stringy poop - Aquarium Advice

Phoenixphire55 · 05-16-2008, 05:05 PM

I have two fish tanks and the fish in both of them frequently have long stringy trailing poop. This includes goldfish, mollys and a pleco. My corys never have the long poop. What causes this and how do I deal with it?

**An t-iasg** · 05-16-2008, 10:24 PM

This symptom (stringy poop) can have two different causes. First, what color is the poop? If it's dark, then the fish may be constipated. Try feeding some peas to help clear the constipation. I feed my bettas peas once a week as a preventative. They gobble up the peas with excitement!

Boil some frozen peas (canned ones can get too mushy) for 4 1/2 minutes in the microwave. Tap water is fine to boil them in. When they're done, pour off the boiling water and add cold water, pouring it off and replacing it a few times until the peas aren't hot anymore. Remove the skin and throw it away. Cut the pea into small pieces with a paring knife (yes, it's a bit tedious!). You want to cut the peas into pieces that are about the same size as the food they eat every day, so they will accept the peas. Feed the peas for one or two days in a row. Then don't feed anything on the next day. Also, if your fish like veggies, you could boil a zucchini enough to soften it and put it in the tank for the fish to nibble at once a week. These veggies will add some fiber into their diet and hopefully will help clear the constipation.

If the poop is white and stringy, the fish may have an internal parasite. Their stomach area may look sunken in too. If this is the case, try the Jungle brand Anti-Parasite food. The pellets are rather big and hard, and you may want to soften them in tank water and cut them in half before feeding them to your fish.

Phoenixphire55 · 05-17-2008, 08:44 AM

Thanks for the help. They love zucchini so I'll start feeding them that more often.

MisticX · 05-18-2008, 01:57 PM

molly's are admitted poop-lords, same for platys

i have 3 red female platys in the tank, and each time i look at them at least one of 3 has a poop longer then she is (usually twice)

if ALL your fish have same simptoms then that's bad (honestly i have no ideea how to differentiate maladies)
anyhow, alternating food is a good thing for fish

one other diet u can try is egg,
boil the egg untill the shell cracks all by itself (usualy it's 3-5 mins .... you do it 10-15-20) this way u make sure the egg-yellow hardens like a rock.

then clean the egg untill u get some HARD egg yellow, and then WASH IT... very important or your tank water will become milky

cut it in small parts then wash the parts.
feed fish, and actually u can even get the whole egg-yellow-ball inside the tank, hungry fish will attack it (hardens the fish jaw, that will later allow them to eat plants)

05-16-2008, 05:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
Phoenixphire55 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 237	stringy poop I have two fish tanks and the fish in both of them frequently have long stringy trailing poop. This includes goldfish, mollys and a pleco. My corys never have the long poop. What causes this and how do I deal with it? __________________ 15 gallon: 5 African clawed frogs 10 gallon: fb toads and fb newts 20 gallon: 8 Mollies, 4 Bronze Corys, pleco 35 gallon: 5 goldfish (3 fantails, 2 pearlscales)

05-16-2008, 10:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
An t-iasg Aquarium Advice Addict Community Admin Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Criders Corners/Glen Eden (Pittsburgh, PA) Posts: 6,714 Images: 40	This symptom (stringy poop) can have two different causes. First, what color is the poop? If it's dark, then the fish may be constipated. Try feeding some peas to help clear the constipation. I feed my bettas peas once a week as a preventative. They gobble up the peas with excitement! Boil some frozen peas (canned ones can get too mushy) for 4 1/2 minutes in the microwave. Tap water is fine to boil them in. When they're done, pour off the boiling water and add cold water, pouring it off and replacing it a few times until the peas aren't hot anymore. Remove the skin and throw it away. Cut the pea into small pieces with a paring knife (yes, it's a bit tedious!). You want to cut the peas into pieces that are about the same size as the food they eat every day, so they will accept the peas. Feed the peas for one or two days in a row. Then don't feed anything on the next day. Also, if your fish like veggies, you could boil a zucchini enough to soften it and put it in the tank for the fish to nibble at once a week. These veggies will add some fiber into their diet and hopefully will help clear the constipation. If the poop is white and stringy, the fish may have an internal parasite. Their stomach area may look sunken in too. If this is the case, try the Jungle brand Anti-Parasite food. The pellets are rather big and hard, and you may want to soften them in tank water and cut them in half before feeding them to your fish. __________________ The canal walk through downtown Indianapolis

05-17-2008, 08:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
Phoenixphire55 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 237	Thanks for the help. They love zucchini so I'll start feeding them that more often. __________________ 15 gallon: 5 African clawed frogs 10 gallon: fb toads and fb newts 20 gallon: 8 Mollies, 4 Bronze Corys, pleco 35 gallon: 5 goldfish (3 fantails, 2 pearlscales)

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05-18-2008, 01:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
MisticX Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Montreal QC CA Posts: 163	molly's are admitted poop-lords, same for platys i have 3 red female platys in the tank, and each time i look at them at least one of 3 has a poop longer then she is (usually twice) if ALL your fish have same simptoms then that's bad (honestly i have no ideea how to differentiate maladies) anyhow, alternating food is a good thing for fish one other diet u can try is egg, boil the egg untill the shell cracks all by itself (usualy it's 3-5 mins .... you do it 10-15-20) this way u make sure the egg-yellow hardens like a rock. then clean the egg untill u get some HARD egg yellow, and then WASH IT... very important or your tank water will become milky cut it in small parts then wash the parts. feed fish, and actually u can even get the whole egg-yellow-ball inside the tank, hungry fish will attack it (hardens the fish jaw, that will later allow them to eat plants)