Polypterus Teugelsi - Red Poop

[Sophie]

pH: 7
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: N/A
kH: N/A
gH: N/A
tank temp: 26c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Red Poop
 
Volume and Frequency of water changes: Every 3 days, 40/50%

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: N/A

Tank inhabitants: Himself

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): He's the recent addition, been in there almost two weeks. Just a piece of bogwood with anubias growing on top.

Exposure to chemicals: N/A
 
Back story: He was in quarantine at the LFS, being treated with Melafix after he got beat up by some other tank inhabitants. I purchased him after he was healed, brought him home. He's in a tank by himself, the filter has media from my FX6. I tested for a week and it didn't enter a mini cycle. He's being fed on small Krill, eats it quite happily, was eating from day one without any problem. I have tried him on sinking flake to see if he would eat dry - he did eat it. He's active at dusk as he should be, swimming about. Hiding during the day and popping out on occasion. His front fins are still recovering somewhat from the damage and still growing back so he's being treated with Melafix now and again.

Digital photo (include if possible):
 

 

 

Oh the black stuff around the poop is just bits of bogwood that came off as I poured water on it as I was refilling.

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Weird. It looks like undigested pinky mice but as you've said it's under a krill diet so that's not possible. Probably some undigested food that he can easily pass out?

 

[Sophie]

Weird. It looks like undigested pinky mice but as you've said it's under a krill diet so that's not possible. Probably some undigested food that he can easily pass out?

 
Does seem strange. Could the food be too big? He is a baby - am I being too ambitious feeding him hm? Might go back to bloodworm and see if it makes a difference.
This is it;
 

 
The Krill are white with slight bit of pink/red.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Strange looking poop! 
 
Probably best just to keep an eye on him, think most likely is undigested food as the move from LFS to your tank may have stressed him a bit.
 
Give it a day or two before going into any plans of possible treatments.
 
A very cool tank stocking to have, a great looking fish IMHO, but difficult to find any tank mates. If your tank is big enough, maybe a knifefish or something like that would be cool. ooh jealous now.........

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Oh so the krill is pink and white, guess it's undigested krill then.

 

[Sophie]

Strange looking poop! 
 
Probably best just to keep an eye on him, think most likely is undigested food as the move from LFS to your tank may have stressed him a bit.
 
Give it a day or two before going into any plans of possible treatments.
 
A very cool tank stocking to have, a great looking fish IMHO, but difficult to find any tank mates. If your tank is big enough, maybe a knifefish or something like that would be cool. ooh jealous now.........

 
The intention is not to have any tank mates as he is now.
The only problem with Knives is just like the Bichirs, they have terrible eyesight. When the Knives have a little nip, unlike most fish who would dart away, the Bichir sits there and hopes they don't get noticed. So eventually the Knife would just shred apart the Bichir as it's just a sitting duck.
As I said, I am only treating with Melafix but I won't treat with any meds unless it needs them.
My initial horror was calamus worms, but there's nothing hanging out of his bottom, nor anything in the faeces itself.

I fed bloodworms last night and will stop the krill and see if it makes any difference. He gobbled up the bloodworms just as eagerly so fingers crossed.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Wow, that's really interesting. Did not know that.

Good to know for future references. Thanks.

As for the meds, melafix is a really mild med, probably won't do much but certainly won't do any harm since there's no inverts or any other stocking in the tank.

Am really optimistic just a effect from stress from the move between lfs tank to your tank and thankfully no sign of worms as you mentioned already. Apetite sounds good since gobbled up the bloodworms.

Will keep fingers crossed and hope all goes well
Keep us posted.

 

[Sophie]

I think you misread my original post - I'm using Melafix to aid in repairing his damaged fins from the LFS