Clownfish - stringy white poop, lethargic, not eating

[coconutkilla]

I'm back.. again :/

Clownfish named Hemi has decided not to eat today and is staying in the same spot all day. Heavy breathing. And today, I did notice stringy white poop but didn't catch a photo.

I've been reading and can't tell if it's just excess mucus from diet or a parasite. He currently eats frozen mysis shrimp.

I'm still waiting for prazipro to arrive. I have a new QT tank being set up currently but not fully ready. Is there anything I can do quickly from LFS that can help before it's too late?

All other fish are acting normal, parameters are fine. Blue tang seems to be hovering and protecting him.. making sure he's okay.

 

[Pickle_soup]

It's so hard to diagnose anything internal. it can be just diarrhea. If you are going to use Prezi because you suspect a parasite, I would dose the DT. He doesn't look lethargic, but definitely uncomfortable.

 

[coconutkilla]

It's so hard to diagnose anything internal. it can be just diarrhea. If you are going to use Prezi because you suspect a parasite, I would dose the DT. He doesn't look

He was sitting in the same spot all day barely moving. He started moving like this when I was recording him. Of course they act normal when you bring them to the doctor but thanks!! Maybe I'll just change up his diet for a bit

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm back.. again :/

Clownfish named Hemi has decided not to eat today and is staying in the same spot all day. Heavy breathing. And today, I did notice stringy white poop but didn't catch a photo.

I've been reading and can't tell if it's just excess mucus from diet or a parasite. He currently eats frozen mysis shrimp.

I'm still waiting for prazipro to arrive. I have a new QT tank being set up currently but not fully ready. Is there anything I can do quickly from LFS that can help before it's too late?

All other fish are acting normal, parameters are fine. Blue tang seems to be hovering and protecting him.. making sure he's okay.

Please post You Tube video. This one does not open. Fish dont get diarrhea. Without seeing video, Its likely mucus in fish lining due to either constipation why its not eating or even from foods especially if fed Mysis and brine heavily which mimics internal parasite signs.
Feeding brine shrimp only will often act as a laxative and and help the fish pass any potential blockage.
Pics will help better assess.
What color and consistency is the feces of the fish?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I'm back.. again :/

Clownfish named Hemi has decided not to eat today and is staying in the same spot all day. Heavy breathing. And today, I did notice stringy white poop but didn't catch a photo.

I've been reading and can't tell if it's just excess mucus from diet or a parasite. He currently eats frozen mysis shrimp.

I'm still waiting for prazipro to arrive. I have a new QT tank being set up currently but not fully ready. Is there anything I can do quickly from LFS that can help before it's too late?

All other fish are acting normal, parameters are fine. Blue tang seems to be hovering and protecting him.. making sure he's okay.

Here is a write up I did on mucus feces:

Excess mucus in fish feces:

This will present as white or light colored, stringy fecal material that often hangs from the fish’s anus for a longer than normal period. There are a number of different causes for this, some benign, others very serious. Without access to a microscope, there is little that can be done to diagnose this issue effectively.

Idiopathic mucus feces: this fancy term is just to describe white mucoid bulky feces of no serious consequence, but of an unknown cause. Some suspicion is that this can be caused by changes in diet or diets high in fats.

Starvation: Fish that have no food moving through their bowels may excrete white mucoid feces with little bulk to them. The primary diagnostic for this issue is evident in that the fish won’t been seen to be eating. Resolving the anorexia is of course the prime focus to resolve this issue.

Bacterial infection: internal bacterial infections can cause stringy feces as well. While some of these may resolve on their own, medicated foods containing a broad spectrum, gram negative oral antibiotic may be required.

Metazoan infections: multicellular worms are often blamed for mucoid feces, but in reality, they are almost never the root cause for this, and really, can only be diagnosed through looking for their ova in fecal samples. Fish can harbor tapeworms and nematodes without producing mucoid feces.

Protozoan infection: Hexamita and related diplomonad flagellate protozoans very frequently cause white stringy feces, especially in newly acquired clownfish. Metronidazole is the most frequent treatment for this issue. It can be dosed orally at 25 mg per kg of fish body weight, or 5 g in a kg of food. However, it is a very bitter medication, and some fish will refuse to feed on food containing it. It can be dosed in the water at 25 mg/l, but this is more effective in treating marine fishes, as freshwater fish do not “drink” aquarium water.

Coccidia: These microscopic, spore-forming, single-celled parasites are common diseases in dogs and cats. In fish, they cause epithelial necrosis of the gut, enteritis and the copious production of mucus (Noga 2010). These cannot be diagnosed without microscopic examination, and there is no well researched cure for this in fishes, although Toltrazuril has been tested.

