Goldflake Angel repeat pop eye on left eye only!

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

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.

That's the trouble with these eye issues, the more you move the fish, the more chance there is for further damage.

 

[xparkys]

it looks little worse than yesterday or maybe I can see it better since it is isolated or could be from moving stress.

This morning It eat well though and not showing any sign of suffering. I am really hoping it gets better with Maracyn treatment cycle.

 

[xparkys]

Is it normal for Water to become muddy and viscous (bubble accumulation)? Or any action you recommend i take?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is it normal for Water to become muddy and viscous (bubble accumulation)? Or any action you recommend i take?

That's a sign of too many heterotrophic bacteria in the water. Maracyn is spotty on what types of bacteria it will kill. You should maintain good aeration and monitor the ammonia level carefully. Water changes will also help. You may also need to add nitrifying bacteria cultures to help maintain low ammonia levels.

 

[xparkys]

Thanks. I had taken water from display tank, filter with bioballs from cu tank I had for many months. I started running empty for last few weeks but no bio load though!

I have moved few bioballs from main tank. Added some stability. Hopefully it helps.

I have also have an ammonia patch to monitor.

Thanks for quick replies.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks. I had taken water from display tank, filter with bioballs from cu tank I had for many months. I started running empty for last few weeks but no bio load though!

I have moved few bioballs from main tank. Added some stability. Hopefully it helps.

I have also have an ammonia patch to monitor.

Thanks for quick replies.

Bioballs really don't harbor as many nitrifying bacteria as people suppose that they do - I'd still measure the ammonia levels, just to be sure that isn't the issue (ammonia disks don't always work as well as they should).

 

[xparkys]

@Jay Hemdal, @vetteguy53081, ammonia seems to be accumulating to 0.25 ppm (API test) in a days time so I have been doing 50% water change every day for last 3 days. Fish continues to eat well and do fine but yet to see improvement in the eye!

Anything else I should be doing or just be patient?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Jay Hemdal, @vetteguy53081, ammonia seems to be accumulating to 0.25 ppm (API test) in a days time so I have been doing 50% water change every day for last 3 days. Fish continues to eat well and do fine but yet to see improvement in the eye!

Anything else I should be doing or just be patient?

Did you treat with Maracyn?
Your readings with AI may be false and I encourage you to take a water sample to an LFS that does Not use Api tests and see what readings they come up with and to compare with yours

 

[xparkys]

Yes, I started Maracyn on Tuesday evening with 5th scheduled dose added today. Only thing that would be different is with daily water change there may not be accumulation of Maracyn concentration which otherwise would have been! not sure if it makes a difference.

My Ammonia patch is also showing Alert level (0.05 PPM). I will get it tested with a different kit as well.

 

[xparkys]

Pics this morning

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Pics this morning

The swelling looks worse. That sometimes happens with these injuries. It’s like there is some damage to the capillaries behind the eye and fluid keeps building up (or in some cases, gas).
Antibiotics only help against secondary bacterial infections, not the original cause of the issue.

 

[xparkys]

Anything I can soak the food with to help like an anti inflammatory? Or it has to heal by itself!

 

[Tripod1404]

Not sure if this is practical on a fish. But I wonder if it would be helpful drain the abscess with a needle? You may need to partially sedate the fish though, which is scary with angles. I had a trigger years ago that had pop eye on one side and it eventually swelling went away but it went blind on that eye.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Anything I can soak the food with to help like an anti inflammatory? Or it has to heal by itself!

Acetamidazole (spelling) can reduce gas production in eye issues in other animals. I’m not sure of an anti inflammatory to use in fish.
Somebody mentioned using a needle to decompress the eye. Sure sounds feasible, but I’ll tell you, I’ve tried this hundreds of times and never got full resolution, the swelling always returned. I’ve had veterinarians ennucleate (remove) the eye and that works.

 

[xparkys]

Not sure if this is practical on a fish. But I wonder if it would be helpful drain the abscess with a needle? You may need to partially sedate the fish though, which is scary with angles. I had a trigger years ago that had pop eye on one side and it eventually swelling went away but it went blind on that eye.

Thanks. Fish loosing an eye is my concern as well!

 

[xparkys]

Acetamidazole (spelling) can reduce gas production in eye issues in other animals. I’m not sure of an anti inflammatory to use in fish.
Somebody mentioned using a needle to decompress the eye. Sure sounds feasible, but I’ll tell you, I’ve tried this hundreds of times and never got full resolution, the swelling always returned. I’ve had veterinarians ennucleate (remove) the eye and that works.

Thanks Jay.

TBH, I am personally wary of poking anywhere on the fish, especially eye! If that is the only route then I will check with LFS or a fellow hobbyist who is willing.

From what you stated, I will let the nature decide the fate, I suppose...

 

[xparkys]

An update as it's been a while.

After long continuous isolation, regular second laced food with occassional garlic it seems to have become better. Popeye is still there but has significantly improved...

Thanks for all the help and encouragement to be patient.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

An update as it's been a while.

After long continuous isolation, regular second laced food with occassional garlic it seems to have become better. Popeye is still there but has significantly improved...

Thanks for all the help and encouragement to be patient.

It does take months for this issue to resolve in some fish, and a few never fully recover back to "normal". One thing to be aware of - when you go to move the fish back into the DT, be very careful not to cause it additional injury - flopping about in a net is a common cause of these eye issues.