Clownfish long white/clear stringy poop

[Lebski]

Hi there,

sorry to open a new thread about this but a lot of the info I have gotten has been difficult to find stuff completely relevant.

I have an issue with my clownfish, I have one platinum clown who has a long white/clear stringy poop hanging off him. It appears as though his butt hole has what looks like a very small brown spike like thing in it.

I generally do only feed frozen mysis shrimp (which some have suggested may cause an issue like this)

the fish still eats regularly and doesn’t seem to behave strangely.

the clowns partner has white poop also but it’s not stringy and it just detaches without issue and is more solid.

I tried to remove this long white string from the clown using a pipet but it would not come off.

I am assuming that the fish must have some form of parasite or infection. However, it’s incredibly difficult to find a reef safe treatment for this to add to my DT. (Due to being in The U.K.)

I fear that this would likely affect my firefish as he has a strange habit of eating my clownfish poop.

I have a frogspawn coral, gsp, a large Trachy and a few varieties of mushrooms.

other fish include a yellow coris wrasse and a yellow striped cardinal. (Both of which only eat the mysis and won’t take pellets)

My question is, do you think this is likely a parasite or potentially an infection of some kind. If so, are there any options that are readily available in the U.K. that are reef safe.

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[BAMatter]

Mix up its diet with some pellets. Took care of my clowns same issue.

 

[MnFish1]

Hi there,

sorry to open a new thread about this but a lot of the info I have gotten has been difficult to find stuff completely relevant.

I have an issue with my clownfish, I have one platinum clown who has a long white/clear stringy poop hanging off him. It appears as though his butt hole has what looks like a very small brown spike like thing in it.

I generally do only feed frozen mysis shrimp (which some have suggested may cause an issue like this)

the fish still eats regularly and doesn’t seem to behave strangely.

the clowns partner has white poop also but it’s not stringy and it just detaches without issue and is more solid.

I tried to remove this long white string from the clown using a pipet but it would not come off.

I am assuming that the fish must have some form of parasite or infection. However, it’s incredibly difficult to find a reef safe treatment for this to add to my DT. (Due to being in The U.K.)

I fear that this would likely affect my firefish as he has a strange habit of eating my clownfish poop.

I have a frogspawn coral, gsp, a large Trachy and a few varieties of mushrooms.

other fish include a yellow coris wrasse and a yellow striped cardinal. (Both of which only eat the mysis and won’t take pellets)

My question is, do you think this is likely a parasite or potentially an infection of some kind. If so, are there any options that are readily available in the U.K. that are reef safe.

Any help would be much appreciated

The brown spike - is it new? (could be a prolapse of some kind)

If you're going to treat anything - it would probably be best to do it in a hospital tank rather than your display.

I know its relatively late there - but could you see what you CAN get in the UK - as potential treatments. The good news is its still eating, etc.

 

[Gedxin]

I had the same issue with my clown (and it eventually spread to the paired one as well.) I moved them to a hospital tank and treated with Paracleanse for 5 days. There are similar products. No more stringy poop. Better to be safe imo.

 

[Lebski]

So I fed some pellets about 2 hours ago, noticed the white string at around 8 am and within 10 minutes of me posting this thread that has now come off and the brown spike looks as though it could just be some normal coloured poop that may have forced the white string out.

a few days ago it looks as though the firefish had SBD as it’s back was arching with its tail end looking like it was floating. However, after a large poop he was back to normal.

could this potentially be just a feeding issue, I have ordered “Seachem 3 Piece Treatment Kit, 1-Focus, 1-Metroplex, and 1-Kanaplex” from America but will take a couple weeks to get here and cost me about £48 around ($70)

do you think it would be best to try and treat all the fish within the DT or to remove all the fish and put them in a QT to treat.

would really like to avoid the QT method as my Coris wrasse only got out of QT yesterday and just packed it all up and want to avoid stressing him.

thanks for all the replies

 

[Lebski]

So I fed some pellets about 2 hours ago, noticed the white string at around 8 am and within 10 minutes of me posting this thread that has now come off and the brown spike looks as though it could just be some normal coloured poop that may have forced the white string out.

a few days ago it looks as though the firefish had SBD as it’s back was arching with its tail end looking like it was floating. However, after a large poop he was back to normal.

