stringy poop

[renogaw]

memory refresher please, stringy poop, like very long and wont leave the fish's anus, is a parasite or bacterial?

 

[saxman]

It's most likely an internal parasite or malnutrition, probably the former.

 

[renogaw]

that's what i thought, but the fish is over 3 years old, and i haven't added anything in 6-7 months. where would it be from

 

[sepulatian]

What has he eaten lately? Has he gotten a nibble on some live plants? Certain things like stringy algae and such can come out that way. How is he acting?

 

[aquaknight]

Not to get all gross, but color does matter here too. If it's the "general" red/brown color most fish waste is, then it might be nothing. If it's lighter, all the way to white, then definitely cause for concern.
 
Keep an eye on the fish's overall body weight, you probably won't notice a pitched stomach, as that would be where the parasites are, but look for a pitched area behind the eyes and gills, and along the lateral line to the top of the back, that's where most of the fish's fat is stored. If he's got worms, he'll burn through that quickly.

 

[renogaw]

it was all white/light brown. he's been fine since, and no pinched/sunken body anywhere i can tell.

 

[ladyreefseeker]

Did you use anything like flatworm exit? Reason I ask is when I used flatworm exit, it dewormed my Yellow Tang and he had the segmented white stringy poop which I identified (with help) as the fish form of tapeworms...Just an idea?...