Stringy white stuff...

[joejoe]

Alright so I was looking at one of my clowns today and I noticed a white string coming out from under one of them. You can see it in this picture:
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/hto...&.dnm=61cd.jpg
My water parameters are all good and I've had the clowns for a little less than a week. They are my first fish in my tank. I also have 2 turbos, a dozen blue legs and a dozen nassarius snails in the tank. Is there anything to be worried about or might it be a little waste from the fish?

 

[beth]

I don't think I'd worry about that for the moment. What are you feeding the fish? Is the fish acting normal besides this?
I'd keep an eye out for any signs of illness or a continuation of this. Since you just got the fish, I'm sure he is really stressed which could easily result in an irregular stool.
As I said, keep an eye out and report any additional symptoms. Post up the foods you are offering the fish.

 

[joejoe]

Thanks for the feedback Beth!! She's acting normal but it seems sometimes she doesn't eat. I offer them frozen brine and plankton and mix some vitamins in with it. I may go and buy some flake food to see if she will accept that more properly. I'll keep an eye on her!!!

 

[beth]

Joe: Consider real fresh seafoods. Take a look at the fish food reciepe in the FAQ Thread. If you don't go that way, then at least add a good deal more variety into the diet. Make flakes an occassional offering not part of the mainstay diet.

 

[joejoe]

Thanks for the help Beth!! I decided to not purchase another fish today just in case she was getting sick. The white string is not there anymore which is a relief and she seems happy yet still pretty timid during feeding. This evening I introduced some pellet food to the tank....hopefully she'll take a liking to it!!

 

[zlynnc2003]

Beth,
We also had this problem with our clowns. And have lost I believe 3. Now our new pair have the same thing. Thing is they came from the store like this. My daughter did some research in a book this man gave my daughter saying it was one of the must have's. Anyway she found that the continus white waster was a sign of a bacterial infection but didn't say what kind. They also did not want to eat or would mouth it and spit it out. We tried almost every food to get them to eat, dried, fresh, frozen, garlic.... Nodda...So the pet shop gave us pima fix. They have come back to life it's been about 2 weeks now and the small one is now eating and now the large female is not so much she mouths it mostly. My daughter started working at a local chain pet shop (only 3 by this name) were we purchased the fish and where I did years ago. Seems like alot of fish come in sick, they won't hold them and they don't really want you getting the customers anxious about dieseases. She noticed the Clowns that come in some have white waste and don't eat for the most part and others have normal brown waste and do eat. Do you know anything about this and what the best treatment would be. They told me I don't have to take my cartledge out of the filter but I do most times for a few hours anyways. By the way we still have just white waste but they are not real skinny yet and its been about 17 days we have had them.