Eye Issue - Solar Wrasse

govolsguy31 · Jun 19, 2017

I've got a problem here. I'm wondering if this is bacterial or injury. Solar Wrasse is one of my early guys in this tank, been in there at least 6 months now. Came home today to him not eating and this on his right eye. Left eye looks fine. He's laying on the bottom of the tank in the corner, although this is not unusual. That's his spot and has spent much of his day doing this for months now. He wasn't like this 24 hours ago.

I've got a sailfin thats a bit of a bully, but never to him. There's also a lunar wrasse in the tank and a coral beauty angel. If its injury, its possible it came from one of them. The fact that its his eye makes me suspect the lunar.

It's going to be an astronomical pain to catch him if QT is necessary, but I'll do what I have to. First things first, is this bacterial or assault from another fish?

#reefsquad @melypr1985 @4FordFamily

domination2580 · Jun 19, 2017

Is it one eye or both?

hybridazn · Jun 19, 2017

If it's just the one eye like you said if say it's from an injury. If keep an eye out for any bullying, if there is any I would pull the wrasse and put him in qt to heal. If everything is ok if leave him be to heal. Make sure he eats as well.

blkhwkz · Jun 19, 2017

Generally if it is only one eye it is an injury, both eyes bacterial. Not always the case, but usually. I've had a few fish that looked like that or worse and in a few days to a week looked normal again without doing anything special for them.

govolsguy31 · Jun 19, 2017

It's just one. It's the lunar I think. In the time I posted that, he's even more beat up. Got a small patch of scales coming loose on his opposite side now.

melypr1985 · Jun 19, 2017

I agree that it's most likley an injury. It does look to be getting infected though. I'd be sure to QT and if you have it, you can run erythromycin which is good for eye infections.

4FordFamily · Jun 19, 2017

melypr1985 said:
I agree that it's most likley an injury. It does look to be getting infected though. I'd be sure to QT and if you have it, you can run erythromycin which is good for eye infections.

X2 this is how I would handle it. I would act fast.

govolsguy31 · Jun 20, 2017

After basically a total tank breakdown last night, I got him and the two bullies out. The bullies are down in separate chambers in my sump and the Solar Wrasse is in QT. I didn't have the meds @melypr1985 mentioned, but I found them locally here. Picking them up today at lunch to medicate. He looked ok this morning, slightly discolored, eye looks a little worse, but breathing fine. Hope this all works out.

Bullies are set to be traded on Friday an LFS in Roanoke, VA.

govolsguy31 · Jun 21, 2017

He's still plugging along. I medicated the QT tank yesterday at lunch and then again this morning. Eye is really bulging, but has cleared up just a bit. I'll try to post another couple pictures this evening.

melypr1985 · Jun 21, 2017

govolsguy31 said:
He's still plugging along. I medicated the QT tank yesterday at lunch and then again this morning. Eye is really bulging, but has cleared up just a bit. I'll try to post another couple pictures this evening.

Did anybody mention Epsom salt to help with the swelling?

govolsguy31 · Jun 21, 2017

melypr1985 said:
Did anybody mention Epsom salt to help with the swelling?

No, I don't guess so @melypr1985 how does that work?

Came home today at lunch. He still won't eat. :-/

Humblefish · Jun 21, 2017

govolsguy31 said:
No, I don't guess so @melypr1985 how does that work?

Came home today at lunch. He still won't eat. :-/

Epsom Salt: Treats eye and other injuries. Popeye in one eye usually means injury, but popeye in both eyes usually denotes a bacterial infection requiring antibiotic treatment. Cloudy eye can be a bacterial infection or flukes.

How To Treat - 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of aquarium water. Repeat only once, if necessary. Use only “USP” grade Epsom salt.

Pros - Reef safe, as Epsom salt is just magnesium sulfate.

Cons/Side Effects - The effects of excessive sulfate in a reef aquarium are not fully known.

govolsguy31 · Jun 21, 2017

Humblefish said:
Epsom Salt: Treats eye and other injuries. Popeye in one eye usually means injury, but popeye in both eyes usually denotes a bacterial infection requiring antibiotic treatment. Cloudy eye can be a bacterial infection or flukes.

How To Treat - 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of aquarium water. Repeat only once, if necessary. Use only “USP” grade Epsom salt.

Pros - Reef safe, as Epsom salt is just magnesium sulfate.

Cons/Side Effects - The effects of excessive sulfate in a reef aquarium are not fully known.

Thanks @Humblefish I'll try that this evening.

govolsguy31 · Jun 27, 2017

Guys, after 8 days, we have a success story! The treatment @melypr1985 recommended worked. He did lose the eye, but he's back to normal, eating like a pig. Planning on getting him back into the display in the next day or two.

Thanks everyone. R2R saved another fish. #reefsquad.