Tape-Like Poop

CrunchAttack · Jul 20, 2022

Hello!

I'd love any insight folks might have for a new hobbyist with his first fish.

My clownfish started having stringy tape-like poop last week. It sticks to his body, is thicker and flat like a piece of white tape. At first his behavior hadn't changed much, but now he is swimming mostly just in my rock work (previously always swam in the open water in the currents) and isn't eating much at all (previously gobbled all pellets and frozen shrimp).

Tank Details
13.5 gallon
June 10 - start of tank inhabitants. Put clownfish in (running only 1 fish so opted for no QT and accepted I might have to go fishless if I have an issue).
June 24 - preemptively treated with Prazipro. Hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary, yet, but my LFS recommended to do that for all fish. I waited until my second WC before dosing the medicine.
July 10 - weird poop started, did a water change and re-dosed Prazipro.
July 13 - fish started to hang more in the rockwork than out in the open.
July 17 - fish quit eating as much (if any) but will nip at my nassarius snail's snorkel if it's out when I feed.

I've attached a picture of what I feed and what I could get of my clown.

Temp 78 (fluctuates 0.5 degrees)
Salinity 35 ppt
pH 7.9 - 8.0
Anomia 0
N02 0
N03 5 - 10 (hits 10, then weekly water change brings back to 5)

Doctorgori · Jul 20, 2022

I’ll let the pros answer the main question but I’d get the green spriluna feed shrimp. The plain ones are basically fruit loops nutritionally speaking

vetteguy53081 · Jul 20, 2022

CrunchAttack said:
Hello!

I'd love any insight folks might have for a new hobbyist with his first fish.

My clownfish started having stringy tape-like poop last week. It sticks to his body, is thicker and flat like a piece of white tape. At first his behavior hadn't changed much, but now he is swimming mostly just in my rock work (previously always swam in the open water in the currents) and isn't eating much at all (previously gobbled all pellets and frozen shrimp).

Tank Details
13.5 gallon
June 10 - start of tank inhabitants. Put clownfish in (running only 1 fish so opted for no QT and accepted I might have to go fishless if I have an issue).
June 24 - preemptively treated with Prazipro. Hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary, yet, but my LFS recommended to do that for all fish. I waited until my second WC before dosing the medicine.
July 10 - weird poop started, did a water change and re-dosed Prazipro.
July 13 - fish started to hang more in the rockwork than out in the open.
July 17 - fish quit eating as much (if any) but will nip at my nassarius snail's snorkel if it's out when I feed.

I've attached a picture of what I feed and what I could get of my clown.

Temp 78 (fluctuates 0.5 degrees)
Salinity 35 ppt
pH 7.9 - 8.0
Anomia 0
N02 0
N03 5 - 10 (hits 10, then weekly water change brings back to 5)

View attachment 2754401 View attachment 2754411

Often when you feed mysis and brine shrimp exclusively, you will see poop that Mimics the internal issue poop.
However, the symptoms of less to low level eating may suggest internal issue. Apply Seachem metroplex to the food as long as its still eating which will address this issue.
Other foods to feed are :
LRS Fish frenzy
Mysis shrimp
Hikari marine cuisine
small plankton