High Nitrates and fish issues.

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

Can high nitrates cause issues with our fish? Had 2 clowns today randomly get white stringy poop. Checked water params and they were fine except for nitrates , 40-80ppm!!!!!!!!! Did a water change to get the nitrates down to 10-20ppm. Will do another tomorrow if necessary! I'm wondering if the nitrates can cause the white stringy poop, or if me changing the clowns food today could've caused it ? I also have a royal gramma in the tank with a scale issue on the right side of his face. Looks pale and peachy in color. I can't get a picture because he hides in a cave . He's eating fine too, my thought with him is maybe a aiptasia sting in his cave. I went buy a couple peppermint shrimp and aiptasia x to try and rid the rock of aiptasia. The white poop seemed to disappear for now after water change , but was LoNG white and stringy . Try to upload pictures . This is why I left hobby before and don't wanna leave again...

Also some dark spots on bottom of darker clown in picture, not sure what they could be.

DLHDesign · Oct 4, 2016

The #reefsquad will likely want to chime in, but I think white-stringy poop is a potential sign of intestinal worm issues?

Brew12 · Oct 4, 2016

I believe white stringy poop is a sign of a parasite or infection. Maybe @Humblefish or @melypr1985 can help you out.

BoneXriffic · Oct 4, 2016

I dont think this isna nitrate issue....

@Humblefish @melypr1985

However, about the nitrate issue.. there is a root cause here and water changes may only be a temporary bandaid.

What is the age and stock list of this tank.

Also do you qt fish?

And what kind of filtration

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

BoneXriffic said:
I dont think this isna nitrate issue....

@Humblefish @melypr1985

However, about the nitrate issue.. there is a root cause here and water changes may only be a temporary bandaid.

What is the age and stock list of this tank.

Also do you qt fish?

And what kind of filtration

Small 20 gallon Long that I had and decided to setup with liverock and some biospira , didn't have much of a cycle due to liverock. About 25lbs covered in coraline and life , it was always submerged in water even on the way home. No dieoff. Filtration is simple , HOB aquaclear 70. 2 clowns , 1 Royal gramma .

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

Ryan Rioux said:
Small 20 gallon Long that I had and decided to setup with liverock and some biospira , didn't have much of a cycle due to liverock. About 25lbs covered in coraline and life , it was always submerged in water even on the way home. No dieoff. Filtration is simple , HOB aquaclear 70. 2 clowns , 1 Royal gramma .

This one time , I did not QT

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

I was able to snatch a picture of royal gramma face by putting powerhead on feed mode and he came out, what is this?

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

any help super appreciated

Brew12 · Oct 4, 2016

Sorry I can't help. I've tried to learn as much as possible but I haven't seen this one. Way out of my league. Really need one of the experts to weight in. Hopefully won't be much longer. Do you have any meds on hand?

melypr1985 · Oct 4, 2016

The white stringy poo isn't caused by nitrates. In fact, the nitrates arn't going to bother your fish until they are at huge amounts.... much more than yours is. The poo is caused by intestinal worms. You can treat for this in the display by feeding Metroplex soaked food. Simply combine Seachem's Focus with Metroplex (one scoop of each in 1 cube of frozen food) and let it soak for 30 minutes. Feed this once a day for a minimum of 10 days or until symptoms disappear.

jsker · Oct 4, 2016

+1 @melypr1985

Brew12 · Oct 4, 2016

melypr1985 said:
The white stringy poo isn't caused by nitrates. In fact, the nitrates arn't going to bother your fish until they are at huge amounts.... much more than yours is. The poo is caused by intestinal worms. You can treat for this in the display by feeding Metroplex soaked food. Simply combine Seachem's Focus with Metroplex (one scoop of each in 1 cube of frozen food) and let it soak for 30 minutes. Feed this once a day for a minimum of 10 days or until symptoms disappear.

Any thoughts on the Royal Gramma?

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

melypr1985 said:
The white stringy poo isn't caused by nitrates. In fact, the nitrates arn't going to bother your fish until they are at huge amounts.... much more than yours is. The poo is caused by intestinal worms. You can treat for this in the display by feeding Metroplex soaked food. Simply combine Seachem's Focus with Metroplex (one scoop of each in 1 cube of frozen food) and let it soak for 30 minutes. Feed this once a day for a minimum of 10 days or until symptoms disappear.

Thank you , I'll try it. Royal gramma has me puzzled.

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

Brew12 said:
Any thoughts on the Royal Gramma?

Brooklynella? Hlle?

melypr1985 · Oct 4, 2016

Ryan Rioux said:
Thank you , I'll try it. Royal gramma has me puzzled.

Totally missed the part about the gramma. I don't think that's a sting from aptasia. I've never seen HLLE on a gramma before but it could be. I think I would start adding vitamins like Selcon or Vitachem to his food and keep the water pristine. Offering a mix of foods for him will help get his immune system up to snuff. If you see any other symptoms -whether they are physical or behavioral- let us know and we can go from there.

The dark spots on the clown are probably sting marks and will go away. It could have come from a euphyllia or nem, something like that.

jsker · Oct 4, 2016

I would also through in some vitamin m for the immune system

Humblefish · Oct 4, 2016

More info on intestinal worms here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/internal-parasites-intestinal-worms.267419/

Nitrates do not bother fish until they get into the hundreds.

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

jsker said:
I would also through in some vitamin m for the immune system

Vitachem works?

Ryan Rioux · Oct 4, 2016

melypr1985 said:
The white stringy poo isn't caused by nitrates. In fact, the nitrates arn't going to bother your fish until they are at huge amounts.... much more than yours is. The poo is caused by intestinal worms. You can treat for this in the display by feeding Metroplex soaked food. Simply combine Seachem's Focus with Metroplex (one scoop of each in 1 cube of frozen food) and let it soak for 30 minutes. Feed this once a day for a minimum of 10 days or until symptoms disappear.

When focus and metro is combined with frozen cube , basically let the mysis thaw out and the 2 combine into the mysis for a half hour. Can or should it be refrozen.