# Four fish not eating, looks like white stringy poop...



## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

This has been going on for a few days. Did a 50% water change yesterday. I use a homemade buffer to treat the water after a water change, with a 50% water change in the 75 gallon I use 3 tablespoons baking soda, 3 tablespoons epsom salts, and 1 tablespoon sea salt. This gets the ph to 8.2, kh to 16 (drops per test kit) and gh to about 16. Could this have anything to do with the issue? Been doing this for 3 months, no issues until now.

As far as treatment, Metronidazole or Clout?


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## jwm2k3 (Oct 14, 2016)

Dont feed for a few days and monitor.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

jwm2k3 said:


> Dont feed for a few days and monitor.


Without treating with any medicine?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If you are thinking they have bloat, how do you think they got it? IME it usually starts with harassed fish that lurk under the surface or behind filter intakes or heaters.

If I remove either the victim or the aggressor(s) to another tank the victims usually recover with just peace and clean water...no treatment required.

As long as your pH has been stable for the 3 months, that should not be the cause. Especially with Epsom salts...that is a treatment for any intestinal issues. I'm thinking it might be something else.


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## Trademark (Dec 31, 2016)

IME ?


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## xgtphalex (Jan 30, 2017)

In my experience


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## Trademark (Dec 31, 2016)

Thx


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

I didn't notice any overt hassling of any of the fish, other than the normal 'quick chase' that would occur, not centered on any one fish. The fish seem very lethargic, and a couple will stay behind the filter intakes. Didn't feed them last night, and am keeping the lights off. I won't feed them for a few days, keep the lights off, and just watch to see if any changes occur.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Other than in the thread title, I do not see any mention of the 'stringy white poop.' Are you seeing this?


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Other than in the thread title, I do not see any mention of the 'stringy white poop.' Are you seeing this?


Some, not a lot. I haven't seen it actually coming out of a fish, just floating in the water.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

This is your evidence of harassed fish: and a couple will stay behind the filter intakes.

You want to stop the harassment (by separating the fish) and THEN observe and wait for improvement. If you make no stock changes, you are not likely to see improvement.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Take a look at this article-

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/m ... t2_pt1.php


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## musang (Feb 18, 2017)

thanks for the tips guys


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Yes, thanks to all for the assistance. So, after keeping the lights off and not feeding since Friday, the fish are still not eating. White stringy poop is hanging from a couple of them. One of them has the 'bloated' look. The super red empress is also 'coughing' as described in the linked article, and all the fish not eating have some of the symptoms described in that article. I assume my next step would be to start treating the tank with Metronidazole or Clout as soon as possible. No point in setting up a hospital tank as the number of affected fish don't really make that a good option. I just need to acquire the medicine, no decent local stores close by.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Pays to look at what you've got on hand... I have some left-over API 'General Cure', which contains 250mg of metronidazole and 75mg proziquantel per dose, 4 doses left. I can start with that, and I know the local stores have it.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

General Cure works but is expensive, especially when treating your whole tank. PM me for a pure Metro source if intereseted.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> General Cure works but is expensive, especially when treating your whole tank. PM me for a pure Metro source if intereseted.


PM sent.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Question on treatment procedure. The article linked to early has this as the treatment procedure:

Add 250mg metronidazole for every 10 gallons daily for 5-10 days with each dosage preceded by a 30-40% water change. If after 5 treatments you've noticed an improvement as well as a bowel movement, attempt feeding metro treated food, otherwise, wait 24 hours and begin treatment again, starting with a 30% water change. Remove any uneaten food after 5-10 minutes. If eating and bowel movements return to normal, continue the metro treated food for a further 3 days with water changes before each feeding.

Round up to 80 gallons (75 gallon tank) that's 1000mg for each full treatment. Is the amount of metronidazole to use each day calculated on the amount of water changed, or the full tank volume each day? I assume full tank volume, but figured I'd ask.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Full tank volume.

Metronidazole stays active for approx 8 hours. So an alternative approach is to dose in the morning, then water change/dose in the evening. Double dose will not harm the fish and I would advise doing so in your case.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Heh, I have a bachelors in mathematics, but I still can't do simple multiplication. 2000 mg per dose, not 1000. I'd like to claim a simple typo, but... :lol:


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Since Monday I've been dosing heavily, twice what that article suggests, which makes if 4 - 6 times as much as the directions on the medicine indicates. Dosing 2000 mg in the morning, doing a 50% water change in the evening and again dosing 2000 mg. Also have been keeping the lights off, and not feeding. Fish have been calm, hardly any aggression, just normal minor stuff. The affected fish seem to be moving a bit more normally, the one who's belly was bloated looks almost back to normal now. But, I tried to feed them this morning, they still won't eat.

So, continue with the treatment as I've been doing it? Do something differently?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I'd go for up to 10 days.

I'd make up a batch of medicated food as well. I believe it explains that in the bloat article


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Thanks for the tip on the vendor, Iggy, that'll come in handy going up to 10 days. Significantly cheaper!


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

No problem. Just passing along that info I got years ago from a fellow member... Pay it forward :wink:


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Metro finally came yesterday (thanks again, Iggy!). I ran out of it last Friday, so I haven't been dosing, feeding, or doing any water changes since then. Last night I dosed the Metro and also fed some flakes. The 4 fish in question, while acting a bit better, still didn't eat. This morning I dosed again. I just fed the tank some metro soaked brine shrimp, and two of the four ate like little pigs. The two who aren't eating yet are a Cyrtocara moorii/blue dolphin and a Sciaenochromis fryeri/electric blue ahli. Here's my plan... 50% water change now, dose Metro again tonight. Dose metro every morning and night, do a 50% water change tomorrow night before dosing, and maybe again Friday. Feed lightly one a day with metro soaked food. Continue thoughout the week, until all fish are eating again (or, I hate to say it, the two remaining are deceased). Anyone see anything wrong with that plan, or anything I could be doing differently/better?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Looks good and glad 2 have came out of it.
What did you normally feed them? Before the bloat? You could try dosing that food as well.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Mostly flake, occasionally mysis shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, and once in a while nls pellets. Some of the fish wouldn't eat pellets, but they all ate the others.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Update time. There's good news, and there's bad news. Good news, only one fish is still not eating, my Sciaenochromis Fryeri "Maleri Island", (Ahli Electric Blue). Bad news, besides the fact that it still isn't eating, it's missing a pectoral fin. Didn't notice it before today, but don't really know when he lost it. He is swimming around, not hiding, gets all excited when I walk up to the tank like he's hungry but still won't eat. I'll continue with my every other day water change as well as dosing metro at the same high levels, and see what happens.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

That's great man, other than the Fryeri...


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Four weeks later, and the fryeri finally ate. For a couple of days he's been 'mouthing' food but spitting it out. Two days ago he might have eaten a small piece of mysis shrimp, but I'm not sure. Yesterday morning he sucked in a lot of flake, but after a little bit he spit it all out. But last night he actually ate, and kept down, one frozen brine shrimp. Time will tell...


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Are you still dosing the main tank?


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

I stopped dosing this weekend.


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## 20-20 (Feb 24, 2015)

Final update, I'm calling success! All four fish are eating, including the fryeri. He's a little picky, but eats mysis shrimp, frozen bring shrimp, and flakes. And his pectoral fin grew back!

Thanks to everyone for their help, it is GREATLY appreciated! :thumb:


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Awesome news. Nice to hear the success stories.


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