Is this pop-eye or damage?

[Biff0rz]

What should I do? Get him out of the tank and how do I treat this???

 

[Biff0rz]

Unless the eye gets cloudy or red, or the other eye develops an issue, I wouldn’t do anything other than give it the best care: food and water quality. If you want to be more aggressive, you could dose the tank with Maracyn one, but that could be detrimental to the tank’s other inhabitants.
Jay

Thanks so much. I'm not familiar with maracyn 1 so I'll do some research on it. The tank does not have corals in it yet so I'm at an advantage there. I also have a fish trap and hospital tank setup, so need be I feel like I could catch him. On the positive side his appetite hasn't lessened one bit - 2nd biggest pig in the tank besides the CBB.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks so much. I'm not familiar with maracyn 1 so I'll do some research on it. The tank does not have corals in it yet so I'm at an advantage there. I also have a fish trap and hospital tank setup, so need be I feel like I could catch him. On the positive side his appetite hasn't lessened one bit - 2nd biggest pig in the tank besides the CBB.

Maracyn 1 is erythromycin.
Jay

 

[Biff0rz]

His eye has popped out a little more today. Would this eliminate the damage theory? I'm wondering if I should just pull him and treat. I think I can snag him at night. No other fish are having the issue.

 

[Biff0rz]

Btw I'm more concerned than normal as this fish is a little pricey..

 

[ApoIsland]

How big is your tank? If it’s less than 100gallons I would just do a large water change. When I think there is a problem with my water I change most the water. had a wrasse with a cloudy popeye in my 120g. After a 70g water change in the evening he was back to normal the next morning. Corals all looked better after the water change also

 

[vetteguy53081]

Btw I'm more concerned than normal as this fish is a little pricey..

This activity is not abnormal as the eye socket is weakest part of body
Maracyn ( pet smart or pet I) may be warranted now to avoid infection
Alternative is Melafix but I’d rather maracyn
Again- good water quality and diet is key

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Can you get a picture under white light instead of blue? I can't see if there is a secondary infection brewing or not. As @vetteguy53081 and I have said, Maracyn 1 is a common antibiotic used for eye infections. However, if this is from mechanical damage, there isn't any treatment other than palliative care.

I had built a pressure chamber years ago, and putting fish like this in it and pressurizing to around 28 psi would reduce the eye swelling, Trouble is, when you released the pressure, even slowly, the bubbles always returned.

I have in the past, tried releasing the gas using a tuberculin needle and syringe. This would provide temporary relief, but in every case, the bubbles returned in 24 to 48 hours.

Jay

 

[Biff0rz]

How big is your tank? If it’s less than 100gallons I would just do a large water change. When I think there is a problem with my water I change most the water. had a wrasse with a cloudy popeye in my 120g. After a 70g water change in the evening he was back to normal the next morning. Corals all looked better after the water change also

233g...not such an easy change.

This activity is not abnormal as the eye socket is weakest part of body
Maracyn ( pet smart or pet I) may be warranted now to avoid infection
Alternative is Melafix but I’d rather maracyn
Again- good water quality and diet is key

The wife went to go buy some maracyn 1 today, I have a hospital tank setup. I may try to get him at night. I also have a fish trap that may work?

Can you get a picture under white light instead of blue? I can't see if there is a secondary infection brewing or not. As @vetteguy53081 and I have said, Maracyn 1 is a common antibiotic used for eye infections. However, if this is from mechanical damage, there isn't any treatment other than palliative care.

I had built a pressure chamber years ago, and putting fish like this in it and pressurizing to around 28 psi would reduce the eye swelling, Trouble is, when you released the pressure, even slowly, the bubbles always returned.

I have in the past, tried releasing the gar using a tuberculin needle and syringe. This would provide temporary relief, but in every case, the bubbles returned in 24 to 48 hours.

Jay

Yea, not sure I want to poke his eye yet, esp if its only temporary. I will try and get a white one quickly.

 

[Biff0rz]

One question... Could dinos cause this?

 

[Biff0rz]

@Jay Hemdal white light pics

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks - I don’t see any overt signs of infection here. Since only one eye is involved, I’m still thinking mechanical....
Jay

 

[Biff0rz]

I was able to move the fish to a quarantine tank - I dosed maracyn 1 last night. Has not gotten worse or better. Second dose will be tonight. Can / should I dose Epsom salt as well?

Note, I was able to use my fish trap to get him (that was a mini project lol). But I moved him with the colander, no net again.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Epsom salts are useless when added to the water, this is a freshwater treatment that has been misapplied to marine tanks - magnesium sulfate is the fourth highest salt in the mixes, so adding a little more to the already high levels has no affect. It does have some benefit for internal issues when added to food at 3%
Remember, antibiotics can take up to five days to work.
Jay

 

[Biff0rz]

Epsom salts are useless when added to the water, this is a freshwater treatment that has been misapplied to marine tanks - magnesium sulfate is the fourth highest salt in the mixes, so adding a little more to the already high levels has no affect. It does have some benefit for internal issues when added to food at 3%
Remember, antibiotics can take up to five days to work.
Jay

Ok cool. I just want to give him the best chance possible.

 

[Biff0rz]

So this is some positive progress! Yesterday it was a bit worse than this. Today the eye appears to be going back into the socket. Now the bubble is definitely getting squished. From my reading it says not to take a needle to it and it should go down on its own, is that correct?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I know, these just scream out to have a needle taken to them....but I’ve never had that work, the bubbles always return.
Jay

 

[Biff0rz]

I know, these just scream out to have a needle taken to them....but I’ve never had that work, the bubbles always return.
Jay

10-4. I will keep monitoring. It...just looks...so...popable....lol

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

10-4. I will keep monitoring. It...just looks...so...popable....lol

Even if he loses the eye he should be fine. I had a clownfish for years the size of a bluegill in dads 180 gallon with one eye. We called him one eye wario (he was a Madagascar yellow clown). He did fine with one eye forever.

 

[Biff0rz]

Back to normal!!