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DIY
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 06:10 AM
I have fed my discus with prazi medicated food as a worming treatment and I'm noticing some passing of what could be worms. They don't really fit the description of tapeworms from what I can tell, and I thought that's really what prazi was active against. Could it be bloodworm casings being expelled?

Any ideas - sorry I know the pictures aren't great :oops:

waitaki
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 06:49 AM
could be food fibres, do you feed them beefheart mixed with vegetables? spinach comes out stringy like that sometimes.
Over to the experts...

and your Photos are pretty good actually...

DIY
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 06:57 AM
Thanks, and yes diet includes a beefheart mix as the primary staple. Prawns, Beefheart and Spinach are the main component in my mix. (along with additives like crushed dry foods, vitamins, spirulana and astaxanthin)

They also get colour bits and frozen blood worms as staples and then a mix of other occasional foods like brine shrimp, other dry food etc.

scott bowler
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 07:55 AM
DIY it looks like the skin of the blood worms to me mate , if they have worms offten it is white and stringy ,

DIY
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 08:04 AM
Thanks scott, I thought thats what it might be. Always nice to get a second opinion. The rest of the poop that followed that picture was dark and solid, I haven't noticed any white poops at all.

Sigh.. spending saturday afternoon analyzing fish poop :roll:

scott bowler
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 09:40 AM
lol just always good to be safe then sorry ,

tanzy
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 10:20 AM
Oh yeah, I always find my Discus poop looks like this when they eat frozen blood worms. I believe that its about them not being able to digest the shell or outer skin of the bloodworm.

Kind Regards

Kell

Merrilyn
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 11:07 AM
Eeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww *sorry* couldn't help it :lol: :lol:


Yeah, the exoskeleton of bloodworms is very difficult to digest, that's why we don't recommend feeding them to juveniles. Just too darn difficult to pass.

Tapeworms aren't usually passed whole, more a semi dissolved glue like substance.

DIY
Sat Jun 28, 2008, 12:21 PM
LOL Merrilyn

Funny all the times I've fed FBW I never saw poop like that.

Propably due to the time of day I usually give them FBW, as the last meal before lights out as a bit of a treat. They may be passing during late afternoon like today when I'm either at work or doing errands on weekends. Of course today I was home watching closely for any tapeworms being expelled after treating with prazi :roll:

Merrilyn
Sun Jun 29, 2008, 11:01 AM
The meds probably made him expell the bloodworms from the gut more quickly than they would normally be. That's why you're seeing them whole.

DIY
Sun Jun 29, 2008, 11:41 AM
Ahhh, that makes even more sense