Please Help Me!!!

Lil' RegalReefster · Nov 9, 2020

Hi there, five days ago I purchased a regal angelfish from the LFS. He is from the Maldives and is about 4-5 inches. When I picked him up he was fat and eating brine. I was unable to quarantine sadly him due to my ill-preparedness and lack of time, so he was added directly to the tank. BIG MISTAKE!!!

He has eaten very little and this morning I noticed his poop was stringy and white. I have just ordered some Prazipro but it will not come until Thursday. I live in Canada so many fish medications are banned. I tried to find somewhere that has a metroplex but I couldn't find any place that has it in stock or that ships to Canada!! I am very worried as this is my dream fish and he was quite expensive. Does anyone have any Ideas?? any advice is appreciated. Plz, help me.

SaltyT · Nov 9, 2020

Stringy white poop doesn’t always mean internal parasites. The fact that your regal hasn’t eaten for awhile can cause stringy poop. Prazipro suppresses the appetite so I would get your regal to eat before you dose Prazi. Since the regal was eating brine at the LFS you could try live brine shrimp to entice your regal to eat.

Pistondog · Nov 9, 2020

Assume he's ok until you see another symptom

Jay Hemdal · Nov 9, 2020

Few internal parasites are helped by praziquantel - most stringy feces issues are either just mucus (from not feeding) bacterial, or protozoan. Prazi helps clear metazoan parasites and those do not typically cause stringy feces.

As mentioned, you need to get it feeding well - try the live brine that it was eating before. If you can find live mussels at a seafood shop, offer one on a half shell.

Jay

Lil' RegalReefster · Nov 10, 2020

Ok. I will try getting him to eat. Thank you so much!

Jay Hemdal · Nov 10, 2020

And if any new symptoms develop, let us know.
Jay

Lil' RegalReefster · Nov 10, 2020

Ok. I looked at some other symptoms and the only one he seems to have is the white stringy poop. His color is great, no pinched stomach and he is always out and about until something scares him. He does show interest in food, he even eats it then spits it out. This fish has quite the advanced pallet.

Jay Hemdal · Nov 10, 2020

Biting and then spitting out the food is a frustrating problem with this species. What can happen is that they hen seem to get frustrated and the feeding response stops altogether. Illness can also stop the feeding response.
Jay