Pearly Jawfish not eating, bloated anus

[Soldena]

My pearly Jawfish I’ve had for the last 8 months has not eaten since 04/02. He has some labored breathing but is not gasping and does not appear to be having trouble swimming. I believe it is the result of constipation and he is starting to finally poop (white and stringy, but does detach) after dosing the tank with Epsom salts. He was perfectly healthy before this period, and I have not added any fish since 8 months ago so I doubt it is the result of internal parasites. I feed a variety of meaty foods once a day, I fed the tank twice on that Saturday as I was heading out of town for 2 days, so I think I overfed. Should I wait it out and hope he starts eating again? Or should I pull him out and risk stressing him to put him into either an epsom salt bath or quarantine tank? I’m worried that by the time he has cleared the blockage he may pass away to lack of food… any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My pearly Jawfish I’ve had for the last 8 months has not eaten since 04/02. He has some labored breathing but is not gasping and does not appear to be having trouble swimming. I believe it is the result of constipation and he is starting to finally poop (white and stringy, but does detach) after dosing the tank with Epsom salts. He was perfectly healthy before this period, and I have not added any fish since 8 months ago so I doubt it is the result of internal parasites. I feed a variety of meaty foods once a day, I fed the tank twice on that Saturday as I was heading out of town for 2 days, so I think I overfed. Should I wait it out and hope he starts eating again? Or should I pull him out and risk stressing him to put him into either an epsom salt bath or quarantine tank? I’m worried that by the time he has cleared the blockage he may pass away to lack of food… any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

For starters, Epsom salt addition was likely coincidence as Epsom has no role in SW- Freshwater only as fish is already in a salt environment. IF constipated, one trick that usually works in boiling 2-3 frozen green peas then allowing to cool. Feed the inner meat which help .
If youre feeding mysis and brine shrimp, the poop often mimics internal parasite white poop.
If Internal - seachem metroplex with focus to bind the med to the food will help

 

[Soldena]

For starters, Epsom salt addition was likely coincidence as Epsom has no role in SW- Freshwater only as fish is already in a salt environment. IF constipated, one trick that usually works in boiling 2-3 frozen green peas then allowing to cool. Feed the inner meat which help .
If youre feeding mysis and brine shrimp, the poop often mimics internal parasite white poop.
If Internal - seachem metroplex with focus to bind the med to the food will help

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, I cannot get him to eat. I’ve tried the peas approach but he didn’t go for it. I added garlic guard to try and help entice but no dice there either. I feed mysis, fish eggs, ocean nutrition formula one, and hikari coral gumbo in a random order throughout the week and occasionally (monthly) hikari mega marine algae. Additionally, I dose phytoplankton, oyster feast, and redsea ab+ on a daily for coral and filter feeders.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, I cannot get him to eat. I’ve tried the peas approach but he didn’t go for it. I added garlic guard to try and help entice but no dice there either. I feed mysis, fish eggs, ocean nutrition formula one, and hikari coral gumbo in a random order throughout the week and occasionally (monthly) hikari mega marine algae. Additionally, I dose phytoplankton, oyster feast, and redsea ab+ on a daily for coral and filter feeders.

Most of the foods mentioned they do not care for. Jawfish are carnivorous and feed on mainly : brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, copepods, LRS Fish frenzy, small plankton. amphipods and other meaty foods.

 

[Soldena]

Most of the foods mentioned they do not care for. Jawfish are carnivorous and feed on mainly : brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, copepods, LRS Fish frenzy, small plankton. amphipods and other meaty foods.

I’ll grab some copepods and brine shrimp tomorrow to try and have something live for him to be interested in. Foods mentioned prior have all been eaten with the exception of maybe the hikari algae since I’ve had him. He was quite the glutton prior to this occurrence.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’ll grab some copepods and brine shrimp tomorrow to try and have something live for him to be interested in. Foods mentioned prior have all been eaten with the exception of maybe the hikari algae since I’ve had him. He was quite the glutton prior to this occurrence.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Because lack of feeding is such a general symptom, without some secondary symptom to go along with it, there isn't much to suggest. I do agree that the Epsom salts won't work in marine fish. Sorry I don't have anything for you to try....

In case you want to read more about fish anorexia, here is an article I wrote on the topic:

Chronic Anorexia in Aquarium Fishes

Don't fall into the trap of assuming the fish will begin feeding when it gets hungry enough, or conclude it must be eating something, just not when you are watching.

reefs.com

Jay

 

[Soldena]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Because lack of feeding is such a general symptom, without some secondary symptom to go along with it, there isn't much to suggest. I do agree that the Epsom salts won't work in marine fish. Sorry I don't have anything for you to try....

In case you want to read more about fish anorexia, here is an article I wrote on the topic:

Chronic Anorexia in Aquarium Fishes

Don't fall into the trap of assuming the fish will begin feeding when it gets hungry enough, or conclude it must be eating something, just not when you are watching.

reefs.com

Jay

Thanks for the reading material, I might have to look into the tube feeding method if things don’t get better…

 

[Soldena]

Neither live tiger pods or dead (artic pods) seem to not have interested him. He’s brushed himself against the sand a couple times during feeding (unsure if this was territorial towards the clown or linked to his condition). Here’s an update picture:

Abdomen appears to be a bit more swollen and he’s had stringy white poop. I would assume parasite if it hasn’t been for the fact that I haven’t gotten any new fish in over 5 months. Could they arrive on coral? I dip if I’m able to, but for something like my bisma worm rock I cannot.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Neither live tiger pods or dead (artic pods) seem to not have interested him. He’s brushed himself against the sand a couple times during feeding (unsure if this was territorial towards the clown or linked to his condition). Here’s an update picture:

Abdomen appears to be a bit more swollen and he’s had stringy white poop. I would assume parasite if it hasn’t been for the fact that I haven’t gotten any new fish in over 5 months. Could they arrive on coral? I dip if I’m able to, but for something like my bisma worm rock I cannot.

There are a number of internal parasites, some of which can live in fish for a long time and then bloom. This could also be mucus from an intestinal blockage. I wish I had a treatment for you, but these issues are tough to resolve.
Jay

 

[Soldena]

I appreciate your help with this, are you aware of any parasites that may take either 7-8 months to mature or bloom? My first 3 original fish were 2 clowns and this jawfish. One of the clowns passed away due to internal parasites with white stringy poop as well. I had moved him to a hospital tank as soon as I was made aware of his condition, although I treated with metroplex he did not make it. The other clown hasn’t shown any signs of similar problems as of yet. I hadn’t really considered that as I thought the lifecycle would of a parasite would be quite short…

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I appreciate your help with this, are you aware of any parasites that may take either 7-8 months to mature or bloom? My first 3 original fish were 2 clowns and this jawfish. One of the clowns passed away due to internal parasites with white stringy poop as well. I had moved him to a hospital tank as soon as I was made aware of his condition, although I treated with metroplex he did not make it. The other clown hasn’t shown any signs of similar problems as of yet. I hadn’t really considered that as I thought the lifecycle would of a parasite would be quite short…

Cestodes/tapeworms live for a long time (years in some species). Remember, internal worm parasites don't want to kill their host, if they do, they die as well. Therefore, the are adapted for living alongside their host for as long as they can.

Jay