Angelfish not eating and short white poop

[mreichert]

Hey everyone, thanks for reading this and some help would be great. I have two angelfish, a pleco, two bolivian rams and 5 neon tetras in a 37 gallon tank. Late last week Wednesday or Thursday I noticed one of my angelfish not eating, and not swollen in the stomach abdomen. A loss of appetite, and if anything a recessed stomach. He is not really lathargic, comes to the glass when he sees you acts like he is interested, but after food is introduced he goes toward it, but mostly does not eat. Once in awhile he will try.

I did a 5 gallon water change and treated with paraguard, did another water change the next day and more paraguard. He seemed to respond a bit better, but not back to normal. This was either wednesday night or Thursday. Paraguard was use for about 3 days, with no real results. By Sunday nothing was really better, so I did another water change, and introduced API general cure. (charcoal from filter removed at the start with paraguard). Today would be 48 hours after first dose, and still no better. At the least I will do another water change today but I really do not know what to use for medication. Not 100% sure what his problem is. My next guess would be medicated food, but not sure what options to use there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[mreichert]

Update with pictures attached. Came home and he seems more lively. They both follow each other around. Have tried lots of food options. Fluval bug bite flakes. Api flakes. Omega one flakes, baby shrimp. Tetra flakes. Frozen bloodworms...not freeze dried. Still no real appetite.

He does swim to see me following the other angelfish.

Did water change again, added aquarium salt. Nothing else as of now. Not sure where to go.

He is a bit scared if you get close and move to quick around him. Have been adding api stress coat+ also.

 

[Uberhoust]

I will let you know I don't have a lot of experience with diseases or treatments other than ich. Answering some of the questions below might help other's with more experience come up with possible solutions to your problems:

1. What is the water waste/nutrient levels - Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate - (provides information on the cycling of the aquarium, and its nutrient load in the water, as you likely know these can affect the fish)
2. What are the water parameters - pH/GH/KH - (Likely not that important for the condition you are describing but if they are quite unusual they might point to a possible issue)
3. What are you feeding your Angels - I occasionally feed my fish tetra min flakes, about 50% will refuse to eat the red flakes. I have had other fish that showed strong food preferences.
4. What made you use Paraguard / API general Cure? - Did you seen any ich, velvet, or other types of parasites or disease that you haven't mentioned yet.

I will make an observation that your water seem a bit murky, that might mean the cycle is not quite established or that your nutrient load is on the high side, or it could be something else totally (maybe the medications). I keep pretty much only Angels, and I do weekly water changes of 50 to 60%, my Angels seem to like the water change and if they are going to breed it is almost always a day after the water change. I would suggest you change a larger amount of water during your changes, unless there is some factor that prevents this.

 

[mreichert]

I will let you know I don't have a lot of experience with diseases or treatments other than ich. Answering some of the questions below might help other's with more experience come up with possible solutions to your problems:

1. What is the water waste/nutrient levels - Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate - (provides information on the cycling of the aquarium, and its nutrient load in the water, as you likely know these can affect the fish)
2. What are the water parameters - pH/GH/KH - (Likely not that important for the condition you are describing but if they are quite unusual they might point to a possible issue)
3. What are you feeding your Angels - I occasionally feed my fish tetra min flakes, about 50% will refuse to eat the red flakes. I have had other fish that showed strong food preferences.
4. What made you use Paraguard / API general Cure? - Did you seen any ich, velvet, or other types of parasites or disease that you haven't mentioned yet.

I will make an observation that your water seem a bit murky, that might mean the cycle is not quite established or that your nutrient load is on the high side, or it could be something else totally (maybe the medications). I keep pretty much only Angels, and I do weekly water changes of 50 to 60%, my Angels seem to like the water change and if they are going to breed it is almost always a day after the water change. I would suggest you change a larger amount of water during your changes, unless there is some factor that prevents this.

Thanks...parameters taken Wednesday evening

GH 180
KH 40 or a bit below
Ph 7
NO2 .5
NO3. 20

I mostly feed them flakes usually omega one super color but I have api flakes. I picked up fluval super color bug Bite flakes also.

Tank was starred in 2020 definitely cycled. Cloudy color is most likely due to driftwood in tank....which I had out and soaked. I use seachem purigen resin to clean that up..it is currently out along with the carbon.

This morning I cleaned filter and added paraguard again. I used paraguard to start lightly. In the beginning angelfish had small white cotton on the end if a fin. Don't have pictures. That went away quick. Problem that has stuck around is lack of appetite. I saw white poop only 1/8 inch twice. This was late last week then Sunday I think. This made me switch to general cure.

Did another water change now...5 gallons. I keep temp at 78 in tank.

Picture attached

 

[Uberhoust]

One item of concern is your nitrites (NO2) at 0.5ppm. Nitrites are quite poisonous, I would suggest that there is a problem with your cycle. In my opinion you might be seeing a fish that is more susceptible to nitrite poisoning. I would do a 50% water change ASAP if I was in the same situation. Ammonia and Nitrite should be at 0. You are giving a selection of reasonable food so I am pretty sure that is not an issue.

I suspect the cycle was damaged or set back, paragard is not supposed to affect the cycle, but perhaps the filter is being cleaned a bit too aggressively. Just by the nitrite level I think you need to treat this tank as if it is going through a fish in cycle. Is your tank a Top Fin tank that came with the Top Fin Filter and LED light? I ask because it look like a setup I purchased a few years back. If it is that kit then I would say that the filter is not up to the task. The cartridges are too small, you might want to consider something a bit bigger with more room for the bio media. I ended up replacing my top fin filter with an Aqua Clear 70, its not a perfect filter, but it has a lot of space for biomedia overtop the simple foam block.

 

[mreichert]

Yes sir it is the top fin 37 gallon with that filter. What is a good filter for replacement? What about aquamarine 250 or so?

What about the aquaclear 50 vs. the seachem tidal 55? Comparisons between these two?

If I replace filter what do I need to do to get the bacteria in the filter media quick again?

If the fish cycle got out of whack should I get live good bacteria to pour in also? I will stop medication and put the filter cartridge back in now.

Pictures attached just taken

 

[Colin_T]

What to do if your fish has Stringy White Poop.

Fish do a stringy white poop for several reasons. 1) Internal Bacterial Infections causes the fish to stop eating, swell up like a balloon, breath heavily at the surface or near a filter outlet, do stringy white poop, and die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms. This cannot normally be...

www.fishforums.net

 

[mreichert]

Thanks I was reading this over also. Yesterday I did a 10 gallon water change and added tetra safestart. Currently no medication.

Best guess is number 2 applies here. He eats mostly nothing...maybe one flakes at feedings. But reacts well when he sees us. Comes to glass like he is looking and wanting food. When food is added he just looks at it rarely eats it.

What about using the seachem metroplex, focus, and garlic combo to try to get medicated food to him...with the smell and taste of garlic? Thanks