Ocellaris not eating, has internal parasites, help!

[ling313]

I recently bought 2 ocellaris clownfish last week Wednesday. As soon as I got them in the water, one started pooping out long clearish white string. I figured it was internal parasites. Next day I started prazipro. The second fish started pooping out same stringy white stuff. Since then, both continue to poop out white/clear strings. One looks good-swimming well and eating well. No normal poop yet. The other won’t eat. He swims weird (being blown around a bit- even with powerhead off), hangs around the powerhead, and looks at the food but no eating. He has even taken food but spits it out. I’ve tried flakes, new life Thera-A small pellets (which the other one loves), frozen carnivore with mysis, frozen brine shrimp, tried soaking pellets and mysis in garlic guard. I did water change and repeat dose prazipro yesterday (bottle says can repeat dose as early as 3 days, it was day 4). I’m running out of ideas. I wouldn’t be so worried if he was eating. Please help.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Yes - the smaller clown definitely looks weak. Can you reduce the water flow in the tank to give it a break? Is this a quarantine tank that you can add medications to?

The white feces can be parasites (and prazi will help with that). It can also be bacteria, or it can just be mucus from the fish itself.

Are the fish breathing normally, or are they breathing fast, with their mouths open?

Jay

 

[ling313]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Yes - the smaller clown definitely looks weak. Can you reduce the water flow in the tank to give it a break? Is this a quarantine tank that you can add medications to?

The white feces can be parasites (and prazi will help with that). It can also be bacteria, or it can just be mucus from the fish itself.

Are the fish breathing normally, or are they breathing fast, with their mouths open?

Jay

Thank you for your help!
I can turn off the wave maker and leave the hob running.
I can medicate the tank. What should I give them?
The healthier one breathes normally. The sicker one sometimes lays on floor and breathes heavy, then swims and breathes normally.

 

[ling313]

Turned off wave maker and now he’s huffing and puffing on the floor. Swims briefly when he sees me get closer. Is he resting or was the wave maker helping him breathe?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Turned off wave maker and now he’s huffing and puffing on the floor. Swims briefly when he sees me get closer. Is he resting or was the wave maker helping him breathe?

I think the smaller clown is losing ground, it may be too late for it.
After prazi, the next medication choice might be copper (using a test kit) I like to use Coppersafe.
Jay

 

[SourAngelfish]

if you could get some seachem metroplex and focus, that will help push a lot of intestinal parasites out as well. Prazi helps too

 

[Jay Hemdal]

if you could get some seachem metroplex and focus, that will help push a lot of intestinal parasites out as well. Prazi helps too

Trouble is the OP said the smaller fish wasn't eating, so that's why I went down the road of just trying a bath treatment....

Jay

 

[ling313]

Update. He’s still alive. After using prazipro, I did water change and started both general cure and erythromycin in tank since he still wasn’t eating. I just completed both treatments. I’m putting garlic juice (from my crushed garlic in fridge) into mix of Hikari coral gumbo and Thera pellets. He has taken maybe 2 bites a feed for the past 2 days. He will swim a little during feeds but lies on his side the rest of the day. I’m over feeding to get the little guy some bites as the other one is a pig- I am watching water quality too.
Both fish still have clearish white string hanging from their butts. I don’t know if they’re still infected or just leave them be. Should I just put prazipro back in and leave it? I was going to try the copper (actually bought it and accidentally put in wrong dose and way underdosed- thankfully).
Photos are the healthier guy.

 

[RedFrog211]

Clowns are tough little fighters and resilient- I wouldn’t stop treating if they still have white excrement (unless specified by treatment) How long has your tank been up? What test kits do you use?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Update. He’s still alive. After using prazipro, I did water change and started both general cure and erythromycin in tank since he still wasn’t eating. I just completed both treatments. I’m putting garlic juice (from my crushed garlic in fridge) into mix of Hikari coral gumbo and Thera pellets. He has taken maybe 2 bites a feed for the past 2 days. He will swim a little during feeds but lies on his side the rest of the day. I’m over feeding to get the little guy some bites as the other one is a pig- I am watching water quality too.
Both fish still have clearish white string hanging from their butts. I don’t know if they’re still infected or just leave them be. Should I just put prazipro back in and leave it? I was going to try the copper (actually bought it and accidentally put in wrong dose and way underdosed- thankfully).
Photos are the healthier guy.

General Cure and Prazipro both have praziquantel in them, and although it is tough to overdose, I still wouldn’t use both at the same time. The General Cure also has metronidazole in it, making it the better choice n this case.
Jay

 

[reefer_87]

I am in a similar spot with my clown fish not eating for more than 4 days. I started treating with prazi yesterday and I dipped in a concentrated bath of metro+reef roids dissolved for 5 minutes. Did a 50% water change in a 2 gallon hospital tank. I am not sure if he will make it without eating though. This is a new clown that I got may be a week ago. Is there anything I can do to now if it does not continue to eat despite treatment. I see the white string stuff is more frequent after treatment.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I am in a similar spot with my clown fish not eating for more than 4 days. I started treating with prazi yesterday and I dipped in a concentrated bath of metro+reef roids dissolved for 5 minutes. Did a 50% water change in a 2 gallon hospital tank. I am not sure if he will make it without eating though. This is a new clown that I got may be a week ago. Is there anything I can do to now if it does not continue to eat despite treatment. I see the white string stuff is more frequent after treatment.

Hi,
You should start a new thread as your case may be different from this one, and it gets very confusing to reply to two different fish in the same thread. Take a look at the link in my signature line (or f you are on a phone, look at the link in the sticky section at the top of the forum) it gives ideas as to the background info we need to try and figure out the issue with your clown.
Thanks,
Jay

 

[reefer_87]

Hi,
You should start a new thread as your case may be different from this one, and it gets very confusing to reply to two different fish in the same thread. Take a look at the link in my signature line (or f you are on a phone, look at the link in the sticky section at the top of the forum) it gives ideas as to the background info we need to try and figure out the issue with your clown.
Thanks,
Jay

I just posted in the general channel under emergency, clown not eating.