Constipation: This malady is often given as a cause for stringy feces, but it is not as common as one would think. When it is seen, the feces are usually dark, not light in color. Often touted as a “cure for constipation”, many aquarists add Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to the aquarium’s water – do not do this in marine aquariums, its use is primarily as a tonic/dip for freshwater fish. Seawater formulas already contain between 7 and 19 grams of magnesium sulfate per gallon (depending on the recipe). NSW magnesium level is around 1200 ppm and sulfur is around 840 ppm. Some benefit might be seen using it as a dip in additional concentrations, but adding a small amount to a marine aquarium itself has no benefit. Epsom salts do have some possible benefit when mixed into the food as a 3% by weight adjunct. Another commonly heard remedy for constipation is; “feed fresh peas”. This is an effective cure for fancy goldfish and Malawi cichlids that develop constipation and bloating. Again, overextrapolation has marine aquarists trying to feed peas to carnivorous fish, etc. The best method to enhance gut motility in fish is to feed frozen adult brine shrimp – not as a permanent diet, just long enough to get the constipation resolved.


Jay

 

[coconutkilla]

Here is a write up I did on mucus feces:

Excess mucus in fish feces:

This will present as white or light colored, stringy fecal material that often hangs from the fish’s anus for a longer than normal period. There are a number of different causes for this, some benign, others very serious. Without access to a microscope, there is little that can be done to diagnose this issue effectively.

Idiopathic mucus feces: this fancy term is just to describe white mucoid bulky feces of no serious consequence, but of an unknown cause. Some suspicion is that this can be caused by changes in diet or diets high in fats.

Starvation: Fish that have no food moving through their bowels may excrete white mucoid feces with little bulk to them. The primary diagnostic for this issue is evident in that the fish won’t been seen to be eating. Resolving the anorexia is of course the prime focus to resolve this issue.

Bacterial infection: internal bacterial infections can cause stringy feces as well. While some of these may resolve on their own, medicated foods containing a broad spectrum, gram negative oral antibiotic may be required.

Metazoan infections: multicellular worms are often blamed for mucoid feces, but in reality, they are almost never the root cause for this, and really, can only be diagnosed through looking for their ova in fecal samples. Fish can harbor tapeworms and nematodes without producing mucoid feces.

Protozoan infection: Hexamita and related diplomonad flagellate protozoans very frequently cause white stringy feces, especially in newly acquired clownfish. Metronidazole is the most frequent treatment for this issue. It can be dosed orally at 25 mg per kg of fish body weight, or 5 g in a kg of food. However, it is a very bitter medication, and some fish will refuse to feed on food containing it. It can be dosed in the water at 25 mg/l, but this is more effective in treating marine fishes, as freshwater fish do not “drink” aquarium water.

Coccidia: These microscopic, spore-forming, single-celled parasites are common diseases in dogs and cats. In fish, they cause epithelial necrosis of the gut, enteritis and the copious production of mucus (Noga 2010). These cannot be diagnosed without microscopic examination, and there is no well researched cure for this in fishes, although Toltrazuril has been tested.

Constipation: This malady is often given as a cause for stringy feces, but it is not as common as one would think. When it is seen, the feces are usually dark, not light in color. Often touted as a “cure for constipation”, many aquarists add Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to the aquarium’s water – do not do this in marine aquariums, its use is primarily as a tonic/dip for freshwater fish. Seawater formulas already contain between 7 and 19 grams of magnesium sulfate per gallon (depending on the recipe). NSW magnesium level is around 1200 ppm and sulfur is around 840 ppm. Some benefit might be seen using it as a dip in additional concentrations, but adding a small amount to a marine aquarium itself has no benefit. Epsom salts do have some possible benefit when mixed into the food as a 3% by weight adjunct. Another commonly heard remedy for constipation is; “feed fresh peas”. This is an effective cure for fancy goldfish and Malawi cichlids that develop constipation and bloating. Again, overextrapolation has marine aquarists trying to feed peas to carnivorous fish, etc. The best method to enhance gut motility in fish is to feed frozen adult brine shrimp – not as a permanent diet, just long enough to get the constipation resolved.


Jay

Thank you for this! He is new to the tank about 3 weeks old. I'm thinking treatment with metronadizole or medicated food. When I do this treatment, he should he quarantined, correct? As other fish shouldn't be treated with this.

Today he seems to be moving around a bit more but not as fast and actively as he was before. And on day 2 of not eating. Hippo tang still keeps watching over him.

 

[Pickle_soup]

Thank you for this! He is new to the tank about 3 weeks old. I'm thinking treatment with metronadizole or medicated food. When I do this treatment, he should he quarantined, correct? As other fish shouldn't be treated with this.

Today he seems to be moving around a bit more but not as fast and actively as he was before. And on day 2 of not eating. Hippo tang still keeps watching over him.

Hippo is just waiting for a snack

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thank you for this! He is new to the tank about 3 weeks old. I'm thinking treatment with metronadizole or medicated food. When I do this treatment, he should he quarantined, correct? As other fish shouldn't be treated with this.

Today he seems to be moving around a bit more but not as fast and actively as he was before. And on day 2 of not eating. Hippo tang still keeps watching over him.

Since it isn’t eating, medicated food is off the table. I would try dosing metroplex in the water, in a treatment tank.

Jay