White/translucent growth in eye

[JakeC96]

Hey all!

I have a Yellow tang who developed this strange white-ish growth in his eye. It's growing directly on his pupil underneath the clear lid that covers the eye. It started off as a white spot and over time it just got bigger and more translucent. I hoped that with clean water and healthy diet it would go away on its own but that obviously hasnt worked. It's now pushing his pupil back and the clear lid is beginning to bulge slightly. I've tested for flukes with a freshwater dip and I've ruled that out.

He's otherwise very healthy, active and eats normally. I just can't seem to rid him of this strange growth.

He's currently in a 55 gallon fish only holding tank with a saddleback clown.

Water parameters are:
Ammonia-0ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-2ppm
Ph-8.1

Please see attached images. Any help is very much appreciated!

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Interesting. I was gonna suggest possibly eye flukes…but it sounds like you got that covered.

The black dots around the eye seem odd.

How long have you had it? Is the fish currently in copper?

Erythromycin is generally what is used to treat eye problems.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey all!

I have a Yellow tang who developed this strange white-ish growth in his eye. It's growing directly on his pupil underneath the clear lid that covers the eye. It started off as a white spot and over time it just got bigger and more translucent. I hoped that with clean water and healthy diet it would go away on its own but that obviously hasnt worked. It's now pushing his pupil back and the clear lid is beginning to bulge slightly. I've tested for flukes with a freshwater dip and I've ruled that out.

He's otherwise very healthy, active and eats normally. I just can't seem to rid him of this strange growth.

He's currently in a 55 gallon fish only holding tank with a saddleback clown.

Water parameters are:
Ammonia-0ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-2ppm
Ph-8.1

Please see attached images. Any help is very much appreciated!

Gas bubble and may lead to retina damage. You can try treatment with maracyn, but will not likely change this.

0


@Jay Hemdal

 

[JakeC96]

I have him about a year and he isn't in copper just clean water. I can try Erythromycin. I have a whole cabinet full of fish meds I can use.

Interesting. I was gonna suggest possibly eye flukes…but it sounds like you got that covered.

The black dots around the eye seem odd.

How long have you had it? Is the fish currently in copper?

Erythromycin is generally what is used to treat eye problems.

Gas bubble and may lead to retina damage. You can try treatment with maracyn, but will not likely change this.

0


@Jay Hemdal

I took him to a fish vet and she ruled out gas bubble disease. She recommended removing the eye entirely but that is obviously not something I want to do. I would like to save the eye if possible.

 

[MnFish1]

About the only think to try is a broad spectrum antibiotic. Unless @Jay Hemdal has another idea. Would you say it's growing, staying the same or changing? You said it grew over time - what time? Some injuries do turn into a tumor like growth -and that may be what it is. What exactly did your fish vet think it was?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have him about a year and he isn't in copper just clean water. I can try Erythromycin. I have a whole cabinet full of fish meds I can use.



I took him to a fish vet and she ruled out gas bubble disease. She recommended removing the eye entirely but that is obviously not something I want to do. I would like to save the eye if possible.

Again, try the maracyn. As mentioned, retina is affected

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hey all!

I have a Yellow tang who developed this strange white-ish growth in his eye. It's growing directly on his pupil underneath the clear lid that covers the eye. It started off as a white spot and over time it just got bigger and more translucent. I hoped that with clean water and healthy diet it would go away on its own but that obviously hasnt worked. It's now pushing his pupil back and the clear lid is beginning to bulge slightly. I've tested for flukes with a freshwater dip and I've ruled that out.

He's otherwise very healthy, active and eats normally. I just can't seem to rid him of this strange growth.

He's currently in a 55 gallon fish only holding tank with a saddleback clown.

Water parameters are:
Ammonia-0ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-2ppm
Ph-8.1

Please see attached images. Any help is very much appreciated!

That isn’t flukes, and probably isn’t an infective disease at all. It could be a tumor, it doesn’t look like gas bubble disease.
Is it in a tank with another zebrasoma tang? It could have gotten spiked in the eye.

 

[JakeC96]

About the only think to try is a broad spectrum antibiotic. Unless @Jay Hemdal has another idea. Would you say it's growing, staying the same or changing? You said it grew over time - what time? Some injuries do turn into a tumor like growth -and that may be what it is. What exactly did your fish vet think it was?

Growing and changing. It started off as a tiny white dot about 2 maybe 3 months ago and slowly got bigger and more translucent. The vet wasn't sure. She said it could be a tumor but it would need to be sent in for testing to be sure. But that would be after the eye is removed which I want to avoid.

 

[JakeC96]

Again, try the maracyn. As mentioned, retina is affected

Ok I have both the branded Maracyn and regular erythromycin from National Fish Pharmaceuticals. Do you think it makes a difference which one I use?

 

[JakeC96]

That isn’t flukes, and probably isn’t an infective disease at all. It could be a tumor, it doesn’t look like gas bubble disease.
Is it in a tank with another zebrasoma tang? It could have gotten spiked in the eye.

It was housed with another 2 yellow tangs but not for a while. It could be he was injured from them. It did start when they were in the same tank.

 

[MnFish1]

Growing and changing. It started off as a tiny white dot about 2 maybe 3 months ago and slowly got bigger and more translucent. The vet wasn't sure. She said it could be a tumor but it would need to be sent in for testing to be sure. But that would be after the eye is removed which I want to avoid.

I am going to stand with what I said before - if you want to try 'something '- the broad spectrum antibiotic as already mentioned - which will not help if it's a tumor. Additionally, I would favor (as I said originally a tumor or other growth) - that may spread/cause systemic problems - which may be why removing the eye is a valid idea. I might ask your vet what the prognosis would be if the eye is not removed (what might be likely to happen). Also - since you have a vet involved - did they give an opinion as to the likely hood that an infection is playing a role? The concerning thing to me is that it is continuing to grow - as compared to an injury which one would think would scar over - however - it may be something similar/analagous to a keloid scar - which keeps growing. Update us as to what you decide to do - and what if anything the vet says. I suppose a mycobacterial or other odd bacterial infection could be possible - but nearly impossible to diagnose without removing the eye

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok I have both the branded Maracyn and regular erythromycin from National Fish Pharmaceuticals. Do you think it makes a difference which one I use?

Erythro is good as other contains it

 

[JakeC96]

The vet said if I decide to leave it as is the eye will likely rupture and he will lose his eye anyway. She also said that in order to see if it's an infection that can spread and kill the fish it would need to be removed for testing. Which falls in line with what you are saying as well.

I think I will treat him with Erythromycin and see if anything improves. If that doesn't work, do you think it's worth a shot at removing the growth from his eye manually? What would the healing process look like after such a procedure?

Hopefully it doesn't come that and the Erythromycin works.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The vet said if I decide to leave it as is the eye will likely rupture and he will lose his eye anyway. She also said that in order to see if it's an infection that can spread and kill the fish it would need to be removed for testing. Which falls in line with what you are saying as well.

I think I will treat him with Erythromycin and see if anything improves. If that doesn't work, do you think it's worth a shot at removing the growth from his eye manually? What would the healing process look like after such a procedure?

Hopefully it doesn't come that and the Erythromycin works.

Ive been doing this over 4 decades and still reluctant to do such procedure, but may be an option. Had similar with a Bangaii cardinal and let it it do it on its own

 

[JakeC96]

Ive been doing this over 4 decades and still reluctant to do such procedure, but may be an option. Had similar with a Bangaii cardinal and let it it do it on its own

Ye cardinals seem prone to eye issues. Did you successfully remove whatever it was? And did his eye heal ok?

I've done some light procedures on fish before but never in the eyes and never with saltwater fish. So I'm terrified to try something like this on my own.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ye cardinals seem prone to eye issues. Did you successfully remove whatever it was? And did his eye heal ok?

I've done some light procedures on fish before but never in the eyes and never with saltwater fish. So I'm terrified to try something like this on my own.

It fell out on its own as I let it and fish did well but I lost him beginning of year as he was 3_ years old already

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The vet said if I decide to leave it as is the eye will likely rupture and he will lose his eye anyway. She also said that in order to see if it's an infection that can spread and kill the fish it would need to be removed for testing. Which falls in line with what you are saying as well.

I think I will treat him with Erythromycin and see if anything improves. If that doesn't work, do you think it's worth a shot at removing the growth from his eye manually? What would the healing process look like after such a procedure?

Hopefully it doesn't come that and the Erythromycin works.

The chance that this is contagious to other fish is essentially zero. If it were contagious, this fish would have its other eye infected first. It hasn’t done that so it won’t spread to other fish. All but a few bacteria that infect fish are normally found in tanks, and enter through injuries.

Fish can live with one eye removed, but it should be done with a person who has experience and anesthesia must be used.

Here is an article I wrote on 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

 

[JakeC96]

The chance that this is contagious to other fish is essentially zero. If it were contagious, this fish would have its other eye infected first. It hasn’t done that so it won’t spread to other fish. All but a few bacteria that infect fish are normally found in tanks, and enter through injuries.

Fish can live with one eye removed, but it should be done with a person who has experience and anesthesia must be used.

Here is an article I wrote on 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

Cool! I'll definitely give it a read. Thank you!