Long white string of poo

[newhobbist]

One of my fish (Opaline Gourami) has often has long white string of poo, sometimes reaching 3 inches. The fish does not behave normally either. It is not as active and often jusl sits on gravel. I've read something about it a long time ago and understand that it is not something rare, but cannot recall what it is and how to treat it. Could anybody help me?

 

[greenmaji]

Internal parisites.. medicated food for internal parisites.. HTH

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree with GM. More than likely internal parasites. Medicated anti-parasitic foods often take care of the problem. If it is not eating however, you may have to treat with metronidazole.

 

[Primetime]

Are they contageous?? because all of my Platies had this too (I had 5, and I only have 1 now but my survivor is healthy).

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

If the fish eats the affected one, my pleco has been doing this since the day my mom got him, (poo in a casing), it doesn't seem to affect anyone but him, and he doesn't seem to care, he's about 7 years old now. I didn't think anything of it when she gave him to me, then I noticed reading up on Heximita about the "cased poo"..

I really can't answer the contagious part since my Pleco is very much alive (and reminds me of it every day I have to replant).

 

[zach_fresh]

get some Gel Tek Ultra Cure PX. your fish are supposed to eat it, but mine never would. what i did was net the fish and then drop the treatment in his mouth, this worked. one of the guys at my LFS told me he did it that way with his Discus when they had internal parasites.

 

[newhobbist]

Internal parisites.. medicated food for internal parisites..

Yesterday I started feeding my fish with Pepso Food, which is supposed to clear intestinal fish parasites. Directions say that I have to use if for three days and then return to normal food. I decided not to quarantine the sick fish because there is a chance that some other fish have the same problem, but in earlier stages. The Opaline Gourami (sick fish) eats that food, so I think everything should be ok. Let's wait for two more days.

 

[Rondory]

ewww, I didn't even know they could get internal parasites like that.
Best of luck treating your poor fish.

 

[jrp1588]

well...I'd say this explains a few mysters molly deaths I've had...hehe

 

[newhobbist]

Yesterday I started feeding my fish with Pepso Food, which is supposed to clear intestinal fish parasites. Directions say that I have to use if for three days and then return to normal food. I decided not to quarantine the sick fish because there is a chance that some other fish have the same problem, but in earlier stages. The Opaline Gourami (sick fish) eats that food, so I think everything should be ok. Let's wait for two more days.

I treated the fish for three days and then went for vacation. When I came back, the fish looked a little bit better. Though it still sat at the tank bottom sometimes, it swam more thatn before, and didn't have that string of poo anymore. However, it looks smaller than before, expecially, compared to Golden Gourami that was of the same size with the Opaline Gourami just a month ago, and it looks pale all the time (it doesn't show rich colors that these fish should show).