bloated/ stringy white feces

[Jstuver]

I have 2 discus that have stopped eating. The one is bloated and the other has stringy white feces.
What med treatment should I use?

[Eddie]

Metro and Epsom Salt. I'd definitely do an epsom salt bath for the bloated one to see if comes around. How long have they not been eating? Have you tried live foods, higher temps?

Eddie

[Jstuver]

They started not eating about 3-4 days ago. I don't have any epsom salt so I will get some tomorrow and I will treat the tank with metro tonight.
My temp is about 84 should I turn it up?

[Eddie]

They started not eating about 3-4 days ago. I don't have any epsom salt so I will get some tomorrow and I will treat the tank with metro tonight.
My temp is about 84 should I turn it up?

How old are your fish? Higher heat increases appetite. I'd definitely get some Epsom salt for the bloated one, preferably tonight. If the bloat does not subside with Epsom salt, you are looking at another possible course of treatment for endo-parasites or internal bacteria. In this case, you'll need to pick up something along the lines of Kanamycin. Seachem makes a product called Kanaplex that is kanamycin.

HTH
Eddie

[Jstuver]

K thanks.

[Jstuver]

Honestly not sure how old the fish are they are all between 4-6"

[Eddie]

Okay, should be eating then. I'd remove the fish that are not eating. If it is in fact flagellates, it can be transferred to other fish if they mouth the feces of the effected fish. Best to avoid that all together.

Eddie

[Jstuver]

I am headed to get some epsom salt right now, I haven't done a salt bath on a fish in a long time is there a link to what I need to do? Like how much salt and for how long?

[Eddie]

I am headed to get some epsom salt right now, I haven't done a salt bath on a fish in a long time is there a link to what I need to do? Like how much salt and for how long?

Well an Epsom salt bath is generally done and within 4 hours, the fish should be excreting something. If not, you may need to keep the fish in it overnight and if then nothing changes, you have a bacteria infection for sure.

I use 2 tbsp per 10 gallons and if nothing happens after a few hours, I will put another tbsp in and not any more than that.

Epsom salt was can be used at a lower dose but I find that it needs to be increased most of the time.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=34834

HTH
Eddie

[Jstuver]

No improvement on the bloated fish so I am in the search for something with kanamycin in it around here.

[Eddie]

No improvement on the bloated fish so I am in the search for something with kanamycin in it around here.

Can you get maracyn-2, it can also treat internal bacteria infection.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4842

Eddie

[Jstuver]

What a frustrating day I looked at 4 different places for anything with kanamycin or for maracyn 2 came up with nothing! Petsmart normally has maracyn 2 but were completly out!
I am still treating with metro and hope that I can find the maracyn 2 tomorrow at a pet store I didn't make it to today.

[rickztahone]

What a frustrating day I looked at 4 different places for anything with kanamycin or for maracyn 2 came up with nothing! Petsmart normally has maracyn 2 but were completly out!
I am still treating with metro and hope that I can find the maracyn 2 tomorrow at a pet store I didn't make it to today.

how are you treating the metro currently?

[Jstuver]

In the tank.

[Eddie]

Sometimes its best to order these products online Express or overnight mail. Even just ordering priority, I get most products no later than 5 days in Japan.

Eddie

[Jstuver]

I got the maracyn 2 today we will see how it goes.

[Eddie]

I got the maracyn 2 today we will see how it goes.

Sounds great! Let use know

All the best of luck,

Eddie

[Jstuver]

OK this poor guy is just getting worse!! The poor thing is now blown up like a balloon!! Not sure what else I can do:(

[Eddie]

If you used Epsom and an antibiotic, there isn't much else you can do. Kanamycin would be the preferred antibiotic but it may not be advantageous at this point. You may need to put the fish down. Get some Kana for future occurrences but it seems too late at the moment. Sorry to hear :(


Eddie

[alanschembri]

Hi guys, I currently have a similar problem with stringy white feces but NO bloating.