could this potentially be just a feeding issue, I have ordered “Seachem 3 Piece Treatment Kit, 1-Focus, 1-Metroplex, and 1-Kanaplex” from America but will take a couple weeks to get here and cost me about £48 around ($70)

do you think it would be best to try and treat all the fish within the DT or to remove all the fish and put them in a QT to treat.

would really like to avoid the QT method as my Coris wrasse only got out of QT yesterday and just packed it all up and want to avoid stressing him.

thanks for all the replies

I feed 1 frozen cube of mysis a day. (The wrasse has an abundance of flatworms and pods)

 

[MnFish1]

So I fed some pellets about 2 hours ago, noticed the white string at around 8 am and within 10 minutes of me posting this thread that has now come off and the brown spike looks as though it could just be some normal coloured poop that may have forced the white string out.

a few days ago it looks as though the firefish had SBD as it’s back was arching with its tail end looking like it was floating. However, after a large poop he was back to normal.

could this potentially be just a feeding issue, I have ordered “Seachem 3 Piece Treatment Kit, 1-Focus, 1-Metroplex, and 1-Kanaplex” from America but will take a couple weeks to get here and cost me about £48 around ($70)

do you think it would be best to try and treat all the fish within the DT or to remove all the fish and put them in a QT to treat.

would really like to avoid the QT method as my Coris wrasse only got out of QT yesterday and just packed it all up and want to avoid stressing him.

thanks for all the replies

If you ordered the kit - great. If you end up not using them, you can have them on hand (check the expiration dates). Metroplex will help with some (not all) parasites and certain bacterial infections. Kanaplex is more for bacterial infections - and will not help for parasites. The focus will help bind medication if you decide to feed the fish.

IMHO - I would not recommend treating in the display tank - unless you decide to go with the feeding route. If there is no bacterial infection I would not use kanaplex.

You could see if you can get prazipro locally (Praziquantel). You may be able to get a prescription from a veterinarian.

Hope this helps. I would continue the feeding as you are - and observe

 

[rmorris_14]

I'm no expert so take this with a grain of salt, but I try not intervene with Meds unless I'm sure there is a need . If it were me and the fish were otherwise acting normal, I would try giving their diet some variety. Most fish need that to thrive rather than just survive. I feed mostly frozen but alternate between frozen myisis, LRS reef frenzy and Rod Complete reef. Occasionally I throw in some seaweed extreme pellets for one of my clowns (she is the only of the two that eats them) . If after trying that, there were still issues or if the fish behaviors changes, then I might consider meds.

 

[rmorris_14]

I'm no expert so take this with a grain of salt, but I try not intervene with Meds unless I'm sure there is a need . If it were me and the fish were otherwise acting normal, I would try giving their diet some variety. Most fish need that to thrive rather than just survive. I feed mostly frozen but alternate between frozen myisis, LRS reef frenzy and Rod Complete reef. Occasionally I throw in some seaweed extreme pellets for one of my clowns (she is the only of the two that eats them) . If after trying that, there were still issues or if the fish behaviors changes, then I might consider meds.

Also, occasionally my male clown has shown to have stringy white poop. I keep telling him its because he wont eat his greens but he doesn't listen, you know because he is a guy.
Seriously though, it seems to happen in connection when I feed them Mysis.

 

[Lebski]

Right okay so along with the brown spike/poop bit that came out he now appears to have already pooped out a couple of the pellets I fed a couple hours ago, could this suggest an infection of some kind rather than a parasite? They are about 1/3rd the size of the clowns mouth (could they be too large maybe)

apologies for the constant updates

 

[MnFish1]

Right okay so along with the brown spike/poop bit that came out he now appears to have already pooped out a couple of the pellets I fed a couple hours ago, could this suggest an infection of some kind rather than a parasite? They are about 1/3rd the size of the clowns mouth (could they be too large maybe)

apologies for the constant updates

As others have also said - it could be normal. I would watch for other symptoms before treating.

 

[BAMatter]

I'm no expert so take this with a grain of salt, but I try not intervene with Meds unless I'm sure there is a need . If it were me and the fish were otherwise acting normal, I would try giving their diet some variety. Most fish need that to thrive rather than just survive. I feed mostly frozen but alternate between frozen myisis, LRS reef frenzy and Rod Complete reef. Occasionally I throw in some seaweed extreme pellets for one of my clowns (she is the only of the two that eats them) . If after trying that, there were still issues or if the fish behaviors changes, then I might consider meds.

Agree on this !