What the heck is this ????

[TankWatcher]

My 2 white pearl albinos have not eaten since I got them (beginning of May). At first, their poops looked thin, white, jellyish & segmented - which seemed like a job for levamisole. I treated twice with levamisole, with a break of around 7 days in between. Didn't seem to help - but the poops started to change.

Poops remained white & jellyish, but became thicker. So after a week med free, out came the metro. I am dosing 500mg per 10 US Gallons, repeating the dose twice a day. Epsom salt is also added with each dose of metro. Water change 50% once daily. I have just finished day 7.

Today's poops are by far the most gelatinous, biggest, glugiest ones I've seen. So things seem to be getting worse?

Am I on the right track with the metro?

Any help would be appreciated. I am more than a little worried that I won't win this battle.

[Eddie]

My 2 white pearl albinos have not eaten since I got them (beginning of May). At first, their poops looked thin, white, jellyish & segmented - which seemed like a job for levamisole. I treated twice with levamisole, with a break of around 7 days in between. Didn't seem to help - but the poops started to change.

Poops remained white & jellyish, but became thicker. So after a week med free, out came the metro. I am dosing 500mg per 10 US Gallons, repeating the dose twice a day. Epsom salt is also added with each dose of metro. Water change 50% once daily. I have just finished day 7.

Today's poops are by far the most gelatinous, biggest, glugiest ones I've seen. So things seem to be getting worse?

Am I on the right track with the metro?

Any help would be appreciated. I am more than a little worried that I won't win this battle.

Hey there Robyn, I think you are on the right track with the Metro. I'd finish out the treatment and if the poo continues out the same, you will need to go with an internal bacterial med such as Kanamycin. Secondary internal bacteria infections can stem from Spiro.

I can't see the pictures from the job but I don't need to see them to make the suggestion. Its what seems to going on from your explanation.

Hope this helps,

Eddie

[Ed13]

Hey there Robyn, I think you are on the right track with the Metro. I'd finish out the treatment and if the poo continues out the same, you will need to go with an internal bacterial med such as Kanamycin. Secondary internal bacteria infections can stem from Spiro.

I can't see the pictures from the job but I don't need to see them to make the suggestion. Its what seems to going on from your explanation.

Hope this helps,

Eddie

Eddie I think you'll need to see this pics. THAT POO is STRANGE. Looks like drops of dired silicone. Big and thick too!

Sorry I can't help you Robyn!

[Eddie]

Eddie I think you'll need to see this pics. THAT POO is STRANGE. Looks like drops of dired silicone. Big and thick too!

Sorry I can't help you Robyn!

Hmmm....I'll have a looksy later on tonight then, when I return from work.

Eddie

[kaceyo]

I agree with Eddie's advice. Finish the metro treatment, and if there is no improvement, Treat with Kanamycin for two weeks min.

Kacey

[pcsb23]

As trhe fish hasn't eaten in a while I'd be tempted to get it eating before medicating further. Live food may achieve that, then re-assess.

[Roxanne]

My goodness Robyn....ew....we need a new category for poopy description....looks like white silcone...or...something something

Are you sure it came from a fishes bum?...did you scope it?...it looks huge on the slide...is it hard?...go on...touch it

Rox

[TankWatcher]

Thanks, Eddie, Ed13 & Kacey for the good advice

As trhe fish hasn't eaten in a while I'd be tempted to get it eating before medicating further. Live food may achieve that, then re-assess.

Hi Paul, I'll see if I can get hold of some live black worm tonight. Today, I left a little ABW in the tank while I'm away. I've kept up the metro though, as I thought you always needed to finish a course of antibiotics.

Are you sure it came from a fishes bum?

it was on the tank bottom. Can't say where it came from with any certainty. I wonder if it's poop or stomach lining.

did you scope it?

Already confessed to Paul I am a dufus & intimidated by the scope but I will learn how to use it soon. Paul agreed that it's no point scoping it now, as it's been out of the tank too long (needs to be fresh to be of use)

it looks huge on the slide...is it hard?...go on...touch it

It felt like it looked - soft, squishy & gelatinous. Overnight, it sort of evaporated leaving not much left on the slide.

[pcsb23]

...I've kept up the metro though, as I thought you always needed to finish a course of antibiotics...

Yes you should do. good luck.

[TankWatcher]

Update:
LFS was closed by the time I got there, so I will have to try again tomorrow to get the live food. Today, it didn't seem as if any of the ABW I left for them were eaten.

Appearance:
being albino, I guess they can't go black. Fins still erect, but around their face area, as well as everywhere there is any sort of join on their body (eg fin meets body, gill etc) you can see a definite redness.

Does this redness give any extra clue as to what might be the issue here?

No strange poops today.

Starting to get my scope ready to use. Finally got it out of the box & put it together. Installed the camera software, but something isn't working right - have to wait for my IT specialist (son) to come check it out. I hope to figure out this scope / camera soon, so if there are any more of those weird droppings in the tank, I can post the scope pics here for help.

[Roxanne]

....I saw that picture in my dream last night Robyn..it's bothering me for some reason, maybe cos I just want to know what the...it is!....is there any way it could be tape worm segments? didn't you say it started after the Levamisole?

I probably sound stupid...stabbing in the dark....

Rox

[pcsb23]

Robyn, this redness is it in streaks?

[TankWatcher]

....I saw that picture in my dream last night Robyn..it's bothering me for some reason, maybe cos I just want to know what the...it is!....is there any way it could be tape worm segments? didn't you say it started after the Levamisole?

I probably sound stupid...stabbing in the dark....

Rox

Hey Rox, when I started with levamsole, it was definitely poop & definitely segmented. This stuff is no longer segmented. Can't even say for sure it's poop, as it was on the tank bottom by the time I saw it.

Robyn, this redness is it in streaks?

When the fins join the body, it is like a dividing line. Around the face, it is just a general reddish look. I will try for pic's tonight when I get home.

[TankWatcher]

Hi again

I didn't think anyone ate any of Mal's ABW I left for them yesterday, but maybe someone did have a few bites, as there was some normal poops. Don't know if it was either of the albinos or if it was the stunted one that is sharing QT with them. No further weird poops (or whatever it was).

Just given them some live black worms - hope they eat. I've left them alone in privacy.

As mentioned earlier, they are looking a little red - mainly around their face/nose area & also where their fins meet their body. Anyone know what this means? Pics follow

[Armandi_Fishcarer]

Robyn, sounds like you are having trouble with these beautiful albinos. Sorry can't help you with this one. Hope someone comes around soon thats more familar with these issues, & all gets well soon! Keep up those med's(full coarse), w/c's & your spirit up too.

Regards
Ahmed