Blind Picasso Trigger

[eatsomepopcorn]

My Picasso Trigger appears to have gone almost completely blind approximately 8 weeks ago. He has absolutely no sign of illness, wants to eat, tries to eat, but cannot seem to see the food. It actually has to hit him in the mouth for him to eat it. I took him out of the main tank after about 5 weeks and treated him with tetracyline for 5 days in a sick tank, no help. I treated him for worms for 5 days, no help. Put him back in main tank and exactly the same. He is only about two years old and no other illness or treatment took place in main tank. The only thing I do that is somewhat different is drop in 4 droplets of concentrated garlic at feeding once per day. The trigger had ich when he was about 6 months old and he was freshwater dipped for about 5 minutes, and was treated with copper for a week and put back in and was perfectly fine for the next year and a half until this. I do not know how to train him to eat by hand or syringe either. He is a great fish. Anybody with actual experience dealing with this, I would welcome your expert advice.
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[Etunes]

I have known of people and had friends with blind fish before. I even had a friend that had a goldfish with no eyeballs. They learn there way around. The only thing i suggest is try not to rearange the decormuch and try to make it where there is not much competition for food. They also look for food by touch. So maybe a pair of tongs to poke him next to the mouth with food will help.

 

[dannyb]

Maybe DIY some sort of suction cap that sticks to the side of your tank, But has like a slight dish. So you can put the food in there and try to lure him to that place, Then he'll learn to know where food is?

Sorry im not much help.

 

[Etunes]

Maybe DIY some sort of suction cap that sticks to the side of your tank, But has like a slight dish. So you can put the food in there and try to lure him to that place, Then he'll learn to know where food is?

Sorry im not much help.

Actually that is not a bad idea. Show him were to go for food. The only problem is that the other fish would take advantage.

 

[CaptainAhab]

I target feed some of my tank inhabitants. I took a wooden dowel, drilled a small hole in the tip. Took a small piece of plastic (I used a piece from a toy packaging where you have to clip the part off type thing).. Anyway.. hot glued it in place.


Then I thaw chucks of food.. skewer it through and feed that way. I've got several fish .. and 2 serpants that love getting fed this way

Being blind he'd never see it coming and since it's just a dowel there isn't really any noise or water disruption to scare him.

 

[eatsomepopcorn]

Any other ideas?

 

[Etunes]

right now i think that these are your best options and you should take a wack at them first. If this dosen't work then i would consider rehoming it or giving it its own tank.