Saltwater Hawk Fish with BAD Popeye

[carey]

My hawaiian hawk fish has developed overnight it seems, a really really bad case of popeye. Cant get a picture since he is already very camera shy lol

What causes this and what can I do to help him? Looks like the one eye is about ready to pop right out, the other is popeyed as well but not nearly as bad.

Please let me know if you have any input! Dont want him to die on me, I've had him for at least a month. No one is harassing him at all either.

Thanks everyone, really looking forward to some answers or thoughts on this....

 

[Stlrockguy]

I had a clown like that a couple months back. All I did was keep the water really clean and it got better.

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[melosu58]

It's a bacterial infection that can be taken care of by frequent PWC's. I had the same happen to me.

 

[carey]

Thanks guys. I will do a water change now

 

[Stlrockguy]

Good luck. I really enjoy hawk fish. Hopefully he gets better.

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[carey]

Took out about 10g and put in nice fresh water

The water wasnt in bad shape before though, nitrates were under 10...so not sure what could have caused this.

He isnt looking too good though, his coloring is off now too and he has been hiding. Generally he is a big mooch for food whenever I go near the tank but he's not his normal self.

I really hope he gets better, any idea of how long it will take? I have more water made so I can do another change tomorrow if anyone thinks that will help.

Or if anyone has any ideas of where something like this originates from I would appreciate it.

Thanks, as always everyone.

 

[tangs27]

Do you have an urchin by chance?

I had a two separate encounters with popeye neither ended well . The first was a cardinal that got to curious about a long spine urchin in the tank he got poked and nothing helped, he lasted a week.

The second time was a different cardinal I'm not sure how he got it as the urchin was no longer in the tank. Nothing helped it and unfortunately he lost his eye.

The water was good, tank was way understocked but once he lost his eye the other fish picked on him until he passed.

Sorry not much help but I heard it can be caused by trauma.

Good luck I hope he gets better

 

[carey]

Nah, no urchins in this tank. Its a 40b and has a tiny pair of clowns, a very small pixie hawk and a small gold headed goby. I run carbon too, the water is nice and clean with a remora skimmer running. I have some very tiny hermits and a couple snails and thats it.

He is probably 4 times the size of the pother fish so really unsure what the heck happened here, never had anything like this happen before.

Sorry about your fish, I hope my results will be different. It always stinks when something weird happens and you lose a fish or two....I had a firefish that had his lower jaw go missing and he lived and ate quite well for over 2 years after that, I hope this guy is as resilient.

Thanks for posting, I appreciate it.

 

[Stlrockguy]

You might want to try some vitachem or something similar. Just to keep him healthy

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[Spechty37]

Carey I read online that you can QT him and that sulfa based meds will help it. I wish I could tell you which meds have sulfa base in them but I have know idea lol.