Purple Tang White Eyes

[phxChris]

Hello, my purple tang seems to have lost vision out of both eyes rather rapidly. It seems two days ago it was eating normally and yesterday I noticed it was swimming at the sand bed and in the same spot. Upon closer inspection, both of it's eyes are completely white. The outer part isn't cloudy. It's hard to say if the lens is clear or someone opaque but at some angles and with additional lighting shining into the eyes, it looks like in looking at the retina or other internals. I tried to feed it by putting nori in front of it and Selcon soaked mysis however, it is not eating and is staying in the same place. I've had both fish for almost two years without issue and they have been the only fish in the aquarium for the last year.

The spots in a couple of the pictures are not on the fish they are on the glass. I did notice a white spot on the body near the ventral fins but I do not see it today.

There is a white tail bristle tooth tang in the aquarium as well that seems to not be affected.

Temp: 77.5
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: 503
Alk: 6.8

 

[Gtinnel]

I’m no expert but I know flukes can infect a fishes eyes, but it also could be a bacterial infection.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hello, my purple tang seems to have lost vision out of both eyes rather rapidly. It seems two days ago it was eating normally and yesterday I noticed it was swimming at the sand bed and in the same spot. Upon closer inspection, both of it's eyes are completely white. The outer part isn't cloudy. It's hard to say if the lens is clear or someone opaque but at some angles and with additional lighting shining into the eyes, it looks like in looking at the retina or other internals. I tried to feed it by putting nori in front of it and Selcon soaked mysis however, it is not eating and is staying in the same place. I've had both fish for almost two years without issue and they have been the only fish in the aquarium for the last year.

The spots in a couple of the pictures are not on the fish they are on the glass. I did notice a white spot on the body near the ventral fins but I do not see it today.

There is a white tail bristle tooth tang in the aquarium as well that seems to not be affected.

Temp: 77.5
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: 503
Alk: 6.8

Can you post more pictures under white light? A short video would help as well.
There are two types of eye flukes, Neobenedenia and a rare internal species. Fish can also get cataracts, but those do not develop so quickly. Because a fish's eyes are clear, virtually anything that would produce cloudiness to the skin will show up on the eyes most clearly.

Here is an article I wrote on general fish eye health:

Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it: A Review of Eye Health in Aquarium Fishes

Aquarists need to inspect their fish closely every day, for signs of impending health problems. It is much easier to resolve a problem when it first starts, than to attempt a drastic emergency treatment when the fish is close to dying.

reefs.com

Jay

 

[phxChris]

Thank you Jay/Gtinnel. Here are the requested pictures and video.

Can you post more pictures under white light? A short video would help as well.
There are two types of eye flukes, Neobenedenia and a rare internal species. Fish can also get cataracts, but those do not develop so quickly. Because a fish's eyes are clear, virtually anything that would produce cloudiness to the skin will show up on the eyes most clearly.

Here is an article I wrote on general fish eye health:

Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it: A Review of Eye Health in Aquarium Fishes

Aquarists need to inspect their fish closely every day, for signs of impending health problems. It is much easier to resolve a problem when it first starts, than to attempt a drastic emergency treatment when the fish is close to dying.

reefs.com

Jay

 

[JGT]

Wow, that is freaky. Zombie tang. The Swimming Dead. Very appropriate for Halloween. Doesn’t look like flukes. Looks like it could be cataracts. Not sure much can be done with those as humans get surgery but I’m sure Jay will weigh in.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Wow - those sure look like cataracts. I have NEVER seen cataracts develop so quickly! On the off chance that the rare internal eye fluke caused this (unlikely) then you could try treating the tank with Prazipro.

Jay