Stringy Poop

[rinconmike]

I have a 150 gallon FOWLR tank. One of the fish is a coral beauty. I have started to feed NLS pellets around 6 weeks ago (alternate with frozen).

For the last week i notice the poop is brown but a string at times.

is this a sign of a parasite? or would it be white and stringy to be an internal parasite. the Fish has been in the tank for around 9 months. Fish was QTed and treated with prazi pro during QT.

Other fish in the tank were also previously treated with Prazipro.

Snowflake Eel had for 2 years
Porcupine Puffer had for 1 year 8 months
Red Breasted Wrasse in tank for 1 year
Coral Beuaty Angel in tank for 9 months
Bannana Wrasse in tank for 4 months
Niger Trigger in tank for 4 months

All the above were QTed and treated with Quinine Sulfate and Prazi Pro except for the puffer and the eel. However, while in the display i previously treated them with Cupramine and also prazi pro. That treatment was probably 15 to18 months ago.

all fish seem fat and happy.

If it is a sign of a parasite, is prazi pro the best option? Looking at my records, i did treat the display with prazi again around 7/8 months ago. i forget if it was just in case or i saw something.

thanks,

Mike

Edit, I did read that this could be from over feeding. since using NLS, i have been feeding much more.

 

[rinconmike]

Today I noticed the string of poop on the coral beauty was white with last bit that came out brown.

Also, I believe the fish has HLLE. Since using the NLS pellets, the color has gotten better and the HLLE (if that what it is) is better. What I think is HLLE is like pock marks (or holes in the head) on both sides of the head around the eyes.

Up until using the NLS pellets, the diet was not great. The coral beauty usually got what we left over from frozen mix.

I do run activated carbon and have a grounding probe in the sump (I do not have a probe in the tank). I have no power heads or anything with electric running inside the display.

I will try and get a pic. I might try soaking the NLS pellets in selcon. I rarely use the selcon, but probably should.

 

[rinconmike]

here are some pictures of the Coral Beauty

http://db.tt/HDnHdtix
http://db.tt/Suq8OANn
http://db.tt/lMhZDxHE
http://db.tt/DMfWbHGZ

Some of the other fish in the tank (they see the food).

http://db.tt/rbVV81j5

thanks,

Mike

 

[b0bab0ey]

IME white and stringy poop is a symptom of internal worms/parasites. Brown and stringy is nothing to worry about. Looks like that CB has HLLE bad. I'm assuming you already have a ground probe in the tank. Other than that only other suggestions is keep your water quality good and soak his food in something with vitamins like Selcon.

 

[rinconmike]

Does anyone know if prazipro works on internal parasites? I do not see any issue in treating the display (I have done it before) but if it does not work on internal parasite, I will not bother.

If Prazipro does not treat internal worms, is there another option?

Also, I am assuming the question is yes, but will ask, can the internal parasites be transmitted to the other fish?

 

[b0bab0ey]

Yes to both of your questions.

 

[rinconmike]

thanks. I will look at starting prazipro treatment. maybe I will do three 7 day treatments with a 25% water change between both. Last time I did two. Same with QT the fish. Only two back to back treatments.

thanks,

Mike

 

[b0bab0ey]

Just keep in mind that Prazi will probably kill any tube worms/feather dusters in your DT. Also, I've read that it will sometimes kill off some of your pod population and even bristleworms. Most people hate bristleworms anyway but if you have a lot of them the resulting die-off could lead to an ammonia spike. Just sayin'

 

[rinconmike]

thanks. I am going to hold off with treating for now and continue to observe. I reached out to the crew a WWW and they noted that poop issues can be parasite, but can be other things like diet, stress, etc... I know with the other fish in the tank, the CB probably has stress. I am also going to start soaking the NLS in selcon for every meal and stop the GFO and carbon for now (I have separate canisters for each and change every 2 to 3 weeks).

For NLS, I am using the Thera A formula. Not sure if that is the best. For all the fish I throw in a mix of small, medium, large, and jumbo sinking pellets. I think all are Thera A except for the medium, they are just regular marine.

thanks,

Mike

 

[rinconmike]

here are some updated photos of the stringy poop this monring.

http://db.tt/9EUKxUcW
http://db.tt/BZjdZbr1
http://db.tt/kwea4ug4
http://db.tt/38JjsvA3

I am still not sure what I want to do.

I do not know if it is a parasite or just caused from stress in the tank. None of the other fish have the stringy poop issue (at least I have not seen it yet).