[jasminaj]

I could use some expert advice in figuring out if I have a problem in my tank. I have been feeding metro soaked food for 8 days now. It all started with a bully fish terrorizing tank mates which resulted in two fish dying (not sure if they were killed or sick), and another one having bloat and barely making it. Then I noticed a few other fish had slightly sunken bellies, so I suspected parasites and started feeding metro soaked food twice a day. Now, 8 days later, all fish seem active, I don't see sunken bellies, everyone is eating eagerly, but I still see long white poop on some of them. Any advice if I should continue feeding metro soaked food or switch to API General Cure? Or both? Any ideas what I am dealing with? Attaching pictures of long poop and a few general tank photos to show the rest of the fish

Do parasites stunt growth? I noticed my fish growing very rapidly in the first 6 months or so, but then the growth really tapered off. Some seem small for their age (1 year old), like my rusties (under 2") and my yellow labs (~2-2.5"). Is this the expected size at this age? Could it be that they've had parasites for a while and I just never realized it?

Tank is 75 gallon. Water params: ammonia and nitrites are 0, nitrates 5-10. Water temp is 78-79. I feed NLF algae max food and Spirulina 20 flakes.

Thanks for any help!
Jasmina

 

[jasminaj]

One more photo od white stringy poop. You can never have enough

 

[DJRansome]

If they are eating the poop should be food colored soon. I would continue the metro food.

Yes illness can slow growth.

 

[jasminaj]

Hello, I can really use some more advice with my tank. The problems continue and I have no idea what I'm dealing with.

First, the very long stringy poop continues in some fish, nearly two weeks after I started feeding metro soaked food. When can I expect that to go away? It affects different fish at different times, to varying extent.

Then, about two days ago I noticed redness at the base of my yellow lab's pectoral fins (pictures attached).

Finally, there is another yellow lab that spends all of its time lying on the bottom of the tank, always in the same spot. It doesn't seem to be hiding since the spot is relatively exposed and it swims up when I approach, and seems to eat normally, just acts lethargic the rest of the time.

All fish seem to eat eagerly (but I can't tell if they all swallow all the food), and act normally except for the lethargic one.

Any thoughts on what is going on with my tank? Everything was running smoothly for months (except a possible ich outbreak early on), but now it's one problem after another and I'm throughly confused

 

[DJRansome]

First, the very long stringy poop continues in some fish, nearly two weeks after I started feeding metro soaked food. When can I expect that to go away? It affects different fish at different times, to varying extent.

Long stringy feces is normal. Stringy meaning thick. Thready meaning thin, like a fine hair or thread. It is only abnormal when it is clear or white (not food colored). Intermittent clear/white feces is also OK as long as the feces are food colored 50% of the time or more on a particular fish.

redness at the base of my yellow lab's pectoral fins (pictures attached).

Isolate this fish and treat for septicemia.

yellow lab that spends all of its time lying on the bottom of the tank, always in the same spot. It doesn't seem to be hiding since the spot is relatively exposed and it swims up when I approach, and seems to eat normally, just acts lethargic the rest of the time.

Isolate this fish and treat with metronidazole.

 

[noddy]

How have you been treating with metro? I always had success by dosing every eight hours for 7 days.
Ime, anything less is a waste of time.

 

[jasminaj]

I've only been feeding the metro Soaked food, but didn't put anything in the water.

 

[noddy]

I've only been feeding the metro Soaked food, but didn't put anything in the water.

Should be fine as long as you are treating the food with 1/4tsp per 40 gallons every eight hours.

 

[jasminaj]

Noddy are you saying that for my 75 gallon I need to mix in almost 1/2 tsp of meds in the food at every feeding?

DJRanson how do I treat for septicemia? I can't find much info on it. I just noticed that I have another fish that has a red spot on the face. See attached picture. Is this the same thing? I need to borrow and setup a hospital tank if that's what you mean by isolating. I also have a breeder box that I've used in the past to hang onto the inside of the main tank to put fish if someone is picking on them. Would that work in this case?

Thanks everyone for the help!

 

[jasminaj]

Also forgot to respond about the poop. What I saw this morning was the thickness of human hair, barely visible and it seemed clear to me

 

[DJRansome]

Regarding the feces. the discharge would have to be clear and thready 100% of the time on that particular fish. If it is intermittent and the fish is eating and active, the fish is healthy.

Yes isolating would be separate cycled tank. You do this so the fish is not harassed and you can medicate the one that is sick.

If the other fish are/were eating, the metro food will/did work. But you have one that is not eating so you have to put the straight metro into the water.

For the septicemia, you can try erythromycin or furan-2. Another reason to isolate is that medicines can kill the beneficial organisms in the main tank causing you to have to cycle the tank again.

 

[noddy]

Noddy are you saying that for my 75 gallon I need to mix in almost 1/2 tsp of meds in the food at every feeding?

I'm saying that you need to treat the tank with 1/2 tsp of metro in a 75g tank and you need to do it every eight hours since that is how long the metro is active for.
If you are treating the food then that's the way I would do it.
I personally would be looking for Kanaplex as it can be absorbed through the skin in the water column and whenever I have treated with metro the fish have not been eating. Even when they are not eating I found that they would still join in the feeding frenzy and just mouth at the food.
If you mix the metro into a paste and treat while feeding the ones that are not eating will still ingest the meds.

 

[jasminaj]

Ok thank you both. I stopped by the local fish store that specializes in cichlids and they also suggested Kanaplex in the main tank since no fish are being picked on and everyone is eating. I first did a 40% water change, then dozed the tank with Kanaplex and then added kanaplex to the metro food mix and fed that once so far. Maybe I'm imagining things, but the redness on one of the pectoral fins seems to be gone and it's only been a few hours since dosing

 

[jasminaj]

I wanted to provide and update in case someone finds it helpful in the future.

My fish are all healed. I used a course of Kanaplex (6 days total) both in the food and added to water. I saw improvement after feedings but it was short lived. At the end of 6 days there was still redness at the base of pectoral fins and on another fish's face. I followed this by a 7 day course of Melafix. At the end of 7 days there was still some redness but it disappeared in the next few days. I also added a sponge filter with an air stone, bumped up the temp a little (~79-80F) and did water changes every two days after the medication treatments were over. Some combination of the above steps worked and both fish are doing well with no signs of redness.

 

[DJRansome]

Glad your fish are doing well.

 

[Deeda]

Good to hear your fish are healed and doing well, thanks for the update.