# White stringy poop is bad but what to do?



## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

Got a livingstonii whose poop is white and stringy. 




Is this a sign of a parasite as well as bloat? How do I treat and with what?

Been reading that I should add epsom in 1 tblsp per 10 g ratio and feed some peas. Should I do this asap? And what if anything should I order to treat the tank with? There is no way I can get this one cichlid out with the rockscape. Is it safe to treat the whole tank? Got wide range of mbuna and peacocks with these haps. Don't want to make things worse. Lost another livingstonii to bloat few days ago. I'm getting frustrated.

Parameters are 120 g tank with nitrate at less than 10. Running 2 cannister filters.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

If the fish are all eating you can feed metronidazole soaked pellets for 5-7 days. Check the bloat article linked below. PM me if you need a vendor for the metro.
Otherwise, you'll want to treat the whole tank which will be expensive. Sometimes it's better to remove the rocks.
What are you feeding and how long have the fish been in the tank?
You can start by adding epsom salt. Dissolve 2tbsp per 10g in a cup (or more) and add it to the tank gradually over 5 or 6 hours.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I've dodged bullets by adding Epsom salt before. Might want to review your feeding regimen as well. WHat else is in the tank? Are these fish getting picked on?

I've also lost a fish that contracted an internal parasite that basically consumed him from the inside out while he pooped like that. Nothing I could do helped.. (he got the parasite from a sick fish he ate)


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## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

All the other fish are eating. Feeding OSI flake only at this point till i can figure out whats going on. Have NLS pellet but have not been using it. Do not think it is aggression. Been sneaking up and watching. Have not seen anything aggressive toward the livingstonii. Even have minimized light time to chill them out a bit and reduce stress.

Plan to start epsom tomorrow for entire tank. Anything i need to be wary of using epsom? Never done it before.

Will PM you GTZ on metro source. Do you use pellet rather than flake if you soak? Thanks!


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I use NLS pellets for the metro soak. Actually I just made a batch earlier today, pics to follow.
For dosing epsom, I premix in a cup of warm/hot water so it dissolves easier. Take 5 or 6 hours to add the complete dose. I think a gradual increase is probably less stressful.

I use a mortar and pestle to make a fine powder out of the metro. It's not very water soluble at all. After that I use warm water and mix, then add the pellets and give it a quick stir before the pellets can turn to mush. I let this sit for 4 or 5 hours until the pellets are more or less dry, then give a quick stir and they're ready to go. These should last a few days.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I recently dosed my 180g with Epsom salt. It took a lot.. I just siphoned water into a 5g pail twice a day for 2 days, and added enough Epsom scoops of Epsom, stirred until dissolved and poured back into the tank .. it was over 100tbsp in a tank that size


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## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

Whats the ratio on the metro to water to pellets? Called the vendor you PM'd me about metro and it should be here tomorrow now. Will wait to use what i am getting from the vendor you pm'd me GTZ. Thanks!


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I don't really measure but try to make enough food for at least 4 days. I have an old Seachem Metro tube which has a scoop on the lid which according to Seachem is 150-200mg. 
For the above mixture, I think it was 7 or 8 scoops of metro and a dribble of hot/warm water to which I added enough food to last 4-5 days. I let it sit longer than I had planned, 4-5 hours wasn't long enough so I left it overnight and it was pretty dry in the morning. I did have to grind some clumps between my thumb and finger so the pellets weren't stuck together.


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## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

So I started feeding the metro soaked pellets yesterday finally. Now I noticed 2 fish are not eating at all. I am planning on taking down the rockscape and putting them in a hospital tank. Should I dose the hospital tank with the metro in the water and add some epsom? I do not have any clout handy.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I would dose the hospital tank, yes. Follow the bloat article for info.


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## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

Dosed the 20g hospital tank with metro last night per instructions on bottle. Also dosed 2 tbsp epsom. Checked the 2 fish this morning. They were fine. As of tonight however, not so much.

Just too late to treat the bloat or did I do something wrong? Odd that BOTH were dead as of tonight. Makes me think I dosed wrong somehow.

I have never had so many problems as I have in the last 4 months keeping cichlids. Never had to deal with bloat. As frustrating as anything I have seen in a tank and I have done salt tanks and heavily planted aquariums. Feeling discouraged. I am losing gorgeous fish.

Hope my pellets with metro help the remaining tank of fish.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

It can be quite discouraging, I know I've lost fish in the past. Honestly, it can be very difficult to bring some fish back to health even from the first symptoms like not eating. Don't be too hard on yourself.


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## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

On the bright side, I discovered that one of my Chipokas is carrying as is a Likoma. So the tank cannot be doing that badly.

And (cannot believe I am happy about this) there is normal looking poop coming out of my fish. Going into day 4 of metro soaked pellets. Hopefully it is working.

Thanks for the help and encouragement GTZ. Much appreciated.


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## hiyamoose (Nov 24, 2011)

Figured i would update this thread and again thank everybody for their help. The mbuna are thriving once again in my main tank. Fins are all extended. Nobody is hiding unless holding and even then they run up to the food. They congregate and eat furiously the minute I appear with NLS container. I have learned that at least one hospital tank is crucial in maintaining stability. So its on permanent standby running.

Thanks again.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Glad to hear that your tank has recovered. Thanks for the update! :thumb:


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## MeCasa (Apr 5, 2014)

I know it's not good to post on old posts but the title is relevant and the methods of cure are some that I tried.

6" Green Terror in 150g mixed planted cichlid tank (African and Central Americans). Fish looks healthy, very active but won't eat and has white stringy poo. 8 fish in 150 and they've been together 8 months

No tank changes other than standard conflict with same size Dempsey

Started pooing white so I treated entire tank with API General Cure as per instructions. Two full doses over a 48 hour period followed by water change

No Change

Tore tank apart but finally got Terror out and into 5 gallon quarantine. Started treating with salt, 1 tablespoon in 5 gallons with 50% new clean salted water every day for a week

No Change

Next I mixed Seachem Furan2 (full packet); 1 measure of Kanaplex and one measure of MetroPlex into the 5 gallon quarantine. Waited 36 +/- hours and dosed again, waited another 36 and changed 50% of water.

No change, refuses to eat and still white poo. Even after three weeks of no food this fish looks good and he's active enough to flare up when he sees fish in main tank (right next to quarantine)

Not sure what to do next

I almost wonder if he's just mega stressed and my work is doing nothing but stressing him more. Can't stand seeing him staring at main tank, thinking of letting him back in the 150, sorta like dying in your own bed.


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