Flukes ID

[Brad Coughlan]

Clownfish and firefish have been in QT in copper for ich treatment, ich treatment is almost over and I was going to look into flukes treatment since my other clownfish that died recently had white stringy poop. Now, my only clownfish also has white stringy poop. Pretty sure this is flukes.
Any suggestions of what it is?

One other quick question, my firefish in QT over the past week has starting loosing it's fins on the back and they are all jagged on the edges. Could this be aggression? I have noticed the clownfish before pushing the firefish out of the pot. Or could this be damage from the ich that was previously in the tank? Or from flukes? The clownfish also has a bit of ripped fins on the back too.

Thanks

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Clownfish and firefish have been in QT in copper for ich treatment, ich treatment is almost over and I was going to look into flukes treatment since my other clownfish that died recently had white stringy poop. Now, my only clownfish also has white stringy poop. Pretty sure this is flukes.
Any suggestions of what it is?

One other quick question, my firefish in QT over the past week has starting loosing it's fins on the back and they are all jagged on the edges. Could this be aggression? I have noticed the clownfish before pushing the firefish out of the pot. Or could this be damage from the ich that was previously in the tank? Or from flukes? The clownfish also has a bit of ripped fins on the back too.

Thanks

Flukes do not cause white mucus feces.

This is a very broad symptom, so it is impossible to say the exact cause, here is a write up I did that discusses the causes of this:

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.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Flukes do not cause white mucus feces.

This is a very broad symptom, so it is impossible to say the exact cause, here is a write up I did that discusses the causes of this:

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.

Interesting...
I always thought a common symptom of flukes was white stringy poop
I have been feeding a fair bit less in QT than in the DT and only fed vitalis pellets instead of mysis, brine etc

What would you say the best thing to resolve this issue is? Since there is a lot of potential reasons as to why, I am unsure of what to do. Is it still worth treating for flukes? Is there other flukes symptoms I should look for

 

[vetteguy53081]

Interesting...
I always thought a common symptom of flukes was white stringy poop
I have been feeding a fair bit less in QT than in the DT and only fed vitalis pellets instead of mysis, brine etc

What would you say the best thing to resolve this issue is? Since there is a lot of potential reasons as to why, I am unsure of what to do. Is it still worth treating for flukes? Is there other flukes symptoms I should look for

Symptoms of flukes will be:
Heavy appearance of mucus
Wobble like swim pattern
Hiding
Heavy breathing
Loss of appetite
Clamped fins
Lethargic behavior

White poop as Jay noted is excess mucus in feces or internal issues

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Symptoms of flukes will be:
Heavy appearance of mucus
Wobble like swim pattern
Hiding
Heavy breathing
Loss of appetite
Clamped fins
Lethargic behavior

White poop as Jay noted is excess mucus in feces or internal issues

Right ok then, pretty sure I don't have flukes

When you say heavy appearance of mucus, there is 1 thing I should point out.
Ich treatment is almost finished and the ich white spots have all gone, as in the ones that make the fish look like someone's put salt all over it

There is however only in certain light, these larger looking white patches

There is also another patch on the other side of the fish. As far as I know it cannot be ich, since I am almost finished with treatment and the smaller and more frequent white spots are gone

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Interesting...
I always thought a common symptom of flukes was white stringy poop
I have been feeding a fair bit less in QT than in the DT and only fed vitalis pellets instead of mysis, brine etc

What would you say the best thing to resolve this issue is? Since there is a lot of potential reasons as to why, I am unsure of what to do. Is it still worth treating for flukes? Is there other flukes symptoms I should look for

Flukes are external parasites. Some internal parasites cause white feces, mostly some protozoans.

Try some frozen brine shrimp, that can increase gut motility and may clear up the issue if it is protozoan or constiiation.

Jay

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Flukes are external parasites. Some internal parasites cause white feces, mostly some protozoans.

Try some frozen brine shrimp, that can increase gut motility and may clear up the issue if it is protozoan or constiiation.

Jay

Ok I will try that

could you please ID what that is on the fish on the image I replied to vetteguy

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok I will try that

could you please ID what that is on the fish on the image I replied to vetteguy

That could just be a leftover mucus reaction from the ich parasite, but it could also be Brooklynella. That would cause other symptoms though.
Jay

 

[Brad Coughlan]

That could just be a leftover mucus reaction from the ich parasite, but it could also be Brooklynella. That would cause other symptoms though.
Jay

Right ok, I will monitor it over the next few weeks.

Quick question, I know I asked you already about quarantining inverts and corals. Well basically I went to a fish store today just to look at some corals and ask about the current diseases I am dealing with and long story short I ended up coming home with a cleaner shrimp. Shrimp already died as I am pretty sure it got stuck in my wavemaker, but what is now concerning me is that I have maybe restarted the fallow time. The shrimp was from a system with fish, and the fish did have white marks but not very ich-like. Not sure what is was, but anyhow whatever it was I am worried I have just messed up the whole fallow period of 76 days which started 15 days ago.

If the potential parasites I am worried about were in the bag with the shrimp or on it, I made sure that none of the fish store's water got into my tank, which I did by using 2 different nets and transferring the shrimp through 3 different buckets filled with my tank water after acclimation. So I am 99% sure none of their water got into my system, but let's say any ich parasites were on the shrimp, would this reset my 76 day fallow period?

Should I restart the fallow period? I really hope the answer is no because my 2 fish seem to have a bit of agression

thanks

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Right ok, I will monitor it over the next few weeks.

Quick question, I know I asked you already about quarantining inverts and corals. Well basically I went to a fish store today just to look at some corals and ask about the current diseases I am dealing with and long story short I ended up coming home with a cleaner shrimp. Shrimp already died as I am pretty sure it got stuck in my wavemaker, but what is now concerning me is that I have maybe restarted the fallow time. The shrimp was from a system with fish, and the fish did have white marks but not very ich-like. Not sure what is was, but anyhow whatever it was I am worried I have just messed up the whole fallow period of 76 days which started 15 days ago.

If the potential parasites I am worried about were in the bag with the shrimp or on it, I made sure that none of the fish store's water got into my tank, which I did by using 2 different nets and transferring the shrimp through 3 different buckets filled with my tank water after acclimation. So I am 99% sure none of their water got into my system, but let's say any ich parasites were on the shrimp, would this reset my 76 day fallow period?

Should I restart the fallow period? I really hope the answer is no because my 2 fish seem to have a bit of agression

thanks

Technically, yes, you would need to restart the fallow period. It is all about risk aversion though - some people don't worry about it and some do. It is not like if you don't restart, that you will be guaranteed to have a disease issue.....

Jay

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Technically, yes, you would need to restart the fallow period. It is all about risk aversion though - some people don't worry about it and some do. It is not like if you don't restart, that you will be guaranteed to have a disease issue.....

Jay

Yeah,

I guess it is a choice of quarantining inverts or not. I think I will take the risk of not quarantining, since I only plan on having 1 more fish, so 3 in total, it isn't the end of the world if future treatment is needed. If I had 10 or so fish I would QT inveerts

Desicion made I suppose

Thanks