Avian
08/14/2005, 09:41 PM
I've posted before about this issue with my black ocellaris pair, and it still continues today...this is why I don't understand.
I've had my ORA CB female black ocellaris since early January. To this day she and her ORA CB male counterpart (which I've had since late March) have show signs of stringy feces. They don't display it everyday, and they have had various types of feces (e.g., powerdery reddish brown, to a clumpy brown, brown and stringy, and stringy and white).
When they were in my display I fed them spectrum thera-A, mysis w/ garilc and mysis with metroindolzale (for three days), and pepso food per directions indicated on the package. None of these foods/meds made the feces consistant (still white and stringy on occasion). Early on, I also gave it a couple f months were I did not treat them at all to see if it would clear up on its own.
They have been in my 10g QT twice for the months of June and August (In July I moved them back to the display to see if it was a water quality issue). In June I treated with two cycles of pipzine in the water, and one cycle of hex-a-mit, in the water). In August I treated them with prazipro and maracyn 2 in the water. Note that In between each type of medication I ran carbon for at least 48 hours and did a 50 % water change to avoid mixing meds.
They have been very active this whole time, utilizing all levels of the reef (I have even observed the female biting on rocks). Their breathing is normal, and have clear eyes, great color and fins are always erect. They are and have always been hearty eaters, being fed 1-3 times a day. The female and male have also grown considerably (~1inch) since Jan. and the female's face has gone from a bright orange to almost completey black. If they did not have the strange feces I would consider them perfectly fine.
They are fed frozen mysis, frozen spiralina enriched brine shrimp, formula 2 pellets, formula 1 flake, spectrum thera-A pellets, hikari marine-S pellet, steamed broccali flower tops, and cylop-eeze. All foods have been soaked in Zoe (heavy spiralina formula) and Zoecon and sometimes garlic.
The parameters in the display:
Amm: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nirate: 0
pH: 8.2
salinity: 1.026
temp: 80-81
The 10g QT has the same parameters except the salinity is ~1.024 and the nitrates may creep up to no more than 5-10.
I have tried to contact some research institutions for examinations; Florida tech, Harbor branch, ORA, and have had no luck. (Harbor branch and ORA are about 20 minutes away from my house and i would be willing to drive there and pay for a fecal examination).
I really like these fish and want them to live a long life and eventually breed. What should my next move be. Move them back to the display? Keep them in QT longer? Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks
I've had my ORA CB female black ocellaris since early January. To this day she and her ORA CB male counterpart (which I've had since late March) have show signs of stringy feces. They don't display it everyday, and they have had various types of feces (e.g., powerdery reddish brown, to a clumpy brown, brown and stringy, and stringy and white).
When they were in my display I fed them spectrum thera-A, mysis w/ garilc and mysis with metroindolzale (for three days), and pepso food per directions indicated on the package. None of these foods/meds made the feces consistant (still white and stringy on occasion). Early on, I also gave it a couple f months were I did not treat them at all to see if it would clear up on its own.
They have been in my 10g QT twice for the months of June and August (In July I moved them back to the display to see if it was a water quality issue). In June I treated with two cycles of pipzine in the water, and one cycle of hex-a-mit, in the water). In August I treated them with prazipro and maracyn 2 in the water. Note that In between each type of medication I ran carbon for at least 48 hours and did a 50 % water change to avoid mixing meds.
They have been very active this whole time, utilizing all levels of the reef (I have even observed the female biting on rocks). Their breathing is normal, and have clear eyes, great color and fins are always erect. They are and have always been hearty eaters, being fed 1-3 times a day. The female and male have also grown considerably (~1inch) since Jan. and the female's face has gone from a bright orange to almost completey black. If they did not have the strange feces I would consider them perfectly fine.
They are fed frozen mysis, frozen spiralina enriched brine shrimp, formula 2 pellets, formula 1 flake, spectrum thera-A pellets, hikari marine-S pellet, steamed broccali flower tops, and cylop-eeze. All foods have been soaked in Zoe (heavy spiralina formula) and Zoecon and sometimes garlic.
The parameters in the display:
Amm: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nirate: 0
pH: 8.2
salinity: 1.026
temp: 80-81
The 10g QT has the same parameters except the salinity is ~1.024 and the nitrates may creep up to no more than 5-10.
I have tried to contact some research institutions for examinations; Florida tech, Harbor branch, ORA, and have had no luck. (Harbor branch and ORA are about 20 minutes away from my house and i would be willing to drive there and pay for a fecal examination).
I really like these fish and want them to live a long life and eventually breed. What should my next move be. Move them back to the display? Keep them in QT longer? Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks