Blind powder blue tang?

[ryanc1025]

I just had an ich outbreak and I moved my powder blue to a QT tank. All signs of ich have cleared but it appears that the tang has lost its eyesight. Staying near the bottom, sometime swims up and around but only to bump into the glass or rock. He is at least eating again but I'm 100% positive that he can't see. He can find the nori clip and seems to go back to that location and hang out. I spot feed by him and he will attempt to eat but only if he gets something by luck.

Eyes look normal, no glaze or discoloration. They do kind of move/twitch back and forth similar to what you'd see with nystagmus. I'm not sure what else to do, copper has been maintained at 2.28ppm with coppersafe for the past 4-5 days. Is there any hope vision will be restored?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I just had an ich outbreak and I moved my powder blue to a QT tank. All signs of ich have cleared but it appears that the tang has lost its eyesight. Staying near the bottom, sometime swims up and around but only to bump into the glass or rock. He is at least eating again but I'm 100% positive that he can't see. He can find the nori clip and seems to go back to that location and hang out. I spot feed by him and he will attempt to eat but only if he gets something by luck.

Eyes look normal, no glaze or discoloration. They do kind of move/twitch back and forth similar to what you'd see with nystagmus. I'm not sure what else to do, copper has been maintained at 2.28ppm with coppersafe for the past 4-5 days. Is there any hope vision will be restored?

You’ve tried flapping your hands or a towel near the tank with no reaction?
True blindness without some change to the way the eyes look is pretty rare. I don’t know what would have caused that.
Here is a primer I wrote on fish eye health:
https://reefs.com/magazine/aquarium-fish-the-eyes-have-it-a-review-of-eye-health-in-aquarium-fishes/

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just had an ich outbreak and I moved my powder blue to a QT tank. All signs of ich have cleared but it appears that the tang has lost its eyesight. Staying near the bottom, sometime swims up and around but only to bump into the glass or rock. He is at least eating again but I'm 100% positive that he can't see. He can find the nori clip and seems to go back to that location and hang out. I spot feed by him and he will attempt to eat but only if he gets something by luck.

Eyes look normal, no glaze or discoloration. They do kind of move/twitch back and forth similar to what you'd see with nystagmus. I'm not sure what else to do, copper has been maintained at 2.28ppm with coppersafe for the past 4-5 days. Is there any hope vision will be restored?

Please post pics or video of the fish in question under bright white light intensity for best assessment

 

[ryanc1025]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 ive flashed the lights, hands, hats, towels. Nothing seems to phase him

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 ive flashed the lights, hands, hats, towels. Nothing seems to phase him

Unfortunately the sound plays only, no image. Try you tube version

 

[ryanc1025]

Unfortunately the sound plays only, no image. Try you tube version

 

[vetteguy53081]

I do see possible retina abnormality and the intake of mouth suggesting injury from mouth bumping into glass. While it may or may not work, you can try treatment with maracyn as pictured below and see if fish responds.

 

[ryanc1025]

I do see possible retina abnormality and the intake of mouth suggesting injury from mouth bumping into glass. While it may or may not work, you can try treatment with maracyn as pictured below and see if fish responds.

Thanks for the feedback. Can this be dosed in conjuction with coppersafe?

 

[ryanc1025]

Thanks for the feedback. Can this be dosed in conjuction with coppersafe?

Also, if eyesite is not restored. What is the best course of action? Simply from a quality of life perspective?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the feedback. Can this be dosed in conjuction with coppersafe?

I dont recommend mixing meds in most cases and would not mix with coppersafe

 

[vetteguy53081]

Also, if eyesite is not restored. What is the best course of action? Simply from a quality of life perspective?

If you can get fish to eat/find food..... Much better scenario as if it does not eat, will eventually starve and weaken

 

[ryanc1025]

I dont recommend mixing meds in most cases and would not mix with coppersafe

Should I stop the copper, water change, and dose the marycyn? Marycyn will be here tomorrow. I also got that 55 gallon tank up and running today, so I'll start transferring fish from my display tank into there. Should I treat them all first with marycyn, then copper? Or go ahead and get that tank up to 2.25ppm copper?

 

[lagatbezan]

Perhaps take him out of all medication and see if it’s helps.
If not and it still can’t see, try giving it repeated Methylene Blue baths. I remember reading a post a while back by Humblefish on another platform where he was successful in treating/reversing fish blindness with it over time.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should I stop the copper, water change, and dose the marycyn? Marycyn will be here tomorrow. I also got that 55 gallon tank up and running today, so I'll start transferring fish from my display tank into there. Should I treat them all first with marycyn, then copper? Or go ahead and get that tank up to 2.25ppm copper?

Maracyn is gamble and may or may not work. You can try but this depending on severity may not be reversed, The humblefish post goes Way back and again is ok for cuts and sores.

@Jay Hemdal

 

[vetteguy53081]

Perhaps take him out of all medication and see if it’s helps.
If not and it still can’t see, try giving it repeated Methylene Blue baths. I remember reading a post a while back by Humblefish on another platform where he was successful in treating/reversing fish blindness with it over time.

Metheleyne blue Is useless in Marine setting and May work on cuts and wounds - Thats it. Good for freshwater fish, yes. Be careful what you read

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 ive flashed the lights, hands, hats, towels. Nothing seems to phase him

See how its eyes are twitching? It's like they are scanning around, but not seeing anything.

I suspect some underlying neurologic issue - trouble is, there is no treatment for that, other than time.

Methylene blue is an old school antiseptic med. Lots of people still use it because it's use is so firmly entrenched in the literature. However, it is only effective for external issues, and this is not an external problem (the eyes look fine).

 

[ryanc1025]

See how its eyes are twitching? It's like they are scanning around, but not seeing anything.

I suspect some underlying neurologic issue - trouble is, there is no treatment for that, other than time.

Methylene blue is an old school antiseptic med. Lots of people still use it because it's use is so firmly entrenched in the literature. However, it is only effective for external issues, and this is not an external problem (the eyes look fine).

Thanks Jay. Should I keep the tang separate from the rest of my fish? If there is no improvement by the time my fallow period is complete, should I reintroduce into the display tank as long as it's still eating? I don't have any other fish i would consider aggressors to him. It was his tank before he got sick

 

[ryanc1025]

Thanks Jay. Should I keep the tang separate from the rest of my fish? If there is no improvement by the time my fallow period is complete, should I reintroduce into the display tank as long as it's still eating? I don't have any other fish i would consider aggressors to him. It was his tank before he got sick

@Jay Hemdal any advice on this? The fish is still eating. Sometimes he will come off the bottom and swim circles around the QT tank, bumping sides at times but also sometimes it seems like he either knows where he's going or he's memorized the tank. Also, he will spin in circles. Still eats but I have to spot feed to get him any food. Eyes still twitching as shown in the previous video

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Jay Hemdal any advice on this? The fish is still eating. Sometimes he will come off the bottom and swim circles around the QT tank, bumping sides at times but also sometimes it seems like he either knows where he's going or he's memorized the tank. Also, he will spin in circles. Still eats but I have to spot feed to get him any food. Eyes still twitching as shown in the previous video

have you tried Maracyn treatment?

 

[ryanc1025]

have you tried Maracyn treatment?

I havent, still in copper QT. Should I take out and treat in maracyn separately?