Fish swimming toward wavemakers & cloudy eyes: fluke or velvet?

[bakbay]

I've had velvet before and went fallow last October. After re-introducing fish, I've noticed this week that some healthy fish are swimming toward the wavemakers. Is this normal? This was the sign of velvet before. So far -- all fish are eating well and not hiding. No visible slime coats/white spots on any fish.

However, there are 3 fish that have cloudy eyes - just one eye per fish. NO3 is 30 and PO4 is 0.9.

Is this fluke and should I catch the affected fish out to do a freshwater dip? Should I treat the whole tank with Prazipro? I'm hoping that this is not velvet again -- it nearly wiped out all fish last time.

Any ideas? TIA

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've had velvet before and went fallow last October. After re-introducing fish, I've noticed this week that some healthy fish are swimming toward the wavemakers. Is this normal? This was the sign of velvet before. So far -- all fish are eating well and not hiding. No visible slime coats/white spots on any fish.

However, there are 3 fish that have cloudy eyes - just one eye per fish. NO3 is 30 and PO4 is 0.9.

Is this fluke and should I catch the affected fish out to do a freshwater dip? Should I treat the whole tank with Prazipro? I'm hoping that this is not velvet again -- it nearly wiped out all fish last time.

Any ideas? TIA

Sometimes they do but also can be a sign of velvet. Please if you can, post a video of at least 20 seconds under white light , no blue for best assessment
Are they breathing normal and feeding normal?

 

[MnFish1]

One cloudy eye usually signifies an injury - but in multiple fish it could be flukes - did you add something recently that wasn't quarantined? As to the swimming - can you count the respiratory rate? Again - were the fish Quarantined or treated with anything - and was anything new added. I doubt it's velvet from your prior episode (assuming you used a fallow period - and/or cleaned the tank. FWIW, with marine velvet you will often not see spots, but rather rapid breathing, etc. Pictures of the tank - and the fish eyes - and the video as recommended by @vetteguy53081 would be very helpful

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I've had velvet before and went fallow last October. After re-introducing fish, I've noticed this week that some healthy fish are swimming toward the wavemakers. Is this normal? This was the sign of velvet before. So far -- all fish are eating well and not hiding. No visible slime coats/white spots on any fish.

However, there are 3 fish that have cloudy eyes - just one eye per fish. NO3 is 30 and PO4 is 0.9.

Is this fluke and should I catch the affected fish out to do a freshwater dip? Should I treat the whole tank with Prazipro? I'm hoping that this is not velvet again -- it nearly wiped out all fish last time.

Any ideas? TIA

Can you post a video under white light? I hate guessing from a verbal description.....

 

[bakbay]

Sometimes they do but also can be a sign of velvet. Please if you can, post a video of at least 20 seconds under white light , no blue for best assessment
Are they breathing normal and feeding normal?

I'll try to get video when I get home.

All are breathing normally and eating ferociously. They took turns to swim against the current but not all the time though. There are no signs of aggression either.

 

[bakbay]

Fish are out for food — as you can (hopefully) see — one eye is cloudy and the other one is completely normal. And apologies — that’s the whitest I could make it on these Orphek lights.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Fish are out for food — as you can (hopefully) see — one eye is cloudy and the other one is completely normal. And apologies — that’s the whitest I could make it on these Orphek lights.

I don't see any signs of velvet. The cloudy eyes and hanging in water currents are symptoms of two different flukes, but there is some overlap in possible symptoms.

One thing to rule out first - does the tank have good aeration (not just circulation)? Are there bubbles breaking the water's surface? That's important for proper gas exchange, especially driving off CO2. A good protein skimmer will work, but otherwise, try adding an air stone. I've seen cases here where a tank had sufficient aeration from a powerhead of filter, then an adjustment was made, lowering the aeration ability of the device somewhat, and the fish start gasping.

If you've ruled that out, then I think a prazi treatment is warranted.

 

[bakbay]

I don't see any signs of velvet. The cloudy eyes and hanging in water currents are symptoms of two different flukes, but there is some overlap in possible symptoms.

One thing to rule out first - does the tank have good aeration (not just circulation)? Are there bubbles breaking the water's surface? That's important for proper gas exchange, especially driving off CO2. A good protein skimmer will work, but otherwise, try adding an air stone. I've seen cases here where a tank had sufficient aeration from a powerhead of filter, then an adjustment was made, lowering the aeration ability of the device somewhat, and the fish start gasping.

If you've ruled that out, then I think a prazi treatment is warranted.

Thanks, Jay. It’s comforting since I’m particularly nervous about another velvet outbreak.

Circulation - I have plenty with 4 MP60s and 4 return nozzles are powered by an Abyzz 200 and a RD Eco 5 pump. Aeration: the nozzles are pointed a little upward, breaking the water surface. The skimmer is a BK300. I’ll try to add an airstone. Tank pH is around 8.

I’ll try to catch him and QT with PraziPro vs trying to treat the whole 450gal tank.

Thanks again!

 

[bakbay]

One cloudy eye usually signifies an injury - but in multiple fish it could be flukes - did you add something recently that wasn't quarantined? As to the swimming - can you count the respiratory rate? Again - were the fish Quarantined or treated with anything - and was anything new added. I doubt it's velvet from your prior episode (assuming you used a fallow period - and/or cleaned the tank. FWIW, with marine velvet you will often not see spots, but rather rapid breathing, etc. Pictures of the tank - and the fish eyes - and the video as recommended by @vetteguy53081 would be very helpful

Come to think of it — two fish with very mild hazed eye (Blue Face angel and Yellow tang) were bullied and chased around weeks ago. Possible that they hit something? Thank goodness that the nasty Blue Angel settled down. The French Angel, being the biggest, were never bullied so not sure how he got it.

I’ve killed more fish trying to QT with copper. So the last 4 months — I just do: observe in frag tank for 2-3 weeks then fresh water dip for 5min, PraziPro bath for 60min with airstone, and go in the DT.