A. Ocellaris with white poop!

[norcal99]

I have both my A. Ocellaris clowns in QT as one of them broke out with ich so I QT'd both of them. They have been treated with coppersafe for the 10 days and are looking better but I just noticed that one of them has this stringy white poop coming out. She's eating fine and doesn't seem to be swimming weird or breathing hard. Would this be any indication of an internal parasite? Just trying to make sure it's not something serious.

 

Thanks!

[DementedLullaby]

Bacterial infections can cause white poop I believe.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

I agree with Demented- if it's eating fine it's a good sign however.

 

Tasha

[lgreen]

The white string comming from the anus is a classic sign of the beginning of brooklynella (aka clownfish disease) which is a parasite. There is not much info available for treating this parasite. Searching google will turn up a few treatment techniques such as using formalin, actovflaving, freshwater dips, and maintaining high water quality, but many report it takes combinations of these techniques and even then it is not always effective. If you search for brooklynella on Nano Reef I have made several posts with more detailed explanations of where it comes from and what happens.

 

Just keep an eye on it for now, not a whole lot you can do at this point. Don't add any new clownfish. Unfortionatley it has been going around pretty bad in the industry for about that last 1-1.5 years and it does not seem to be getting any better.

[norcal99]

Thanks for all the info. I'll keep an eye on the fish and she's doing. Is this stuff contagious and is my other fish who is in QT have a high probability of contracting this parasite? I've got another 10 days of ich treatment left before I can think about returning them to the main tank but I'll hold off if Brooklynella is the culprit.

 

The white string comming from the anus is a classic sign of the beginning of brooklynella (aka clownfish disease) which is a parasite. There is not much info available for treating this parasite. Searching google will turn up a few treatment techniques such as using formalin, actovflaving, freshwater dips, and maintaining high water quality, but many report it takes combinations of these techniques and even then it is not always effective. If you search for brooklynella on Nano Reef I have made several posts with more detailed explanations of where it comes from and what happens.

 

Just keep an eye on it for now, not a whole lot you can do at this point. Don't add any new clownfish. Unfortionatley it has been going around pretty bad in the industry for about that last 1-1.5 years and it does not seem to be getting any better.

[lgreen]

I'd hold off. Very contagious.

[wav3form]

Does this affect mostly wild caught fish or tank/farm raised?

[lgreen]

You'll probably see it a bit more in wild caught than tank raised but more importantly it depends on where they come from. If they come from a wholesaler that sells both and all their tanks are connected to one large system, if one brings it in, they all will get it regardless of wild/tank raised. However, if you are buying tank/farm raised from the breeder or in someway inwhich the fish has no contact with other clowns or are not being kept in tanks where clowns had it at one time, the chance are pretty good you wont have any problems.

 

Strangley too, it seems to be a bigger issue w/ ocellaris than percula. I don't know why this is taking so long to get under better control.

[Travis]

I concure with lgreen 100%.

[chronic]

does this kind of bacteria live even without a host?

[lgreen]

Well it is not a bacteria, but rather a parasitic microorganism. I'd have to look it but to make sure, but I do believe I read at one time that is has a multistage life cycle, which with many parasites includes stages in which they live with no host. Kind of like ich.

 

I don't know, but I really think we need to drain the clown tank at work, let it dry out, clean it, and then restart it just to be safe. I don't run the place though, so I don't get much say.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

How is your fish now? I don't agree at all with the Brooklynella diagnosis. I think if that were the problem your fish would be heading downhill fast or be dead by now. I have had a clown with this problem before (white stringy stuff) and it recovered fine. Check out this link http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnfshdisfaq13.htm . Go about midway down.

 

Tasha

[Pitt]

I have lost two ocellaris in the last three weeks to exactly what you described. The first one went down I think it was four days after I received them. The second one died today. The second one had the exact same problems as the first. Just as you mention white stringy poop...started breathing heavy and then bam in one day dead. Prior to this the fish were eating and swimming normally. I can't understand it. Everyone seems to say brooklynella, but as I replied on another post the fish had no signs other than the labored breathing, no slime coat nothing. I really like the clowns, but this has made me weary of them.

[norcal99]

Haven't seen any white stringy poop in awhile and aside from a mild case of ich which i'm still treating, the fish seems to be doing alright. Breathing seems normal, eats formula 1 flakes and mysis shrimp twice a day. Still going to keep monitoring and see how she's doing. But I have to agree that if Brooklynella was the case, my fish would probably have been dead by now. Time will only tell.

[DementedLullaby]

It's possible it was just the casing of the mysis shrimp or something causing it. I don't think clownfish disease is the culprit here as before you see the white stringy poop there are other symptoms. He should be fine, just keep the QT going for a bit longer than planned .

[norcal99]

Well at this point i'd say my clown is 50/50. She was having some buoyancy issues it looked like last night... floating up to the surface tail end up and having to swim down but seems to be swimming fine and eating this morning

 

Perhaps the mysis shrimp casing might have been the culprit of the white poop but it's hard to tell. I am treating currently with coppersafe for what I believe to be marine ich. Looks like a few pieces of dried up salt on the coat (about pin sized cysts). I'm going to continue to treat with coppersafe for another 10 or so days and hopefully the ich will subside, then dilute with a fresh batch salt water.

 

Would a formalin bath be beneficial at this time? If so, what product(s) do you recommend?

[drowsyfirefly]

Would a formalin bath be beneficial at this time? If so, what product(s) do you recommend?

 

Formalin from what I understand should be a last last last resort. It is a formaldehyde/water solution. Not to mention it's carcinogenic.

 

I know some people might swear by it, but unless this looks like the only way to help them, I'd stay far away from it.

 

A lot people use Iodine as a dip, but I don't know any of the science behind that, so I can't give an opinion on it.

 

I hope your clowns make it, they're awesome fish.

 

--Meghan

[Helfrichs Chick]

With Brooklynella you will also see white spotish stuff. Usually around the edges of the fins.

[norcal99]

With Brooklynella you will also see white spotish stuff. Usually around the edges of the fins.

 

Yup both my clowns have it. I'm guessing it's probably a bit too late to do anything about it at this point bc they're both having some swimming problems and not eating. I've seen white poop dangling from both and one has cotton like cysts on one side and under the mouth.

 

Anyone know where I can find formalin?

 

Another question, what do I do about my display tank? I have corals and the whole works in there. Will the brooklynella remain in the tank and if so, how do I get rid of it??

[chuck_D]

With Brooklynella you will also see white spotish stuff. Usually around the edges of the fins.

 

 

ive done formalin bath for my pair of true perc a week ago... one did not make it. it died the next day after bath... but the other one did survive and finally taking mysis shrimps and pallets. but i can still see white poops. but it comes and goes. basically i realise it will only have white poops if i feed mysis. with pallets , the poop is brown and not alike worm. As a conclusion , bath with formalin might be a tough job to do and make sure your main tank should be fish free for at least a month so that its free of these parasites.

[mybuickskill6979]

my two mollies have the same problem but i was told its an internal parasite. i don't know if i would be the same for SW as FW but thats what i got. and i tried med'ed food and those little idots won't eat it lol!!