is stringy poop always internal parasite?

Qasimja · Nov 8, 2020

ive had this square anthias for 10 months today i noticed stringy poop last fish was added about about a week ago after being in QT for a month in copper and dewormed and ran through 10 days of metroplex could it be because ive been feeding brine shrimp the last 7-10 days because i ran out of mysis? does she look healthy otherwise? is stringy poop always some sort of internal parasite? thanks for the help

SaltyT · Nov 8, 2020

Qasimja said:
ive had this square anthias for 10 months today i noticed stringy poop last fish was added about about a week ago after being in QT for a month in copper and dewormed and ran through 10 days of metroplex could it be because ive been feeding brine shrimp the last 7-10 days because i ran out of mysis? does she look healthy otherwise? is stringy poop always some sort of internal parasite? thanks for the help

No, stringy poop doesn’t always mean internal parasites. In your anthias case it’s most likely empty fecal cast since brine shrimp have little nutritional value.

vetteguy53081 · Nov 8, 2020

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. We are what we eat and same apply to fish. It can just be temporary stomach upset but If it exsists longer than a week, thats when concern should be given. It depends if the fish has worms or parasitic diplomonads or flagellates living in the GI tract. As long as appetite is maintained, parasite may be absent.

Cbones1979 · Nov 15, 2020

SaltyT said:
No, stringy poop doesn’t always mean internal parasites. In your anthias case it’s most likely empty fecal cast since brine shrimp have little nutritional value.

Haha jut started feeding brine and noticed this

was thinking parasite at first

Qasimja · Dec 7, 2020

Well this anthias seems to be going downhill i haven't seen it really eat in 2 weeks and it used to be an aggressive eater all of a sudden it just stopped wanting to eat aggressively ive tried to catch it to put it into QT but i wouldn't even know what to treat it for i do see it eat a piece here or there but it mostly just stays back

1 issue thats got me puzzled is it seems to have a stringy poop like most of the day hanging from it so maybe i can mix some metroplex with mysis shrimp but that would mean all the fish would get it too

ive had this anthias for a year and its the only fish thats acting this way last fish was added about a month ago it was quarantined for a month with copper + metro and prazipro thou im sure nobody can tell me what's happening just wanted to update this thread for the future if someone else had a problem with an anthias

SaltyT · Dec 7, 2020

Qasimja said:
Well this anthias seems to be going downhill i haven't seen it really eat in 2 weeks and it used to be an aggressive eater all of a sudden it just stopped wanting to eat aggressively ive tried to catch it to put it into QT but i wouldn't even know what to treat it for i do see it eat a piece here or there but it mostly just stays back

1 issue thats got me puzzled is it seems to have a stringy poop like most of the day hanging from it so maybe i can mix some metroplex with mysis shrimp but that would mean all the fish would get it too

ive had this anthias for a year and its the only fish thats acting this way last fish was added about a month ago it was quarantined for a month with copper + metro and prazipro thou im sure nobody can tell me what's happening just wanted to update this thread for the future if someone else had a problem with an anthias

Sorry to hear that. Metronidazole is bitter tasting to fish so I doubt you'll get your anthias to eat any of it since it's not really eating anyway. Sometimes you'll just never know what causes a fish to stop eating and go downhill. I hope it turns the corner and recovers!

Qasimja · Dec 14, 2020

Ok i just wanted to update and get some advice possibly tonight i was able to catch the fish he was swimming low in the front of the tank and i shined a flashlight in his eyes and netted him i put him into a QT tank with copper at 1.8ppm and i just dosed metro i dont know what else to medicate him with any suggestions anyone?

his symptoms are he stopped eating or hes not eating aggressively that i can see he mostly stays back he has stringy poop hes very lethargic most of the day doesn't swim around much mostly stays in 1 spot isn't breathing all that heavy

Jay Hemdal · Dec 14, 2020

Qasimja said:
Ok i just wanted to update and get some advice possibly tonight i was able to catch the fish he was swimming low in the front of the tank and i shined a flashlight in his eyes and netted him i put him into a QT tank with copper at 1.8ppm and i just dosed metro i dont know what else to medicate him with any suggestions anyone?

his symptoms are he stopped eating or hes not eating aggressively that i can see he mostly stays back he has stringy poop hes very lethargic most of the day doesn't swim around much mostly stays in 1 spot isn't breathing all that heavy

Stringy feces can have multiple causes. It is rare in long term captives though. I think it unlikely that this is caused by amulticellular internal parasite in this case. More likely, is protozoan or bacterial in origin. The metro will help with the former, now that it is a QT have considered antibiotics?
Jay

Qasimja · Dec 14, 2020

Jay Hemdal said:
Stringy feces can have multiple causes. It is rare in long term captives though. I think it unlikely that this is caused by amulticellular internal parasite in this case. More likely, is protozoan or bacterial in origin. The metro will help with the former, now that it is a QT have considered antibiotics?
Jay

i have kanaplex and furan-2 and prazipro as well as metroplex on hand what do you recommend?