Dragon Eel Cloudy Eye

[dragoneel]

Does anyone know what this may be and how to treat?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Hey dragon welcome to the club! Let's see if we can get you some help

@lion king

 

[lion king]

Is it just the one eye or both, if it's just the one eye then it's likely an injury. Tell us all you can as how long have you had her, how long has the eye been like that, what are you feeding, water conditions. First off water conditions need to be optimum. The risk with this if it is an injury is that could turn into a bacterial infection. I'm not the expert on diseases but if it was disease related it would also likely be bacterial. The course of treatment would be an antibiotic, kanaplex is a good relatively safe broad spectrum antibiotic. You would want to treat her in a hospital tank, not in the display, so you would need an appropriate fully biologically cycled tank with pvc as a den, no rocks or substrate and such to really adequately use an antibiotic. If you do not not have an appropriate tank to transfer to for treatment then optimum water quality and a premium diet, Eels are actually pretty resilient, I've seen eels get an injury like this, lose the eye, never get treatment, and fully recover. Is she still eating and how her activity, acting ok and such. A really healthy eel in excellent water conditions could recover on their own, but an antibiotic treatment wouldn't be a bad idea. I'm calling her a she because the coloring does look to be female. Please wait for the usual experts in this forum to get their input.

 

[dragoneel]

pH: 8
Nitrates: 0
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
Temp ~ 74

Its just the one eye. I’ve had the eel for a couple years now, never had any issues. No issues leading up to noticing the eye either. Usually just feed it silverslides, squid, or shrimp. Still seems to be acting normal minus the eye. Not sure how she’d get injured as she is only accompanied by a few damsels. Thanks for the input!

 

[lion king]

pH: 8
Nitrates: 0
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
Temp ~ 74

Its just the one eye. I’ve had the eel for a couple years now, never had any issues. No issues leading up to noticing the eye either. Usually just feed it silverslides, squid, or shrimp. Still seems to be acting normal minus the eye. Not sure how she’d get injured as she is only accompanied by a few damsels. Thanks for the input!

She could have banged it into a rock. While I do prefer rock dens, there could have been an edge protuding which could have caught her eye. While I usually try and not use medications, something like this can turn bad quickly and be deadly. I am especially resistant to using meds with eels, they don't seem to process them as well as others. With that said you must watch it carefully, if there are no signs of tissue around the eye being inflamed in any way, you may get away with not treating. If there are any negative changes at all from this point I would decide to treat immediately, if the eye seems to swell, etc. The risk with that is that it can turn bad quickly, and the best time to treat is when the eel has been eating and is in optimum health. If she stops eating it would be a sign to take immediate action. As I said earlier I have seen eye injuries on eels like this and they recovered on their own, but I've also seen them turn badly. It is a risk either way.

Any new additions that could have introduced something. With one eye being effected, I'm still leaning towards an injury.

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Looks like an injury to me as well. There seems to be some erosion to the cornea (the hole at the center). This can allow water/bacteria to enter the eye orbit. The trouble with the injury diagnosis is this: eels spend their lives squirming in and out of caves and rocks. They are well adapted for that life, and I find it odd that it would be so injury prone(grin).

Just checking - you say the eel is behaving normally, does that include feeding normally?

Depending on the tank it is in, one option would be to dose with Erythromycin (Maracyn 1 or similar) as that seems to have pretty good effect for eye issues. I'm not sure you are at that point yet, but if the eye gets worse, that would be the direction I would go.

Jay

 

[lion king]

Looks like an injury to me as well. There seems to be some erosion to the cornea (the hole at the center). This can allow water/bacteria to enter the eye orbit. The trouble with the injury diagnosis is this: eels spend their lives squirming in and out of caves and rocks. They are well adapted for that life, and I find it odd that it would be so injury prone(grin).

Just checking - you say the eel is behaving normally, does that include feeding normally?

Depending on the tank it is in, one option would be to dose with Erythromycin (Maracyn 1 or similar) as that seems to have pretty good effect for eye issues. I'm not sure you are at that point yet, but if the eye gets worse, that would be the direction I would go.

Jay

The reason an eel gets an injury like this in captivity is because of constrained real estate. In a tank they don't have the full peripheral vision or instinct they would have in the wild.

Additional question to the OP, what size tank is she in, while it can happen in any size tank, a tank shorter than 6', injuries as described do happen more frequently. A quick turn and launch in a more constrained space with a dynamic eels like a dragon this can happen.

If maracyn 1 is a good choice for a display; that would be a good choice if you decide to treat. As I stated earlier, I would not let any negative signs progress from this point without immediate action. I would get the maracyn 1 now and have it on hand.

 

[lion king]

Any updates

 

[dragoneel]

Just finished the last dose of maracyn. And his eye looks significantly better and almost back to normal. Thank you for all the suggestions, really appreciate it.

 

[Ken Roane]

I just got a dragon eel one week ago. Put into my 25 gal cube holding tank with no substrate or rocks. He maneuvered twice in two days into the back filter which by hand I put back into the tank. I thought putting a few rocks from my 15 gal cube with three decorator crabs in with the eel might make him feel more secure. The next day both eyes contracted this non clear look in both eyes. I feel it was a big mistake putting the rocks into the holding tank which I had set up to avoid this kind of problem.
What would be the best choice of treatment. The fish store recommended one fluid ounce of copper to the tank which I did one day ago.

