put the fish in the QT.

I can't remember where I read it, but someone said that when fish change their eating patterns(or go from low apetite to eating a whole bunch one day) that sometimes it can cause that stringy white stuff. Others say they shared my symptoms, fed food with garlic(which i do in my rotation) and it cleared up and has never returned. I guess I hope that is the case for me, but I will continue to observe and post up.

I will stick to my standard foods/attempt a proper schedule , and watch them all closely!
 
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