Clownfish not eating anything. Help

Nanobros · Apr 24, 2017

My clown fish has been very happy in my tank. He is the only fish in there with just a cleaner shrimp and some corals. He always use to eat the pellets I fed him and use to go nuts about them. Then about 5 days ago he just stopped. He watches them fall to the ground and if he does eat it he will eat it but spit it back out and not try to eat it again. It's the same food I have been feeding him since day 1. He also has been hanging out towards the back now. I also tried flakes and brine and mysis same thing. I also noticed this white stringy poo coming out of him. Help.

Slot · Apr 24, 2017

I dont know much about this but it sounds like internal parasites. Id do more research but he may need a freshwater dip and treatment

lilchris_357 · Apr 24, 2017

Please see below link, it discusses internal parasites. If it is indeed an internal parasite, I would treat with metroplex. You mix it with their food and use focus to bind the medication to the food. If he's not eating you can dose the tank and give him a theraputic bath. Trying to get him to digest the food would be the best option because you are getting the meds directly to the parasite. You can also use General cure as it has Metroplex in it at a smaller dose.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/internal-parasites-intestinal-worms.267419/

To get the absolute best answer, I would go over to the diease forum and see what @melypr1985 and or @Humblefish (the fish docs) have to say.

melypr1985 · Apr 24, 2017

White stringy poop usually means intestinal worms. To treat that you would need to soak the clowns food in metroplex and focus and feed that for 10-15 days for best results. However, if he's not eating at all, you'll have no choice but to move him to a QT and dose the water with metroplex until he starts eating again. They tend to drink some of the water they live in so the hope is that he gets some of the medication to his gut where the problem is. If he starts eating again, you'll want to switch to feeding the metroplex.

lilchris_357 · Apr 27, 2017

melypr1985 said:
White stringy poop usually means intestinal worms. To treat that you would need to soak the clowns food in metroplex and focus and feed that for 10-15 days for best results. However, if he's not eating at all, you'll have no choice but to move him to a QT and dose the water with metroplex until he starts eating again. They tend to drink some of the water they live in so the hope is that he gets some of the medication to his gut where the problem is. If he starts eating again, you'll want to switch to feeding the metroplex.

Hello, if one was treating the entire tank w/ Meteoplex should one add it everyday?

melypr1985 · Apr 28, 2017

lilchris_357 said:
Hello, if one was treating the entire tank w/ Meteoplex should one add it everyday?

No, you would add it every other day right after a water change each time. Though that is not the best way to treat for intestinal worms. Feeding is always the first choice.

lilchris_357 · Apr 29, 2017

The wrasse is not eating at least I'm not seeing him eat. He is swimming around and still look fat. He still has his color, nice a bright. Not sure if that matters..

JamesP · Apr 29, 2017

I wonder how he came down with this suddenly as the only fish in the tank. Did you introduce anything new that could have brought tbe worms in with it? @melypr1985 Can these be in a tank without a host for any period of time?

melypr1985 · Apr 29, 2017

JamesP said:
I wonder how he came down with this suddenly as the only fish in the tank. Did you introduce anything new that could have brought tbe worms in with it? @melypr1985 Can these be in a tank without a host for any period of time?

Intestinal worms are spread from one fish to another by eating an infected fish's poop. Likely the clown ate some and it took some time for them to populate to the point of pooping white.

Nanobros · Apr 29, 2017

JamesP said:
I wonder how he came down with this suddenly as the only fish in the tank. Did you introduce anything new that could have brought tbe worms in with it? @melypr1985 Can these be in a tank without a host for any period of time?

I added a cleaner shrimp. That's it.

JamesP · Apr 29, 2017

Nanobros said:
I added a cleaner shrimp. That's it.

I hope your little fella eats some medicated foods. Thats intetesting if a shrimp can be a carrier of worms, but makes sense if you think about it I guess. I dont think ive ever seen a shrimp poop, nor would I have considered it could carry internal parasites before now, but it makes sense.

Nanobros · Apr 29, 2017

JamesP said:
I hope your little fella eats some medicated foods. Thats intetesting if a shrimp can be a carrier of worms, but makes sense if you think about it I guess. I dont think ive ever seen a shrimp poop, nor would I have considered it could carry internal parasites before now, but it makes sense.

He haven't eaten but he's started to come out of the back now and swimming around. He's also going after the pellets now he ate 2 yesterday so he's fighting it over.

JamesP · Apr 29, 2017

When i put my fish in antibiotics, they lost their appetites. I dont think metroplex is a true antibiotic, but i wonder if it is an appetite suppressant as well when they are placed in it for any period of time. You would think direct feeding wouldnt supress their appetites however, and is a more direct method of getting the medication where it needs to be; in the intestines.