Strange white Discharge- Wild discus

[@discus]

Hi,
i have an issue where my Wild discus has stopped eating for 5 weeks now. I see some strange white discharge and want to get an opinion on. I dont think it is hexamita but strange shape. Any help/ suggestions would be much appreciative. Attached is the picture.134537
thanks,134537

[brewmaster15]

Hi,
That fish is in pretty rough shape.
Best guess here is capillaria worms... that yellowish clump is likely a mass of eggs.... these tend to be yellowish and barrel shaped under a microscope. Have you ever dewormed this fish?

Can you post more about how you care for it and what it has been eating?
Al

[brewmaster15]

Have a look here..
http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/internal/nematodes.shtml

[@discus]

Hi,
That fish is in pretty rough shape.
Best guess here is capillaria worms... that yellowish clump is likely a mass of eggs.... these tend to be yellowish and barrel shaped under a microscope. Have you ever dewormed this fish?

Can you post more about how you care for it and what it has been eating?
Al

yes, it was deformed using metro, prazi, levamisole, flubendazode, & PP. I went through the entire cycle. It used to eat fine but only blackworm. I was trying to get him to dry foods and maybe tried too hard. Attached is the prior picture when he looked awesome. It is a blue face heckle. Rest of the pack is doing good. I had them moved to the dry food. This one never did. Now he does not eat even blackworm.
134540

[brewmaster15]

He was a really nice looking fish. Heckels can be difficult to keep healthy.. I do think you may want to treat again with levamisole and see if you can get it eating something. Do you have access to any live foods?

AL

[captainandy]

Huge daily water changes, salt, lower pH to 5 and live black worms.
I think the white is intestinal shedding.
Heckels are tough to keep alive

[@discus]

Huge daily water changes, salt, lower pH to 5 and live black worms.
I think the white is intestinal shedding.
Heckels are tough to keep alive

Thanks. I am also of the opinion that is is stomach lining. Any specific cure for that.
I do feed him live blackworm but he is not eating that. Takes in the mouth and spits out. This was last week. Now, he just stares at the worms.
thanks,

[brewmaster15]

This is one of thoses cases I dread .. whitish feces can mean alot of things and can be just the symptom of stress. This fish is emaciated and has eroded fins.. I believe it has parasites. If there was only white feces I would suggest metronidazole but that yellow glob is a very good indicator of capillaria.A microscope would tell for sure. Treating for worms is easy .. and follow up with metronidazole if no improvement . However the damage by parasites takes weeks to heal so you need to be patient as well. This fish didn't waste away over night and unfortunately it wont recover overnight.

Good luck.
Al

[@discus]

This is one of thoses cases I dread .. whitish feces can mean alot of things and can be just the symptom of stress. This fish is emaciated and has eroded fins.. I believe it has parasites. If there was only white feces I would suggest metronidazole but that yellow glob is a very good indicator of capillaria.A microscope would tell for sure. Treating for worms is easy .. and follow up with metronidazole if no improvement . However the damage by parasites takes weeks to heal so you need to be patient as well. This fish didn't waste away over night and unfortunately it wont recover overnight.

Good luck.
Al

Ya, I have started Metro and levamisole. Lets see. I have some good luck with all types of wild including heckel. This one was the odd one and choose only to eat black worms. some wilds in my collection. 134541

[captainandy]

Thanks. I am also of the opinion that is is stomach lining. Any specific cure for that.
I do feed him live blackworm but he is not eating that. Takes in the mouth and spits out. This was last week. Now, he just stares at the worms.
thanks,

The intestinal slough, if that’s the case, is a result of poly drug intestinal damage.
The fish likely has extreme anorexia but might recover.
Worms and most intestinal bugs are usually easily eradicated by the meds you have already used.
A few months back I almost lost a pair of snakeskin pigeons with similar symptoms. Went thru the same medication protocols without progress.

Raised temps, 100 percent water changes and lowered the pH. A week later they started eating again.
Just remember though, this was my experience and may not apply to you.
I would never discount Al’s recommendation though