Bristlenose Pleco - White Poo (PLEASE HELP)

Anchor worms attach to the body of the fish and have 2 'arms' at the free end - the photos don't look like that.

White poo is often a sign of internal bacterial infections or internal (gut) parasites such as camallanus worm. The latter will show as red bristles protruding from the anus once the worms become mature, though they only show while the fish is motionless.


How long have you had the fish? If it is only a day or two, you don't know what they have been fed at the shop as the food a fish eats can change the colour of their poo. For instance blood worms make the poo red, peas make it green.
I would wait a day or two and see if the white poo goes away. If it doesn't I would treat with Interpet Anti-internal Bacteria or eSHa 2000 as a bacterial infection is more likely that parasites. Unfortunately, neither of these meds is particularly powerful but in the UK they are the best we can get without a vet's prescription. If you are in a different country, you might be able to get antibiotics from a pet shop.

If it does turn out that the fish has worms, they can be difficult to eradicate. I know, I have just lost about half my fish to camallanus worm  . And again, the best meds for that are not available in the UK.

For internal bacteria, you can treat just the affected fish in a quarantine/hospital tank if you have one.

Interpet Anti-internal bacteria med
eSHa 2000

If necessary, treat for this first.



If it turns out the fish has worms (less likely) I'm afraid I'm not sure what the best med is. I've used Kusuri Wormer Plus (from Plymouth Discus) and still have them. I have just got a bottle of another med but I seem to have bought the last bottle in the UK. I have to wait a couple of days for the fist med to biodegrade before using it so I don't know if it will work.
And with worms, the whole tank needs treating.