Help ID possible parasite

[ChrisQ0904]

I know nothing about fish diseases but I think I have a parasite. Fish is still eating normal and swimming strong but this morning I noticed white stringy poop that was ~2" long which I believe is the sign of a parasite. I quickly snatched the fish and put into a QT tank just to be safe. I was going to get medicine on the way home from work but wanted to see if I can get a proper ID to ensure I purchase the proper medication.

If you look at the white line between the fish and pvc that's the stringy poop I am talking about.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I too know nothing about fish diseases, but HERE's a link I've used in the past that I found helpful.



Good luck.

 

[4FordFamily]

I would treat with prazipro, but perhaps [HASHTAG]#humblefish[/HASHTAG] would be more helpful.

 

[reeffirstaid]

White stringy poop could be several things. When stressed, or experiencing gastrointestinal upset, fish will sometimes shed the mucous lining of the bowels, which appears as white stringy poop. Sadly, when fish are infected with an internal parasite, they will also shed the mucous lining with the same symptom. It's hard to determine whether the symptom is a parasite or not. Overtime, if it is a parasite, the fish will eat but continually lose weight and left untreated, will often perish. You could err on the side of caution and treat it for an internal parasite, using something like Prazi-Pro, or give it a few days, maybe a week and see if the symptom resolves on its own. That stringy white stuff looks like intestinal lining.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

White stringy poop could be several things. When stressed, or experiencing gastrointestinal upset, fish will sometimes shed the mucous lining of the bowels, which appears as white stringy poop. Sadly, when fish are infected with an internal parasite, they will also shed the mucous lining with the same symptom. It's hard to determine whether the symptom is a parasite or not. Overtime, if it is a parasite, the fish will eat but continually lose weight and left untreated, will often perish. You could err on the side of caution and treat it for an internal parasite, using something like Prazi-Pro, or give it a few days, maybe a week and see if the symptom resolves on its own. That stringy white stuff looks like intestinal lining.

I did add a new clown and they were fighting at first (nothing intense) but it has calmed down and they sleep in the same location now. Would there be any harm done if I were to treat just as a precautionary measure? I've already lost a bunch of fish due to ick a while back and don't want to lose fish again. If it's safer to treat now I'd rather just do that. Also, would treatment be lick ick in the sense of I have to treat every fish in the tank and leave it fallow for 8 weeks?

 

[reeffirstaid]

No, I don't see any major harm in treating him with Prazi-Pro. I would just follow the instructions closely. You may want to get him eating something you can fortify. If he were mine, I would put him on a diet of LRS Reef Frenzy Nano, soaked for 24 hours before feeding with Korallin-Zucht's Amino Acid product. You could keep him in hyposalinity as well. It wouldn't do much for something internal in the intestines, but it could aid if the fish has been exposed to ich.

 

[reeffirstaid]

By the way, where did you get this fish and the new one from? Often places like the Diver's Den and others de-worm their fish before sale.

 

[Humblefish]

White stringy poop is a symptom of intestinal parasites (worms). Sometimes praziquantel (i.e. Prazipro) takes care of this; other times metronidazole is needed (depending upon the strain). Being you already have the fish in QT, your best solution would be to treat with "API General Cure". That medication contains both prazi & metro.