Flukes or internal parasites?
 

I have a Sailfin Tang for about 6-7 years who periodically has fin problems. This comes and goes and can appear overnight and be cleared up on its own in about 3-5 days. Often, he does defecate stringy, clear, tube-like feces. The fin condition occurs about once a month then goes away, the stringy feces is constant. He is always a healthy eater. About once a week I feed frozen spirulina brine, marine frozen mix (either herbivore or carnivore -varying), daily feedings of spectrum marine pellets or Sera marine granules, and every other day 1/4 sheet of red/green dried algae. The other fish exhibit none of these symptoms.

Finally, I do have a 2'' in diameter sea carpet anemone and small bta. It is possible that he grazes the large anemone.

Any ideas?

If this has been going on for years, then it's probable it's the carpet. Those things have a nasty stick to them! A fish infected with Flukes (external worms) usually has stringy white feces.

I guess the feces is both white and clear, alternating and stringy...plus, he appears to be constipated.

The fin and feces issues may be symptoms of separate casues.

He has finally passed the stringy white feces. He continues to eat though his abdomen appears swollen. His anus appears prolapsed or swollen (red bump protruding). This too has had happen before and it goes away, normally. I can post pics if it will help.

Any ideas?

here are the pics...also my 100 post, only took 9 years :bdaysmile:

Can you catch him? Administering a f/w dip should confirm whether or not he has Flukes. After a few mins in f/w, you should see the Flukes turn white and fall off of him. Just make sure the temp & pH of the f/w matches the tank you take him out of (you can usually just add a squirt of your tank water to the f/w dip to get the pH to match). I know this all sounds like a PITA, but I'd rather you do this and confirm it's Flukes before I advise you to treat your entire DT with PraziPro.

Whatever it is, it cleared up last weekend...Fins cleared up (pretty sure this was a anemone sting), and prolapsing cleared up. Although he does have stringy white poo, I think he gets constipated, which then gives him issues for a week every 4-6 weeks.