My female platy is pooping weird. It looks kind of like white dental floss! What does this mean? Also, how strange is it that I've had a male and female for 3 months with no babies? Any thoughts welcome! Thanks.
2007-07-10 14:00:12 · 5 answers · asked by monkey mom 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
It could be that your fish were too old to mate, or that one of the pair is infertile, they are producing young and eating them before you notice them, or the problem of no young and white feces could be related.
I'll assume that these are recently purchased fish, rather than ones given to you, so they should be of an age where they can produce young. If they were given to you by someone, you might want to find out how long that person had them. The life span is generally 2-3 years, and they are a few months old when purchased, so if the previous owner had them for over a year, they may simple be too old.
If you see the female getting large around the abdomen and having a "square" appearance, she should be about to give birth. Unless you're using a breeder or have plants for cover, there's a good chance the parent will eat the fry. A few floating plants (even if plastic) will give the fry a place to hide so that at least some will survive till they're large enough not to be eaten.
The white poo can have a number of causes. The poo is normally similar in color to what their fed, so if you're giving them items like brine shrimp, this might be nothing at all. I would suggest giving other foods, because brine shrimp don't have a lot of nutritional value. The white can also be a sign of aborted eggs (eggs are produced and fertilized internally, so the fish bear live young). This is especially true if the poo is more clear than white and has an angular (zigzag) appearance. If the poo is thin and actually white, but no white foods are given, this would be an indication of either an internal parasite or bacterial infection.
Since you are the one who can actually see what the feces look like, I'm passing along a key for you to use to help diagnos the cause, as well as treatment recommendations.
2007-07-10 15:20:40 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The white stringy poop is caused by an internal parasite. Here is an article on Hex: http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/internal/hexamitiasis.shtml
Mardel makes medication for it, as do several other companies. Treat soon if you want to save them. Of course the medication costs more than the fish, so you have to decide if you want to let it die and replace, or treat with medication and hope that you got to it soon enough. If you have 1 male and 3 females and no babies, then either the male is sterile or the babies are getting eaten before you see them. Are there any other fish in your tank? If so, then the chances of the babies becoming meals is much greater. Floating plants can help reduce predation.
2007-07-10 21:52:34 · answer #2 · answered by fivespeed302 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No this is not a bowel problem, this is an infection of some kind. Fish poo gets colored up at different times, but white poo is a sign of trouble. I'm going to get Magic copper and fivespeed on this.
JV
2007-07-10 21:43:16 · answer #3 · answered by I am Legend 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ditto to copperhead Jon and fivespeed on this one. I would lean more heavily to the potential of internal bacterial infection personally, but the other causes are certainly possibilities.
MM
2007-07-10 23:37:03 · answer #4 · answered by magicman116 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
prehaps a bowel problem. Just let it work itself out.
Are you feeding them alot of freezed dried foods? This can cause bowel problems for fish.
2007-07-10 21:27:52 · answer #5 · answered by ballerina_kim 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