Green Terror Concerns

[Ex-Reefer]

I have a 3 inch Green Terror that lives in my 150 gallon tank along with several other fish. I have had the GT for about 2 months now and have not seen it eat anything yet. The GT does not show any signs of interest in any kind of food that I place into the tank. The GT still has great coloration and is amazingly showing no signs of losing weight.

The only strange thing that I have noticed is that when the GT poops it is very white and stringy. Is this a sign of a parasite infection and what is the best way to help this fish overcome it? Thanks for the help.

 

[KurseD]

i've lost quite a few GT's under similar circumstances (not eating, parasite infection,etc...) from my experience, i've learned that they require alot cleaner water then most cics (my usual is 25% per week, my GT tanks is now 50% per week, so far gone 6 months with no problems)

 

[midasman714]

The only strange thing that I have noticed is that when the GT poops it is very white and stringy. Is this a sign of a parasite infection and what is the best way to help this fish overcome it? Thanks for the help.

that sounds familiar. my old female RD had the same problem. although she was loosing her color and died soon after. i would get that GT some attention asap.

 

[PoopSmart]

actually I had that problem with mine, moved him to a 10 gallon quarantine with some cory cats and bolivian rams and now he eats flakes like nobodies business.

I think they are actually quite timid sometimes and they might just need to be put with smaller or more similar sized fish (don't know how big your other fish are but I am assuming some are larger than 3 inches in a 150 gallon tank).

Also mine had that white stringy poo and ddn't eat for months, then I just moved him to the 10 and now hes doing great, gonna recoop him and put him in a 29 when he grows more, and then hopefully back into the 75, we'll see. Water quality isn't too much of a concern because I did w/c on my 75 bi-weekly, and i do water changes on that 10 maybe monthly, if that. So I think it has to do with intimidation from other fish even though none of them were aggro towards him.

good luck though, i hope I helped.

 

[Ex-Reefer]

Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions. The only thing that is puzzling about the GT is that it looks like the day that I purchased it and I have not seen it eat anything at all. I feed the tank Hikari Gold, Algae wafers, Bottom-feeder pellets, and occasionally Beef Heart and the GT never eats any of it. I have not fed the tank any live foods for fear of introducing a new parasite or infection into the tank.

The GT has excellent coloration and does not appear to be sick (aside from not eating). I have considered using ParaGuard as a general treatment for the GT, what do you all think about that treatment?

 

[BloodThirsty]

If you can find this stuff it works wonders: It's called Paragon. Safe for scaleless fish too. My GT has internal parasites when I got him and I am currently treating a Texas that had them. Both are doing great now. My LFS had the stuff and I am a believer now!

 

[Ex-Reefer]

Thanks, I have never actually seen that product in a store in GA, but I know that I have seen it in several on my on-line magazines that I get. I think I will probably try the ParaGuard first though, since it is readily available here.

Is it possible for this parasite to be transfered to any of my existing fish from the GT?

 

[Headrush]

Is it possible for this parasite to be transfered to any of my existing fish from the GT?

I think this IS possible and can be influenced by the agression level in your community as well. i just went through a bout of "dropsy" or a similar bacterial infection, in my 90. I believe it began with my Male FM who was fighting with the GT and JD for supremacy. Once he lost they chased him relentlessly, he grew tumors on his back, hemorrhaged around the base of his left pectoral fin, and got bad in a hurry (2 weeks). By then the JD was the only other fish in the tank who didn't poop white as you mentioned. I lost the FM and a bushynosed pleco too. They bloated til their scales stood out a little, almost like a pine cone...NASTY stuff.

I would remove him/her from that tank and get him straightened out ASAP. Sounds like a beautiful fish by your description and seeing how GT's are kinda slow growers it'd really stink to lose him.

I am assuming your other fish are pestering him and the stress has weakened him to the point where he's become sick. Don't expect a quick turnaround tho, my fish took about a month and a half to fight it off and have been fully recovered now for about 5 weeks. I did not medicate other than salt, raised the temp and did frequent water changes. back to 40-50% per week now

Could you list your stock and what type of behavior you've been seeing as far as agression toward him? Is he being chased?

You may also benefit from raising the temp and adding some salt, but read up on that first.

GOOD luck
Hope the little guy pulls through

 

[Ex-Reefer]

Headrush, thanks for all of the information, it was very helpful. This situation is very frustrating because the GT shows absolutely no signs of being sick other than not eating and the white, stringy poo. The GT still has great coloration and just stays to himself in the tank. The tank is 150 gallons and the other fish do not bother him at all. The GT does not get chased or picked on by any of the other fishes which are all about the same size as the GT.

Fishload: (all introduced at the same time - give or take a couple of weeks)

2 Oscars
1 Jack Dempsey
1 Firemouth
2 Convicts
2 Severums
1 Pleco
5 Silver Dollars
And of course 1 GT!

I also have expected the GT to show some signs of fatigue or sunken stomach from the lack of food. However the stomach of the GT is still full-looking and the fish appears to be relatively "husky" for its overall size.

Is it possible that the GT is getting enough left over food from the other fish that it is eating when I am not looking? The tank is heavily decorated with large pieces of driftwood that the GT could easily slide behind and eat out of my view.

 

[ksfishguy]

Treat tank with pimafix and melafix and maybe try some frozen bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp. I would not add feeders, my GT eats feeders like no tomorrow, but I got ich from my last batch, NO MORE FEEDERS FOR ME!

Good luck, hope he recovers!