The Puffer Forum

I had to look up hexamita earlier today and I began to wonder about something..

Written by Neale Monks,
"Both constipation and Hexamita infections result in the production of large quantities of feces. Constipation doesn't affect how much feces a fish makes, but how easily it can get rid of them. However, because Hexamita infections stimulate the bowel to secrete excessive amounts of mucus, the resulting feces are distinctively pale in color and slimy in appearance."

"Fish infected with Hexamita commonly produce white, stringy feces, and their coloration becomes more subdued than normal. The fish eventually lose their appetite and gradually become emaciated. Often (but not always), lesions appear on the fish’s head. Sometimes, these lesions are also apparent on the fish’s flanks."

This got me to thinking, whenever we see white/pale stringy poo we always recommended treatment for IPs. Unfortunately even with treatment our puffers have a high mortality rate after suspected IPs.

But, is it possible that the white stringy poo we see is hexamita? Perhaps we don't see the holes or lesions on the skin becuase of the puffer's thick skin?

"Hexamitiasis is caused by various species of the protozoan parasite genus Hexamita. These are likely present at low levels in the intestines of many aquarium fish where they do no harm. It is only when the fish is weakened in some way that the parasites can multiply rapidly and spread into the rest of the fish’s body. Once the parasites become established in the other internal organs, the fish soon dies."

Most of us get our puffers when they are half starved or severely stressed, could that be the catalyst?

I guess I am asking, is it possible for Hexamita to be the cause of white stringy poo and then death in our puffers? Maybe because they are puffers hexamita manifests differently than in other fish? Or am I mistaken and IP meds we give our puffers treat Hexamita? Or is it not something a puffer can become sick from??? It is late, maybe I have been thinking about this for too long

Sources, Neale Monks
http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/ ... -food.aspx
http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/ ... amita.aspx

Hexamita has been reported from a very wide range of fish species. It is by no means exclusive to cichlids, though they do seem to show the symptoms more often than many other fish. Metronidazole is the standard medication for Hexamita infections, and can be easily obtained either from pet shops or vets depending on where you live.

Cheers, Neale

purplecandle wrote:I guess I am asking, is it possible for Hexamita to be the cause of white stringy poo and then death in our puffers? Maybe because they are puffers hexamita manifests differently than in other fish? Or am I mistaken and IP meds we give our puffers treat Hexamita? Or is it not something a puffer can become sick from??? It is late, maybe I have been thinking about this for too long

I think the Jungle tabs have have metro in them. We bought some metro from a local store to have on hand once we got discus. We feed them good food and haven't had to use it yet and hopefully won't ever.

A number of protozoan infections can cause various IP symptoms. Because of poor treatment in pet stores(one large dose then no retreatments), heximita and other protozoans may be resistant to metronidazole, one of the reasons I like to keep flubendazole around - it occasionally helps with protozoan infections resistant to metro in addition to killing a wide variety of actual worms.