Foxface went blind

[cmor1701d]

Continue with pwc's in the QT to keep the water pristine. Lower the SG over a day or two to 1.020 (or even 1.017). You may want to treat with an antibiotic prophylactically.

[havefun]

A question on lowering the sg... My main is at 1.024 and when I put him in the qt I had it (the qt) at 1.023. Today (~24 hrs later) I've got the qt at 1.022. I always thought when adjusting the sg it had to be done very slowly (as in days). Is it safe to drop it that much in such a short time period?

[cmor1701d]

It can be done in a day. When doing a hyposalinity treatment for Ich it can take 2 or more days to get down to 1.009. This is fine for a fish in QT.
Here are the instructions for doing that, though you want to stop at step 1.

The salinity must be lowered gradually to give the fish time to adjust to the lower salinity and more importantly ensures the bacteria in the biological filter can adjust. It should take around 2 days to get from 35‰ to 14‰.

Your starting point should be between 1.025 and 1.027. Replace about one fifth of the volume with RO, RO/DI or aged freshwater that has been well aerated. Repeat this 12, 24 and 36 hours later, monitoring the specific gravity along the way. After the fourth water change the specific gravity should be 1.010 or pretty close. Wait a few hours to make the final adjustment to get down to 1.009. Note that you can estimate the resulting specific gravity. If you are changing one fifth of the water and the current specific gravity is 1.025 the result will be:

• ((1.025*4)+1.000)/5 = 1.020 approx.

Then, after 12 hours:

• ((1.020*4)+1.000)/5 = 1.016 approx.

After 24 hours:

• ((1.016*4)+1.000)/5 = 1.013 approx.

After the 4th change:

• ((1.013*4)+1.000)/5 = 1.010 approx.

[havefun]

He's been in qt now for several days. I've got the sg at 1.018. I've been trying to hand feed him from a sheet of seaweed (the same stuff he ate in the main) but he is not getting a whole lot. I think he wants to eat but his mouth doesn't seem to be working right (or he's just really weak).
Anyway, I've been keeping the light off. When I walk in the room and turn the room light on he is just sitting there very calm. Then after a minute or two he starts to swim around and gets active again. Should I continue keeping the light off? I think his mouth is starting to heal, it's starting to look much better.

[cmor1701d]

I would keep the lights dim, not necesarily off. So perhaps keep the room light on for several hours a day with the tank lights off. The ambient light will let it know that it's daytime.

How are your water pararmeters holding up? Are you doing daily partial changes?
Pristine water seems to help more than anything else.

[havefun]

I'm doing a 50% pwc every other day.
I don't like the new test kit I have - it's a Seachem - I have a hard time matching the colors. Anyway they are (just before todays pwc): ammonia = 0 and trite and trate just barely registered. PH ~8.1

I think he may be getting his sight back just a little. He wouldn't let me feed him today. He kept backing away from my hand like he could see it.

Thanks again

[cmor1701d]

That's good news. Please keep up with the PITA pwc's. Please also keep us posted every few days on the progress. It would be great if it's sight is restored enough to get it back into the main. Once the healing starts it can go quickly.

[havefun]

Well I don't know anymore. He's still not eating, he'll just bump his mouth into the seaweed but doesn't take any of it. He's getting pretty skinny.
One thing I've noticed about his eyes, I don't know if they were this way from the start or not but I'll try to explain. When looking straight on at him (where I can see both eyes at the same time), the clear part looks very clear (but still cloudy from the side). Then, in the middle (what I would assume is the pupil) actually looks like a little round black ball, about the size of a BB. Maybe thats normal, just thought I'd mention it in case it's not.
I've not been leaving any food clipped in there so it doesn't pollute the water - maybe I should?

[cmor1701d]

How long do you leave it in before removing it?
It should be fine for at least 6 hours. Mine never lasts that long.

[havefun]

In my main I just clip a piece on and it's gone within an hour or two.
Trying to feed the foxface in qt though I've just been doing it by hand. I've not left it clipped on at all.