I have introduced 6 juvenile 8cm discus in my planted a month ago, 3 of them have been eating abunduntly (beefheart mix twice daily) and are growing nicely whilst the other 3 have been hiding ever since, barely eating at all. Last week (Saturday) I noticed the long white stringy feces on one of them and decided to quarantine the 3 of them immediately. I am using a small 10gal tank. Have dosed one teaspoonful of magnesium sulphate, increased the temperature to 30-31degC and started the Esha Hexamita 3-day treatment.

Today I tried feeding some frozen bloodworms and after a few minutes, they discovered the food and successfully fed from the bottom. This is good news :) but I'm not sure how I should proceed though... I am cautious about 2 things:
1) how to know that they are free from any disease before returning into planted
2) how can I prevent the same thing happening - fear they were being bullied in planted tank and ended up always hiding, developing some form of disease from malnutrition

[Eddie]

Hello and Welcome to Simply discus!!

One thing I will point out that is very important, is that it is impossible to free any fish from some sort of parasite or bacteria. It is the fishes immune system that allows it combat these issues. When a fishes immunities are low, the parasites, whether endo or ecto start to overcome and do their dirty work.

Since your fish are eating, it would be wise to keep them where they are and feed them with good quality foods rich in vitamins. Something to help boost their immune systems. Keeping them in clean water and fed well will keep them in good shape and then I would introduce them back into the community tank. It is not uncommon to have a relapse of Spironucleus (flagallates) especially when the fish is immediately returned to a stressful environment.


All the best and wishing your fish well,

Eddie

[alanschembri]

Thanks Eddie. Now that the 3 day treatment is over, I will perform daily water changes for a week and enrich their food by soaking in Vitamins. See how it all goes...

[alanschembri]

Recovery seems to be on the way, at least for 2 of them - one of them has become very alert for food and eats both bloodworms and beefheart mix, another one although slower is eating just bloodworms, the third one (probably the one actually suffering from flagallates) is still not eating anything. The good news is that I have not seen any white feces in the quarantine tank since last Saturday when I started treatment.

I will retain all 3 in this tank for time being as per your suggestion Eddie, continuing with 25% daily water changes and feeding with vitamin supplements twice a day. What I fear is space - 10 gallons for 3 juvenile discus which need space to grow could become an issue in the medium term - is that so?

[Eddie]

Recovery seems to be on the way, at least for 2 of them - one of them has become very alert for food and eats both bloodworms and beefheart mix, another one although slower is eating just bloodworms, the third one (probably the one actually suffering from flagallates) is still not eating anything. The good news is that I have not seen any white feces in the quarantine tank since last Saturday when I started treatment.

I will retain all 3 in this tank for time being as per your suggestion Eddie, continuing with 25% daily water changes and feeding with vitamin supplements twice a day. What I fear is space - 10 gallons for 3 juvenile discus which need space to grow could become an issue in the medium term - is that so?

Its fine for now, just temporary for a few days more. You may need to keep the one not eating in the QT until he gets back on food. You may even need to run another round of treatment with that one.

All the best and glad that the 2 are doing well!

Eddie

[alanschembri]

10x Eddie, I will return the two healthy ones back in the planted tank tomorrow. They have become very alert for food, waiting eagerly at the top whenever they see my shadows around - something I've never seen these 2 kids doing till last week.

As to the other one, he/she appears to be ok at first sight, swimming around the tank with his/her mates. However, I've never seen him eating anything yet so I will keep him alone in QT for time being, see if he improves without any competition for food. Already started second course of Esha Hexamita treatment on Wed - should do no harm to healthy fish coz it's quite mild.

[Eddie]

10x Eddie, I will return the two healthy ones back in the planted tank tomorrow. They have become very alert for food, waiting eagerly at the top whenever they see my shadows around - something I've never seen these 2 kids doing till last week.

As to the other one, he/she appears to be ok at first sight, swimming around the tank with his/her mates. However, I've never seen him eating anything yet so I will keep him alone in QT for time being, see if he improves without any competition for food. Already started second course of Esha Hexamita treatment on Wed - should do no harm to healthy fish coz it's quite mild.

Sounds good! All the best with them,

Eddie