Does white fish poop indicate an issue?

[heybreeezy]

Okay, so I know white poop normally is assign that something is wrong with inside your fish. But does it have to always be something wrong? My bait is poop is sometimes White but it's also sometimes the color it should be tan to hints of red. He doesn't act sick. He eats. Explores his tank. Chases his food in the current. I did have to treat him for Pop-eye whenever he arrived in the mail. But to my knowledge I thought it was cleared up because like I said he's shows no sign of nothing. Should I treat him with antibiotics just for the heck of it or what do I need to do?

 

[AIvinn]

Hello!

White poop isn't always a red flag. It can just mean that your fish's' stomach is empty or that your fish is lacking nutrition. A red red flag would be LONG white stringy poop and then your fish maybe starts acting weird.

I just think you should monitor your fish for now and wait for what others think.
=)

 

[BruinAquatics]

Just like what was said above, white poop isn't always a red flag. Just make sure to keep a look out for anything else going on, Make sure to not dose antibiotics without knowing the disease at hand (sense some antibiotics could do your fish more harm then good)

 

[franckd]

Okay, so I know white poop normally is assign that something is wrong with inside your fish. But does it have to always be something wrong? My bait is poop is sometimes White but it's also sometimes the color it should be tan to hints of red. He doesn't act sick. He eats. Explores his tank. Chases his food in the current. I did have to treat him for Pop-eye whenever he arrived in the mail. But to my knowledge I thought it was cleared up because like I said he's shows no sign of nothing. Should I treat him with antibiotics just for the heck of it or what do I need to do?

Rémi, my beloved Bolivian ram (yes, I really cared for him) had white poop. He was doing fine, was active, was eating, ... Then months laters he died from Camallanus Cotti (internal parasite) and I had no treatment for that, as in the country where I live there's not much drugs for fishes. I had to import Esha NDX from France, with the pandemic it took more than 3 weeks to get here. My Bolivian ram is dead. He had those nasty little red worms inside him. I've should know better, and bought the drug as soon as I saw the white poop. Better safe than sorry.

Here a photo of Rémi (front and center)

 

[heybreeezy]

So sorry about your loss. I've had a few of those should have known better moments in my brief time in the hobby. And everything that I have read about healthy poop and what it should look like says it should not be white. Point blank. So I think I'm going to lean towards better be safe than sorry. Now just gotta figure out the WHAT. Cause the not knowing is the problem lol how did u figure out what he died from?

 

[franckd]

So sorry about your loss. I've had a few of those should have known better moments in my brief time in the hobby. And everything that I have read about healthy poop and what it should look like says it should not be white. Point blank. So I think I'm going to lean towards better be safe than sorry. Now just gotta figure out the WHAT. Cause the not knowing is the problem lol how did u figure out what he died from?

Thanks. Remi was my favorite ram. I had him when he was so tiny... Anyway, I knew he died from Camallanus Cotti. The red worms were popping out from his anus...

All the fishes (and more) in my picture died, and they were all contaminated by the worms. It broke my heart. I remove all the plants, I throw them away. I bleached everything, and let everything dry under the sun after I washed again and gain with just water. I did cycle the tank for 1 month, and now it's my blue acara tank. I decided to deworm the acaras just in case, and at the same it was also a way to treat the all tank and filter too. I used Esha NDX, and I have 2 bottles of it in advance, just in case. Camallanus Cotti is a very, very nasty parasite, and I see on forums and social medias comments that people have very hard time to get rid of it...

 

[franckd]

I will add that with Camallanus Cotti, when you see the worms popping out of the anus of the fish, it is almost too late: even if you treat with a good product, worms will die, but chances they won't be expelled from the fish. They will rote inside the fish and the fish will die rom complications (infections, bactéries)

So that's why I have decided to deworm any new fish I get, even if it has no visible sign.

 

[Rose of Sharon]

So sorry that you lost your fish!!!

I, too, have learned to deworm new fish. At least it will give you peace of mind when you add new fish to a community tank. On the advice of a fishlore member, I bought some Levamisole to treat all of my new fish. I have also learned to quarantine before adding new fish to an established tank.

And I agree with Alvinn, white poop does not mean parasites are present.

 

[franckd]

So sorry that you lost your fish!!!

I, too, have learned to deworm new fish. At least it will give you peace of mind when you add new fish to a community tank. On the advice of a fishlore member, I bought some Levamisole to treat all of my new fish. I have also learned to quarantine before adding new fish to an established tank.

And I agree with Alvinn, white poop does not mean parasites are present.

Thank you so much. Levamisole is good to deworm fishes. I will always deworm new fishes. Always. My experience was too painful.