Goldflake Angel repeat pop eye on left eye only!

[xparkys]

My Goldflake got pop eye on left eye 2 months ago. Every other fish are fine except the GF. Based on my reading and recommendation I had seen I did multiple water changes. it went away within 2 weeks. Fish did not show any trauma, ate well and kept going.

Fast forward to last week, same eye is bloated again. Fish is eating well, swimming around normal, attacks food normally as it did. Like last time i did large water change. my nitrates were at ~30 which is down to ~20 now. I have mixed reef so do not aim for near zero nitrates. It has been a week with no improvement, infact the eye might have popped little more in past few days.

Any thoughts on what maybe going with it? I will post the picture later when I get home.

Every other fish is doing well...

 

[vetteguy53081]

My Goldflake got pop eye on left eye 2 months ago. Every other fish are fine except the GF. Based on my reading and recommendation I had seen I did multiple water changes. it went away within 2 weeks. Fish did not show any trauma, ate well and kept going.

Fast forward to last week, same eye is bloated again. Fish is eating well, swimming around normal, attacks food normally as it did. Like last time i did large water change. my nitrates were at ~30 which is down to ~20 now. I have mixed reef so do not aim for near zero nitrates. It has been a week with no improvement, infact the eye might have popped little more in past few days.

Any thoughts on what maybe going with it? I will post the picture later when I get home.

Every other fish is doing well...

Often one eye is an injury but this may be infection
Treatment is recommended and you want to use Maracyn, not maracyn two or oxy

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

My Goldflake got pop eye on left eye 2 months ago. Every other fish are fine except the GF. Based on my reading and recommendation I had seen I did multiple water changes. it went away within 2 weeks. Fish did not show any trauma, ate well and kept going.

Fast forward to last week, same eye is bloated again. Fish is eating well, swimming around normal, attacks food normally as it did. Like last time i did large water change. my nitrates were at ~30 which is down to ~20 now. I have mixed reef so do not aim for near zero nitrates. It has been a week with no improvement, infact the eye might have popped little more in past few days.

Any thoughts on what maybe going with it? I will post the picture later when I get home.

Every other fish is doing well...

Did it completely heal?
Any exposure to something that could have caused it to run into something?

 

[xparkys]

Often one eye is an injury but this may be infection
Treatment is recommended and you want to use Maracyn, not maracyn two or oxy

Can I do it in the display tank? Unless needed I would like to avoid catching the fish or make pop eye worst?

 

[xparkys]

Can I do it in the display tank? Unless needed I would like to avoid catching the fish or make pop eye worst?

Did it completely heal?
Any exposure to something that could have caused it to run into something?

It looked normal for few weeks before showing up again.

 

[xparkys]

Often one eye is an injury but this may be infection
Treatment is recommended and you want to use Maracyn, not maracyn two or oxy

Can I do it in the display tank? Unless needed I would like to avoid catching the fish or make pop eye worst?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Can I do it in the display tank? Unless needed I would like to avoid catching the fish or make pop eye worst?

Unfortunately, separate yank with air stone added

 

[xparkys]

Thanks.

I have erythromycin handy. Would that work? Or you recommend Maracyn only?

 

[resortez]

What are your other parameter readings???? Asking because in my experience, angels are extremely sensitive to changes in parameters. If parameters are fine, you can scratch parameters off the list. Would also help to get a bit of background on the angel, like when it was first introduced, if it was QTed, also if any new fish were introduced after the angel, if you dealt with any infections in the past before &/or after the angel was introduced, any other fish scratching against sand or rock. Questions & info to deduce the cause for the pop eye.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks.

I have erythromycin handy. Would that work? Or you recommend Maracyn only?

Maracyn is Erythromycin. They are interchangeable, as long as the dose is the same. Trouble is, some Erythromycin products for pets and humans also have binders and excipients in them, and that needs to be taken into account when dosing. All of the data in my formulary for this drug are for injectable or oral doses though.....so you would be better off using Maracyn. I have used Erythromycin at 12.5 mg/gallon in the past though.

 

[xparkys]

Just now managed to catch it. Now to the hospital tank.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Just now managed to catch it. Now to the hospital tank.

Ugh - that's bad. I don't see any sign of secondary bacterial infection, but the injury to that eye is producing gas that causes the eye to protrude like that. In some cases, the fish will lose that eye.

Here is an article I wrote on fish eye health:

https://reefs.com/magazine/aquarium-fish-the-eyes-have-it-a-review-of-eye-health-in-aquarium-fishes/

 

[xparkys]

What are your other parameter readings???? Asking because in my experience, angels are extremely sensitive to changes in parameters. If parameters are fine, you can scratch parameters off the list. Would also help to get a bit of background on the angel, like when it was first introduced, if it was QTed, also if any new fish were introduced after the angel, if you dealt with any infections in the past before &/or after the angel was introduced, any other fish scratching against sand or rock. Questions & info to deduce the cause for the pop eye.

I have had goldflake for an year now. It went through cu and has been in the main display from last Dec.

Parameters are fine. None of the other fishes are showing any symptoms or scratching or any injury.

I have taken few fishes out (clown pair, flame hawk, flameback angel) in the last 2 months to make space. There was no new introduction when it got pop-eye first. I have added a 3" yellow/Scopas hybrid. I don't see any fish fights or chasing.

 

[xparkys]

Ugh - that's bad. I don't see any sign of secondary bacterial infection, but the injury to that eye is producing gas that causes the eye to protrude like that. In some cases, the fish will lose that eye.

Here is an article I wrote on fish eye health:

https://reefs.com/magazine/aquarium-fish-the-eyes-have-it-a-review-of-eye-health-in-aquarium-fishes/

That doesn't sound good!

Do you still recommend treating it outside? now that I cought it should I treat it with anything else to help healing?

Thanks for the help.

 

[xparkys]

I got the Maracyn. Now to start 10G hospital tank.

 

[resortez]

Now that you moved it into QT, hopefully it’ recovers

 

[xparkys]

Quarantine setup done. Now for recovery...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks.

I have erythromycin handy. Would that work? Or you recommend Maracyn only?

Yes, that will work

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just now managed to catch it. Now to the hospital tank.

Ouch, worse than pictured but try the maracyn

 

[xparkys]

Ouch, worse than pictured but try the maracyn

Thanks. Started Maracyn.