Help with Yellow head Jawfish..

[ryanhark]

Hey guys and gals, I have a yellow head jawfish that appears to have trouble eating lately. He has been in the same borough for about a year now. Just recently after changing spectrum in my Hydra Lighting it started to move around the tank sifting sand and making new boroughs. The fish waits for food to come to him by the borough and not pick food from the water column like he used to. He seems to "mouth" at food in the water column recklessly like he is blind or near blind.. His eyes are not cloudy or appear to be damaged, his belly is not sunken in nor is he beat up and at risk of starving. I was hoping to get some suggestions or feedback.
I realize these fish are sand sifters and i have a healthy sandbed of 4-5 inches of fine sand for him to feed from. Is this typical of jawfish with their eyesight as they get older? Should I be worried? I tried attaching a video but it seemed to fail.

 

[blaxsun]

Do you have a feeder so you can target feed him?

 

[Beau_B]

I had one go blind, in less than a year. Similar to what you described he started to make craters in the sand randomly despite an established burrow.

Couldn't catch food despite blowing a cloud of chunks right at him.

I chose to euthanize after about a week because he was clearly stressed and starving.

Never got an explanation for what could have caused it. Some suggest cyanide harvesting or a particular parasite that attacks eyes. Neither seemed likely to me.

 

[ryanhark]

I had one go blind, in less than a year. Similar to what you described he started to make craters in the sand randomly despite an established burrow.

Couldn't catch food despite blowing a cloud of chunks right at him.

I chose to euthanize after about a week because he was clearly stressed and starving.

Never got an explanation for what could have caused it. Some suggest cyanide harvesting or a particular parasite that attacks eyes. Neither seemed likely to me.

I'm sorry to hear that! Was there any visual defect in or around the eyes? I'm pretty hopeful for my fish since he is in perfect visual health.

 

[ryanhark]

Do you have a feeder so you can target feed him?

Yes, I can target feed him with a turkey baster.

 

[Beau_B]

I'm sorry to hear that! Was there any visual defect in or around the eyes? I'm pretty hopeful for my fish since he is in perfect visual health.

There was not. Appeared normal; just did not react to anything. I could put my finger right up to his face.

 

[ryanhark]

Well fast forward 1 month,it appears the fish is still mouthing randomly at pieces of food close to its head. The good news is the fish is still healthy in appearance so I'm going to leave it alone.