 

[Ken Roane]

I just got a dragon eel one week ago. Put into my 25 gal cube holding tank with no substrate or rocks. He maneuvered twice in two days into the back filter which by hand I put back into the tank. I thought putting a few rocks from my 15 gal cube with three decorator crabs in with the eel might make him feel more secure. The next day both eyes contracted this non clear look in both eyes. I feel it was a big mistake putting the rocks into the holding tank which I had set up to avoid this kind of problem.
What would be the best choice of treatment. The fish store recommended one fluid ounce of copper to the tank which I did one day ago.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I just got a dragon eel one week ago. Put into my 25 gal cube holding tank with no substrate or rocks. He maneuvered twice in two days into the back filter which by hand I put back into the tank. I thought putting a few rocks from my 15 gal cube with three decorator crabs in with the eel might make him feel more secure. The next day both eyes contracted this non clear look in both eyes. I feel it was a big mistake putting the rocks into the holding tank which I had set up to avoid this kind of problem.
What would be the best choice of treatment. The fish store recommended one fluid ounce of copper to the tank which I did one day ago.

Hi, is this a true dragon moray? how large is it? I've actually never had one small enough that I would feel comfortable putting in a 25 gallon tank - the ones I got from Japan were all 18"+ I would also never pick one up by hand, they have very sharp teeth and won't hesitate to use them.

You should not try to keep a dragon moray in a bare tank, they need to have places to hide. PVC pipe cut into pieces will work. The cloudy eyes may be injuries from the eel moving about, not feeling comfortable (and also jumping out twice as it has).

Can you post a picture/video?

What copper product did you add? Moray eels are one of the few fish that I won't use copper on, I think it will harm its feeding response.

Jay

 

[Ken Roane]

I appreciate your response. It is a true dragon eel that is about 12". I've had a 36" dragon for 5 years but passed. Yes teeth are narly but this one has very small and did not try to bite. Had no choice anyway to pull him out from filter. I've taken the rocks back out and put in large PVC pieces. Copper Power. Also put in two tiny chromies. No appetite for first three days which isn't unusual, could take weeks.
I don't want to stress the eel but I'm wondering if a fresh water dip and or 25% water change would be helpful? The eyes remain cloudy.

 

[Ken Roane]

Hi, is this a true dragon moray? how large is it? I've actually never had one small enough that I would feel comfortable putting in a 25 gallon tank - the ones I got from Japan were all 18"+ I would also never pick one up by hand, they have very sharp teeth and won't hesitate to use them.

You should not try to keep a dragon moray in a bare tank, they need to have places to hide. PVC pipe cut into pieces will work. The cloudy eyes may be injuries from the eel moving about, not feeling comfortable (and also jumping out twice as it has).

Can you post a picture/video?

What copper product did you add? Moray eels are one of the few fish that I won't use copper on, I think it will harm its feeding response.

Jay

I appreciate your response. It is a true dragon eel that is about 12". I've had a 36" dragon for 5 years but passed. Yes teeth are narly but this one has very small and did not try to bite. Had no choice anyway to pull him out from filter. I've taken the rocks back out and put in large PVC pieces. Copper Power. Also put in two tiny chromies. No appetite for first three days which isn't unusual, could take weeks.
I don't want to stress the eel but I'm wondering if a fresh water dip and or 25% water change would be helpful? The eyes remain cloudy.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Given how these often don’t feed well to start, I really wouldn’t use copper on it. A FW dip is one option, it will tolerate it well enough. However, if the eyes are cloudy from physical damage, catching it up for a dip will only increase the chance of further injury. The dip will also really only tell you if there is a fluke issue.

What is the ammonia level in the tank?

Jay

 

[Ken Roane]

Given how these often don’t feed well to start, I really wouldn’t use copper on it. A FW dip is one option, it will tolerate it well enough. However, if the eyes are cloudy from physical damage, catching it up for a dip will only increase the chance of further injury. The dip will also really only tell you if there is a fluke issue.

What is the ammonia level in the tank?

Jay

Ammonia level 0 ; Nitrate 0
I understand and value your comment regarding introducing copper. Unfortunately, I put in 1 fluid ounce therefore my question to you; should I do a small water change to start removing the copper?
Thank you Jay

 

[Ken Roane]

Ammonia level 0 ; Nitrate 0
I understand and value your comment regarding introducing copper. Unfortunately, I put in 1 fluid ounce therefore my question to you; should I do a small water change to start removing the copper?
Thank you Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ammonia level 0 ; Nitrate 0
I understand and value your comment regarding introducing copper. Unfortunately, I put in 1 fluid ounce therefore my question to you; should I do a small water change to start removing the copper?
Thank you Jay

Personally, I would remove the copper. Eels only get one disease that copper would help with anyway (velvet).
Jay

 

[Ken Roane]

Personally, I would remove the copper. Eels only get one disease that copper would help with anyway (velvet).
Jay

I will remove the copper. Both dragon eel cloudy eyes have cleared up! Not sure if it was removing the live rock after noticing the problem and or the copper treatment. The eel hasn't eaten in two weeks so I'm reluctant to move to the display tank until he starts eating? Thanks Jay