Orchid Dottyback - Internal parasites?

[KWolfe81]

My orchid dottyback has a string of white clumps coming from the bottom side - see video below. I'm assuming internal parasites but the clumpiness of the poop doesn't match any pictures I've seen online - with one exception of this website. That website has a picture that looks identical and says it's eggs, but I'm not sure I believe that.

Tank has been very stable for months now, with a few emerald crabs being the most recent thing added to the tank back in February.
No aggression in the tank, and no major behavior issues observed - note though: there are two orchid dottys in there (been together for ~1 year).
Ph 8.2
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: Very steady 79
Nitrate: ~15 ppm
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 0.2 ppm

 

[vetteguy53081]

My orchid dottyback has a string of white clumps coming from the bottom side - see video below. I'm assuming internal parasites but the clumpiness of the poop doesn't match any pictures I've seen online - with one exception of this website. That website has a picture that looks identical and says it's eggs, but I'm not sure I believe that.

Tank has been very stable for months now, with a few emerald crabs being the most recent thing added to the tank back in February.
No aggression in the tank, and no major behavior issues observed - note though: there are two orchid dottys in there (been together for ~1 year).
Ph 8.2
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: Very steady 79
Nitrate: ~15 ppm
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 0.2 ppm

This may be due to excessive mucus in intestines especially if feeding foods such as Mysis shrimp. The other causes would be constipation with feeding of dry foods such as pellets or internal issue.
If eating, you can try feeding brine shrimp which often helps a constipated fish pass its food

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I think those are eggs that failed to be fully released from the membrane they developed in. I've not seen that with this species, but I have seen it in other fish. I guess you could call it a "partial dystocia".

The eggs aren't fertile and should drop off on their own. I don't think any intervention on your part would be wide. The only question is; was the fish damaged by being egg bound prior to releasing the eggs? I can't tell you that.

Please let us know how it turns out!

Jay

 

[KWolfe81]

I think those are eggs that failed to be fully released from the membrane they developed in. I've not seen that with this species, but I have seen it in other fish. I guess you could call it a "partial dystocia".

The eggs aren't fertile and should drop off on their own. I don't think any intervention on your part would be wide. The only question is; was the fish damaged by being egg bound prior to releasing the eggs? I can't tell you that.

Please let us know how it turns out!

Jay

The mass fell off overnight and is nowhere to be found. Going to take the wait-and-see approach, and possibly increase food variety as per @vetteguy53081's suggestion as well.

Thanks a million!