Molly With Red Faecies - A Worry?

[jmkgreen]

Title says it all. I noticed a string of redish faecies from my male Molly who's body is about 2-3 inches. He seems perfectly fine however, feeding and chasing his female around as usual.

Water conditions also fine, check every weekend before I change around 30-40% of the water with the gravel cleaning.

Any ideas?

 

[WILDER]

Please issolate him as he has internal parasites, and there is no cure in the uk apart form a pig worming tablet, as he will infect the others and the tank if not already.
http/inkmkr.com/Fish/CamallanusTreatment/

 

[jmkgreen]

I'm afraid I have no separate tank facilities. I obviously don't want the others infected - are we looking at a serious enough problem for euthanasia to be necessary?

 

[WILDER]

Sadly yes, had them they infect other fish, if you do put the fish down which i do recommend even though i don't like doing it, i would keep an eye on the others for signs of a red inflamed anus, being bloated or skinny, and long stringy white poo are signs of the parasite, nasty things, but i'm sad to say more than likely he has infected the others, it might be wise to strip the tank down and sterilise everything and start again, sorry.

 

[paulthegreat]

The color of the poo can be from the food. My Swordies often have reddish/orange poo if the have gotten blood worms/red mosquito larve or tetra diskus food. Internal parisites usually cause white/clear stringy poo. If no other signs of distress are shown then it may just be a diet thing. If you eat corn what happens?, you poop corn! If you think that all the fish are infected then it may be worth while to see if they get worse before getting rid of them all. Change the diet a bit and give them green food like algea tabs for a while and see what happens. If only a few seem problemed then try to isolate them and go from there.HTH

 

[WILDER]

No don't put them all down, only meant the infected one, get a magifying glass to see if it is a worm prutruding from the anus,livebearers are quie prone to them usually guppys more than most, do you no if they have come from the wild as they eat cyclops.

http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/nematodes.shtml

 

[jmkgreen]

Am new to fishkeeping, haven't fed them so-called "live foods" yet. Closest thing has been the Tetra Brine Shrimp and Whole Bloodworm you get in sealed packets. I fed the bloodworm a night or two ago, the faecies could easily be the same colour.

Normal faecies colour is whiteish, applies to all my fish. If this Molly's faecies turns back to white/grey can I say it was diet?

I will call the LFS tomorrow to enquire from them too.

 

[WILDER]

I feed mine frozen bloodworms and it dosn't turn my fish poo red, the colour of there poo should be brown, not white if its long white and stringy can be a sign of internal parasites.

 

[jmkgreen]

Hmm interesting. I'm going to have to pay more attention to this and report back.

 

[morgan]

I don't know if your fish is ill or not but my fish poop pinkish/red when they have had brine shrimp or bloodworm. I give them the food that you buy in little sachets in boxes which you mentioned. They have it as a treat. Hope it is that.

 

[jmkgreen]

Thanks for the replies, helps tie-in with what I'm seeing.

Today: after waiting a few hours and seeing no faecies emerge, I gave them from peas. A little while ago and faecies is visible from the male Molly, pretty close to the colour of the peas.

This I would consider hopeful. I've seen one of my younger Mollies with dark faecies today too. I shall continue monitoring.

 

[WILDER]

Just observe the guppy for now with the red poo, but i would issolate at all costs.