Cloudy eye on mimic

[ivan_dalmatia]

So got home from work today to notice that my yellow mimic tang is starting to get a cloudy eye and I think his skin is turning pale???? What can it be???

 

[TheTodd]

A single cloudy eye is usually bacterial, viral or an injury. It can be the onset of disease. Is this in the same tank that just got through treatment for something else?

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

Ya I treated the whole tank for ick and my copper is at 0.25 now, taking it out slowly with cuprisorb. The rest of the fish are perfect

 

[TheTodd]

It could be something stress related and/or water parameter related. Different fish (especially Tangs) react different ways to stressors and the copper still being in the water could play into that. I would watch for the Ich coming back (having not done QT and fallow, it could happen), try to keep water parameters as pristine as possible (I am not sure how long it takes to get all the copper completely out) and make sure all the fish are getting what they need to eat to be as healthy as possible.

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

I don't know??? Ill do a water change, put some melafix and primafix in.
Also I didn't add nothing new to the tank? I just started removing the copper maybe lays Sunday? They've been in treatment for 6-7 weeks at 0.5ppm of cupramine. Nitrates are high: 40-60
I have to get rid of some fish!
Thanks for the help Todd

 

[TheTodd]

IMO, you have an insanely high bioload for a 150. With that much live rock, I'm guessing there is not a ton of open swimming space? High bioload will lead to problems. Too many fish can cause troubles. Those trates need to come way down though.

You've got some really cool fish, its just a lot. If I were trimming down the numbers, I would definitely lose the Vlamingii, Sweetlips and Powder Blue. The PBT because the are notorious bullies. The others because they get 2'+ and really belong more in a tank two to three times what you have.

Keep us updated. Hopefully its nothing too bad.

 

[ivan_dalmatia]

The first to fly is gonna be Vlamingii, big big bully