Concerned About White Stringy Feces in My Aquarium

[smoosh]

Hi! I completed the Prazipro treatment five days ago, and since then, I haven't noticed any recurrence of the symptoms. Feeling confident in the tank's condition, yesterday, I decided to add more fish from a different aquarium shop. I drip acclimated 6 platys, 6 neon tetras (in addition to the existing 4), and 4 boesmani rainbowfish (in addition to the 9 I already had). Unfortunately, last night, one of the platys succumbed to swim bladder issues. Today, I came home to find that another platy and four neon tetras had passed away. Disturbingly, the remaining platys exhibit white spots, leading me to suspect ich. I've attached a photo for your reference.In the past, I've used API Super Ich Cure, but it stained the silicone in my old 20-gallon tank blue, which was less than ideal. I'm reaching out to inquire if you know of any ich medications that are stain-free and won't alter the color of the silicone. I want to effectively treat the ich without compromising the aesthetics of my rimless tank. Additionally, some of the fish, including one boesmani rainbowfish, show signs of one clamped fin. I'm eager to address this issue promptly and appreciate any guidance you can offer. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

[FranciscoB]

Unfortunately, adding new fish (without quarantine) was a mistake. Too bad, but too late for regrets.
But now, potentially there is a combination of i) what appears to be ick, ii) what may have remained if the Prazi did not fully eliminate the previous issue, and then, iii) any additional issues pr parasites (different than ick) brought by the new fish.
Hopefully you will get lucky and that will subside, but in the meantime, it is imperative to treat for ich using whatever methods you prefer for that. For me, raising temperature and using salt has always worked (the few times I have needed it), but I know some will cringe.
By the way, ideal water characteristics for the platies and for the rest of your fish are fairly different.
Good luck!

 

[smoosh]

Update: In the last 2-3 hours, things got worse in my aquarium. I'm now pretty convinced it's not Ich but a nasty case of Columnaris. Some of my poor fish, especially the platys and neon tetras, have developed white patches showing up on their sides. One of my boesmani rainbowfish is in really bad shape, with a white fungus on its mouth, and almost half its body turned white. I've started immediate treatment with Kanaplex and Jungle Fungus Clear. I want to do everything I can to help them out. If you've got any advice, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[smoosh]

Hi everyone! I wanted to provide an update on the current status of my aquarium after a 5-day treatment with Jungle Fungus Clear and Kanaplex, following the attached treatment plan. Thankfully, there have been no new deaths since the 1st day of treatment (last Saturday).

Unfortunately, the majority of fish that displayed symptoms of columnaris did not survive. However, there is some positive news to share. The Boesmani rainbowfish that previously had white fungus on its mouth has shown significant improvement, although a small amount remains on its lower lip.

Here is the updated stock list:

• 8 Boesmani Rainbowfish
• 1 Platy
• 6 Otocinclus
• 3 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
• 5 Neon Tetras
• 1 German Blue Ram
• 5 Cherry Barbs
• 1 Mystery Snail

However, I have noticed concerning signs in one of my Neon Tetras. There are a few faded spots on its body that have a cottony appearance. I suspect it might be Neon Tetra Disease, but I'd appreciate input from others. I have attached a photo of the affected Neon Tetra for reference.

Any insights or advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smoosh]

Hi all,

Here's a brief update about the situation with the aquarium. Thankfully, all the surviving fish have made a solid recovery!

I chose a columnaris treatment plan using Kanaplex and Jungle Fungus Clear, applied for two rounds over ten days. I observed some odd white stringy poop around 6 and 7 of columnaris treatment. This led me to use Hikari Prazi Pro for 4 weeks, with weekly doses and 70 percent water changes between them.

The result? No more columnaris or parasites since the last Prazi Pro treatment 2 weeks ago. The fish are doing well, and it's a relief.

I'm truly thankful to all of you for your tips and advice.

Take this as a reminder – quarantine is no joke. I've learned my lesson, and I recommend anyone reading this to do the same for the sake of your aquatic buddies if you haven't.