White poop

[GregMD]

For tank background see this post: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...iscuss-Disease

Changes from that post are I have a breeding part that has been removed and lost one fish that was previously sick. I upped my water changes to every other day.

Since that original post they all rebounded and were eating well and seeming to grow well.

However the last 2-3 week the smallest fish and one other have been hiding and not eating or eating sparingly.

Today I noticed white long poop in the little guy. Here is the video: https://share.icloud.com/photos/009i...6a7awN-pyS7STw

Any advice? I haven't started any meds or done anything different yet.

[Iminit]

Yes this always happens in a discus tank. Not sure why. But one fish will move away from the others and stop eating. I’ve removed these fish and treated with metro in qt tank. Some survived some didn’t. You need to remove them as soon as they start hiding. What I’ve been doing lately is adding metro to a teaspoon of sera bits making them soggy so the metro sticks to it and feeding this every 2 months for 2 feeding over 2 days. Has been working so far.

[brewmaster15]

Greg,
Possibly and most likely protozoans like hexamita.Since the weak ones arent really eating I would treat with metronidazole in the tank... 500 mgs/ 10 gals water... large water changes daily then redose. Carry this out for 10 days minimum. There is no need to raise the temperature.. normal tank temps are fine .
Use pure metro..you can buy it reasonably at Jehmco.com They ship fast and are very good people to work with. You can price it on the web there but best to call in your order.

Hth, al

[GregMD]

Thanks so much. I really appreciate the help. I'll order from jehmco.

I have Fritz paracleanse currently. Any reason you wouldn't start with that until the straight metro comes? It's 250 mg metronidazole and 75 mg praziquantel per 10 gallons. I dont' know if I could double that and use paracleanse.

I'm guessing I wouldn't get a Jehmco order until Thursday of next week because of the holiday. They are very good people to work with, I've placed a number of orders.

[brewmaster15]

Greg, I don't see any harm in using the Fritz product you have since its giving you the actual concentration in mgs. I would not double the dose though.. the prazi it has is 75 mg... generally prazi is dosed at 100 mg per 10 gals.. if you doubled the fritz you would be at 150 mg prazi per 10. That should not be an issue but it could stress your fish out.. so I wouldnt risk it.. just use the fritz until you get metro from Jehmco and start your 10 day clock at that point

Hth,
Al

[GregMD]

Update here:

I began by dosing this tank with Fritz Paracleanse on 5/27 and then on 5/29 per the manufacturers instructions. Then 5/30 I started with daily water changes (80%+) and straight metro (500mg per 10 gallons). On 6/1 I noticed some slime fuzz on the sickest fish so I added salt at 1tbs per 5 gallons.

The salt seems to be helping with the external issue, and I THINK that the sickest two fish are showing better color. Still too early to tell but hoping they turn the corner in the next few days. Planning on continuing for a full 10 day metro treatment.

The other four fish in the tanking are eating and behaving as normal. Two have paired off and are breeding (see: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...t-of-questions). So they must be relatively happy eh?

[brewmaster15]

Sounds like a good plan Greg . That the others are breeding is because you have done so well with them.. congrats!
Al

[brewmaster15]

Greg, How is the treatment going?
Al

[GregMD]

Al-

I lost the smallest fish. It wasn’t entirely unexpected as it hadn’t eaten in a few weeks. The only reason I was a little surprised was because it was looking better and colored up after the treatment started. Of the others most are eating well but I have another (different) fish that isn’t eating. Today marked the 10 day of metro. I’m hoping they continue to progress.

Greg