I think my Bolivian Ram is Blind :(

[tobaj]

Help. I think my mom bolivian ram is blind. I noticed about a week and a half ago that her eyes had a whitish cloud speck in the middle of her eye (really small). I started treating the tank with Melafix for 7 days (today is the 7th day) and her eye looks worst today. I can see the white dot in the middle of her eye getting bigger. It is only in the center of the eye.
I don't know what to do. I def think she can't see because when food drops right infront of her, she swims right by it.
I do see her eating whatever food she can find on the bottom but she has to really struggle to find food that is left over.
My tank is all bolivian rams. I have about 10 babies in the tank with the mom and dad. The babies are all about 1" or slightly larger.
No other fish have eye problems. I do a 10% water change every week and checked my ammonia and nitrates so water quality is not an issue.
What should I do?

 

[blackmolly]

sounds like cloudy eye. separate her to a hospital tank and try maracyn ASAP.

 

[tobaj]

What does Melafix do? Should I not be putting this in the tank?

 

[absolutangel04]

Melafix is a mild anti-biotic sometimes also used for fungus treatment. I agree that this issues probably needs beefier meds along with clean water. It sounds like cloudy eye to me too.

 

[tobaj]

Hmm ok. Will maracyn harm other healthy fish? I don't have a hospital tank....

 

[blackmolly]

it will be added stress for them, but they should be ok. if you have inverts however they could be at risk. i would really suggest a hospital tank. you can use something as simple as an opaque bucket and float it in the normal tank to keep it warm. (it needs to be opaque so the fish doesn't get too stressed assuming it does get it's vision back)

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I'm sorry if I'm wrong but doesn't macaryn effect your biological filter? I would be hesitant to treat I whole tank with it.

 

[absolutangel04]

I suggest talking out the affected fish to treat it with macaryn.
The carbon in the filter can take it out of the water anyway. Also, some fish do not react well to it.

 

[tobaj]

Ok I borrowed a 20 gal tank from a friend and filled it with about 5 gal of water. I transported the sick fish into the tank and put some macaryn in the tank.
So far she hasn't moved. Just sitting at the bottom. Looks scared or mad.
Hopefully this will cure her.
I don't have an extra filter so I am just running an air pump to circulate the water...
Hope this works. She looks way more stressed now that shes in her own tank. Previously she was swimming and was a nice yellow color.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Give her something to hide in or behind. She will feel more comfortable. You will need to change the water daily. I'd have 10g instead of 5g of water so the ammonia doesn't build up too high between changes.

 

[tobaj]

Ok added a piece of driftwood and some floating plants to help her feel more at home and added more water to the tank. She still hasn't moved much
If the eye doesn't clear up, how long should I wait before moving her back to the main tank? She seems depressed in the hospital tank all by herself.

 

[blackmolly]

she'll be ok. cloudy eye isn't contagious i don't think, but if they blindness becomes permanent, you may need to buy her her own tank so that she doesn't have to compete for food.

 

[ejaramillo01]

she'll be ok. cloudy eye isn't contagious i don't think, but if they blindness becomes permanent, you may need to buy her her own tank so that she doesn't have to compete for food.

Are you sure that cloudy eyes is not contagious?

 

[blackmolly]

it's a bacterial infection usually caused by bad water quality. no it is not contagious, but if the cause of the disease is the water parameters, then the other fish are more susceptable to it.

 

[tobaj]

How can it be bad water parameters of only 1 of 12+ fish have it?
Today is day 2 of treatment. Absolutely no improvement. In fact, she is just sitting at the bottom of the tank - no swimming at all.
I am starting to think that maybe I am making things worst for her. In the main tank, at least she swam around and ate. Now she just lies on the bottom. When you shine a light at her eyes you still see a white dot in the middle and she has no reaction to light...

 

[ejaramillo01]

How can it be bad water parameters of only 1 of 12+ fish have it?
Today is day 2 of treatment. Absolutely no improvement. In fact, she is just sitting at the bottom of the tank - no swimming at all.
I am starting to think that maybe I am making things worst for her. In the main tank, at least she swam around and ate. Now she just lies on the bottom. When you shine a light at her eyes you still see a white dot in the middle and she has no reaction to light...

At this point just stick with the treatment (5 days) and let see what happens....I wish you the best outcome for the fish..

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It will effect the weaker fish first.

Keep up the treatment and see how she goes. You maybe able to cure it you may not. If it gets any worse that would be a cause for concern.

I have a black moor goldfish with a cloudy eye. He came to me that way. I tried 5-6 weeks of 50% water changes every 2-3 days to try and cure him. I then tried medication (I don't have antibiotics available so I had to use a product call Myaxin) and it didn't work. I gave up. It hasn't gotten any worse. He is now completely blind in one eye and, except for not being able to find food as well as his tank mates, he lives a normal life.

 

[tobaj]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. Day 3 of treatment today.
Checked on her this morning. Still in same place as last night, sitting on the bottom of the tank... semi black.
She hasn't eaten every since she got moved to the hospital tank.. going on 3rd day. Is this a cause for concern? Will she starve to death?
The water was pretty cloudy last night, but a little less cloudy this morning. Did a partial water change and re-added the meds.
Both of her eyes look the same. A cloudy lens and right int he middle a whitish dot. How long can a fish go without eating?
Oh yes, one more question. Does the medicine make the water smell weird? it has a really strong smell...
what is the difference between Maracyn and Maracyn2. I am just using Maracyn..

 

[blackmolly]

fish can go comfortably up to two weeks without eating. if both of her eyes look the same it might be parasites as well. could you post a picture?

 

[tobaj]

I can try take one when I get home from work tonight. The problem is that the water is so cloudy so I don't know how good of a photo I can get but I will try.
How can I tell if it is cataract versus cloudy eye vs parasite?