Help my Flowerhorn

[heyits3lla]

My 1 and a half year old Flowerhorn is always staying in the corner of the tank and has white stringy poop. His colour is the same just slightly pale. He only comes up to eat and goes right falls back down. His tummy is a little bit big so I’m guessing it’s why he falls down? I tried soaking some of his pellets in garlic for a few minutes. He isn’t as active anymore as he used to be, please help. What should I do?

 

[EntoStentor]

I can't help you since I don't know much about flowerhorns. But please don't post this here.

More people will read it in the flowerhorn division of the cichlid section.

 

[Nilsafeller]

My 1 and a half year old Flowerhorn is always staying in the corner of the tank and has white stringy poop. His colour is the same just slightly pale. He only comes up to eat and goes right falls back down. His tummy is a little bit big so I’m guessing it’s why he falls down? I tried soaking some of his pellets in garlic for a few minutes. He isn’t as active anymore as he used to be, please help. What should I do?

You've probably been overfeeding him or feeding frozen/live/freeze dried foods and now hes bloated and clogged up.... just use some drano on him... should clean him up!.... jk dont use drano... get him in a small tank if you have one if not just use tank hes in and get aquarium salt... follow directions... dont feed him... he needs his digestion to catch up.... dont bug him and stick your hand in the tank or mess with his tank you'll stress him out more... try that for a few days if that doesnt qork you'll havto use meds... probably furan 2 is what I use if absolutely needed.. make sure your doing water changes aswell... best medicine is clean water

How long you have him?
Is tank cycled?
What are you feeding him?
How big is tank?
What are tank mates?
Do you .ess around with his tank alot?(put hands in tank all the time) (try petting him?)
How often and how big are water changes?

 

[heyits3lla]

You've probably been overfeeding him or feeding frozen/live/freeze dried foods and now hes bloated and clogged up.... just use some drano on him... should clean him up!.... jk dont use drano... get him in a small tank if you have one if not just use tank hes in and get aquarium salt... follow directions... dont feed him... he needs his digestion to catch up.... dont bug him and stick your hand in the tank or mess with his tank you'll stress him out more... try that for a few days if that doesnt qork you'll havto use meds... probably furan 2 is what I use if absolutely needed.. make sure your doing water changes aswell... best medicine is clean water

How long you have him?
Is tank cycled?
What are you feeding him?
How big is tank?
What are tank mates?
Do you .ess around with his tank alot?(put hands in tank all the time) (try petting him?)
How often and how big are water changes?

Sorry for posting here, I didn’t know. I’ve had him for 8 months. I feed him Okiko small pellets, usually 6 every other day. He isn’t too big. He has no tank mates. I let him maybe twice month? Water change are sometimes 25% or 50%

 

[Nilsafeller]

Sorry for posting here, I didn’t know. I’ve had him for 8 months. I feed him Okiko small pellets, usually 6 every other day. He isn’t too big. He has no tank mates. I let him maybe twice month? Water change are sometimes 25% or 50%

So your care isnt a problem... was the tank cycled?

 

[heyits3lla]

So your care isnt a problem... was the tank cycled?

Yes it was.

 

[heyits3lla]

Yes it was.

Anyone suggest what (or should) medications I should try out?

 

[islandguy11]

Before throwing meds at your FH have you tried Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate)? Highly recommended to read at least first page of this informative Sticky by RD. : https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/treating-hexamita-aka-spironucleus.339362/

But here's the main point insofar as treating:

Now for the treatment ......

For a 3% solution of Magnesium sulphate, add 1 level tablespoon (15 grams) magnesium sulphate to 500 milliliters of distilled water. Stir, and it's good to go.

Use an eye dropper or pipette to add to pellet food (or any other food that will readily absorb it), and stop dripping water once the pellets become saturated. Use only enough water to saturate the food, with no excess water, so that the water soluble vitamins in the food remain intact. Feed twice a day, for 3-5 days. (I went with 5 days)

In extreme cases, the oral solution could be administered to a fish via a pipette.Just make sure to use a flexible tip so as not to damage the fishes esophagus when squirting the solution down the fishes throat. Only a small amount is required, but repeat daily until the fish is accepting pre-soaked pellets, and continue treatment for 5 days.

My own experience with this treatment ........ so far it's proven to be a life saver, where all other previous 'textbook' methods of treatment for internal parasites have failed, including several days of treating with 500mg Metro per 10 gallons, while feeding Metro soaked food at the same time. (fish was chewing & spitting, but was eating some food twice a day)

In less than 48 hrs of the 3% Magnesium sulphate treatment, for the first time in 30 days the fish was no longer shedding the mucous lining of his intestine. (white/clear feces) After 5 days of feeding the 3% solution via pellets, the fish had made a complete recovery & was back eating like gang busters.

Also personally I would consider to replacing that Okiko with something better like Hikari (Cichlid Gold, Blood Parrot+, BioGold+), NLS, Northfin, Omega One etc.

Good luck and hope the epsom salt treatment works.