Discus poop question

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Nicko19

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hey guys got a couple of 12cm discus with clear poop tube not sure what this indicates exactly...

They have had it for weeks they seem fine they eat like normal there not as active when I approach the tank like the other discus are.

Let me know what you think got some pics below.

Thank you


0A0B0562-E202-4353-BC9B-3590E9E28567.jpeg
CF564E8C-1C75-47C2-9598-40661BD0D97B.jpeg
 
Fish do a stringy white poop for several reasons.
1) Internal Bacterial Infections causes the fish to stop eating, swell up like a balloon, breath heavily at surface or near a filter outlet, do stringy white poop, and die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms. This cannot normally be cured because massive internal organ failure has already occurred.


2) Internal Protozoan Infections cause the fish to lose weight rapidly (over a week or two), fish continues to eat and swim around but not as much as normal, does stringy white poop. If not treated the fish dies a week or so after these symptoms appear. Metronidazole normally works well for this.

There is a medication (API General Cure) that contains Praziquantel and Metronidazole and might be worth trying.

It's interesting that API and the Californian government have listed Metronidazole as a carcinogen. That's a concern considering it was widely used to treat intestinal infections in people.

Anyway, handle with care, don't inhale the medication, and wash hands with soapy water after treating the fish or working in the tank.


3) Intestinal Worms like tapeworm and threadworms cause the fish to lose weight, continue eating and swimming normally, do a stringy white poop. Fish can do this for months and not be too badly affected. In some cases, fish with bad worm infestation will actually gain weight and get fat and look like a pregnant guppy. This is due to the huge number of worms inside the fish.

If the fish are still eating well and acting normally, but doing a stringy white poop, then intestinal worms is the most likely cause.

You can use Praziquantel to treat tapeworm and gill flukes. And Levamisole to treat thread/ round worms. If you can't find these medications, look for Flubendazole.

Remove carbon from filters before treatment and increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise oxygen levels in the water.

You treat the fish once a week for 4 weeks. The first treatment will kill any worms in the fish. The second, third and forth treatments kill any baby worms that hatch from eggs inside the fish's digestive tract.

You do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean 24-48 hours after treatment. Clean the filter 24 hours after treatment too.

Treat every fish tank in the house at the same time.

Do not use the 2 medications together. If you want to treat both medications in a short space of time, use Praziquantel on day one. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate on day 2 & 3. Treat the tank with Levamisole on day 4 and do a 75% water change and gravel clean on day 5, 6 & 7 and then start with Praziquantel again on day 8.

The water changes will remove most of the medication so you don't overdose the fish. The gravel cleaning will suck out any worms and eggs that have been expelled by the fish. Repeating the treatment for 3-4 doses at weekly intervals will kill any worms that hatch from eggs. At the end of the treatment you will have healthier fish. :)
 
Fish do a stringy white poop for several reasons.
1) Internal Bacterial Infections causes the fish to stop eating, swell up like a balloon, breath heavily at surface or near a filter outlet, do stringy white poop, and die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms. This cannot normally be cured because massive internal organ failure has already occurred.


2) Internal Protozoan Infections cause the fish to lose weight rapidly (over a week or two), fish continues to eat and swim around but not as much as normal, does stringy white poop. If not treated the fish dies a week or so after these symptoms appear. Metronidazole normally works well for this.

There is a medication (API General Cure) that contains Praziquantel and Metronidazole and might be worth trying.

It's interesting that API and the Californian government have listed Metronidazole as a carcinogen. That's a concern considering it was widely used to treat intestinal infections in people.

Anyway, handle with care, don't inhale the medication, and wash hands with soapy water after treating the fish or working in the tank.


3) Intestinal Worms like tapeworm and threadworms cause the fish to lose weight, continue eating and swimming normally, do a stringy white poop. Fish can do this for months and not be too badly affected. In some cases, fish with bad worm infestation will actually gain weight and get fat and look like a pregnant guppy. This is due to the huge number of worms inside the fish.

If the fish are still eating well and acting normally, but doing a stringy white poop, then intestinal worms is the most likely cause.

You can use Praziquantel to treat tapeworm and gill flukes. And Levamisole to treat thread/ round worms. If you can't find these medications, look for Flubendazole.

Remove carbon from filters before treatment and increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise oxygen levels in the water.

You treat the fish once a week for 4 weeks. The first treatment will kill any worms in the fish. The second, third and forth treatments kill any baby worms that hatch from eggs inside the fish's digestive tract.

You do a 75% water change and complete gravel clean 24-48 hours after treatment. Clean the filter 24 hours after treatment too.

Treat every fish tank in the house at the same time.

Do not use the 2 medications together. If you want to treat both medications in a short space of time, use Praziquantel on day one. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate on day 2 & 3. Treat the tank with Levamisole on day 4 and do a 75% water change and gravel clean on day 5, 6 & 7 and then start with Praziquantel again on day 8.

The water changes will remove most of the medication so you don't overdose the fish. The gravel cleaning will suck out any worms and eggs that have been expelled by the fish. Repeating the treatment for 3-4 doses at weekly intervals will kill any worms that hatch from eggs. At the end of the treatment you will have healthier fish. :)


Hey first of all thank you for all the brilliant helpful tips!

I bought 8 discus about 4 weeks ago, 2 larger 10/12cm size like the pair you see in the photos above and also 6 more smaller 8/9cm sizes.

The 2 larger ones have always had the stringy white poop from the day I got them and most of the day they spend at the back of the tank or swimming around slowly, they still eat but it takes them a while to get there attention.

1 of the 6 others has from day one sat in the corner and looks very stressed shows vertical lines on his face an body witch for blue scorpions I thought was strange?
He tends to get picked on has lost a lot of weight hardly eats and is very very shy the stomach looks sunken and has done for many weeks.

The other 5 discus are fantastic! They eat like pigs they swim around everywhere and they look like a bunch of happy dogs when I approach the tank with food!

I have a feeling my 2 larger ones are suffering from internal worms as it’s been ongoing and no deaths etc and for the smaller one I’m thinking hex perhaps due to the lack of appetite, shrinking of the stomach and very shy behavior...

I’m going to get some meds from my LFS tomorrow but still unsure witch exactly is the issue but I think I have narrowed it down from the symptoms and your diagnoses...

What do you think?
 
I would treat them for worms before anything else. Deworming medications are safe to use but other medications are generally poisonous and should only be used if necessary.

Your smaller discus that is losing condition is probably being bullied and that can stop it eating and cause it to lose weight.
 
I would treat them for worms before anything else. Deworming medications are safe to use but other medications are generally poisonous and should only be used if necessary.

Your smaller discus that is losing condition is probably being bullied and that can stop it eating and cause it to lose weight.


Thank you!

I will start with a dewormer first!

As for the smaller one this could be the case as he’s been alive and with the symptoms for 4 weeks and no stingy white poop just very shy and not much appetite, it if was serious surely he would of not survived this long?

I have a smaller tank I could perhaps put him in there with my angel to fix him up.
 
Have lots of plants and wood in the tank and feed them all lots of food. They should eat until full and no longer show an interest in food. Then stop feeding and remove uneaten food. Continue feeding them well for a month after they have been dewormed.

If the little continues to hide and not each much, then move it to another tank but watch the angelfish. They are just as territorial as a discus and could bash the discus.
 

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