Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

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Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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lincolnjyc
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Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by lincolnjyc »

Hi, friends!

Need help identifying internal parasite: (picture of poop, picture of fish)

This is a new small GSP (about 0.7inch) I purchased 9 days ago.

Tank:
He's in a small quarantine tank (about 2 gal) bare-bottom for de-worming. Tank is not cycled.
Small internal filter and a heater were added, monitoring temperature.

25% Water change every day / every other day with siphoning on the bottom to remove possible worms & eggs.
PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates are within acceptable level. I test them every 2-3 days.
Every other day, I dose related amount of Prime + Bacteria to "lock" the possible ammonia spike and remove them.

Treatment:
Currently treating with Prazipro + Metroplex (praziquentel & metronidazole). Dosed directly in tank.

Feeding:
Twice a day, frozen bloodworm or mysis shrimp.

He refused to eat prazi-soaked food. (even with garlic)
He refused to eat bloodworm after dosing Prazi in tank.

---------
I see his poop today, with a long stringy things attached. Is it IP?

His body looks a bit skinny, but quite "round" when I bought it, I guess one of the reasons is hunger (reduced appetite and reduced feeding with medicine in water), but not quite sure about IP infection.

He has a small wound under his mouth, at the chin part. Maybe due to constantly rubbing the bottom of the tank.

He also got some excess "poop" like thing hanging under his belly, but not anywhere near the anus. Is it because of slime coat catching some poop?

Thank you!
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J-P
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Re: Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by J-P »

A change of environment requires an adjustment period. During this adjustment period stress can cause constipation and or runny stool. Keep that water quality up and the water changes. Keep an eye on the stool to see if it changed with different food types. I'm more concerned about that chin wound becoming infected than actual IPs.

Cheers and hoping for the best
J-P
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Re: Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by Pufferpunk »

IPs need to be treated INTERNALLY. Since these fish do not drink water, you must soak their food in the meds.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Pufferpunk
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Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
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Also kept:
lorteti
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suvattii
burrfish
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Re: Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by Pufferpunk »

IPs need to be treated INTERNALLY. Since these fish do not drink water, you must soak their food in the meds.
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
lincolnjyc
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Re: Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by lincolnjyc »

J-P wrote: Sun May 06, 2018 11:04 am A change of environment requires an adjustment period. During this adjustment period stress can cause constipation and or runny stool. Keep that water quality up and the water changes. Keep an eye on the stool to see if it changed with different food types. I'm more concerned about that chin wound becoming infected than actual IPs.

Cheers and hoping for the best
J-P
Thank you J-P, I'll prepare infection treatment just in case.

Last night I tried frozen blood worm with Garlic Guard again, he ate them like crazy. I realized that he didn't eat mysis shrimp (personal taste?) and would only eat if I'm in the distance (afraid of me...)

Other than that, he looks white and yellow, not showing any stressful black color or curling tail. I assume the feeding can continue with bloodworm only.
lincolnjyc
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Re: Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by lincolnjyc »

Pufferpunk wrote: Sun May 06, 2018 11:23 am IPs need to be treated INTERNALLY. Since these fish do not drink water, you must soak their food in the meds.
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/
Hi Pufferpunk,

Thank you, I'll try reducing the mixing amount in the food and see if he accepts it.

My another puffer accepts Metro with Focus mix, but wouldn't eat Prazi soaked....
I'll see how this one goes.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by Pufferpunk »

Try adding a smashed garlic clove to the soak.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Internal Parasite? - Puffer Poop

Post by Pufferpunk »

Try adding a smashed garlic clove to the soak, to enhance flavor.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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