Red, Bloodshot eyes on all of a sudden

[roachslayer]

I've been researching this issue but can't find anything definitive. Anyone experienced this?

All my cichlids and angelfish have red bloodshot eyes today. Two angels died yesterday (but that was BEFORE there was any red eye issue). Clearly something bad is happening.

The top 2 causes I found online are a) Toxins, b) Bacteria.

Recent History:
2 weeks ago they got ich, treated and gone now via salt and high temps of 87F. Temp is now lowered to 84F, and some salt is removed via water changes. No signs of ich for several days.

Water:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 80 (not good)

Theories:

1. They don't like salt (irritant).
2. The nitrate is causing some issues
3. They have a bacteria infection

If it is toxins... the only toxin I can detect is high nitrates, but I dont see anywhere online that that is cause for red eyes. I am unaware (though possible) of any other toxins/chemicals in the water, but I could add carbon in my filter as a precaution. I am dealing with the nitrate issue with 40% water change and a hefty 5x dose of Prime.

If it is bacteria, what is it? What to treat with?

 

[PassengerTN]

80ppm nitrates is likely going to need substantially more than 40% WC to bring back down to a comfortable zone.

Does the tank have a smell?

 

[roachslayer]

No out of the norm smell.

I'm concerned about doing too much of a change all at once. What about 40% daily until levels are down?

I'm a little puzzled about the cause of nitrates. My tank filter and rocks are well established, but I added all new substrate (plain black sand) a couple weeks ago. Sure, I removed some of my original surface area for bacteria by swapping the sand out, but I also am only running 50% load (half stocked 90g tank).

 

[roachslayer]

A factor I left out: The one thing I did different recently was switch from Tetra SafeStart to Prime with my water changes, in which I added 2x prime dose in a 25% water change in the tank that I was using SafeStart prior. I cant imagine this is an issue, but it sure is odd that these fish flared up with red eyes all of a sudden, the next day! (could be coincidence, so I am not jumping to any conclusions at the moment)

 

[PassengerTN]

Any recent meds? I believe you could add the carbon to help remove anything that's been added to the water column but I'm not 100%. Substrate swap shouldn't cause any real issues unless something is leeching from the sand. Yes daily 40%wc will work just fine. Clean water is usually the best medicine for any fish illness


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[roachslayer]

A few of the fish were in my QT tank getting Rid-Ich Plus, then brought in here a few days ago. But they aren't the only ones with red eyes today.

The sand is inert, petco black aquarium sand. Should be no prob. I'm changing water in between typing posts.

 

[Delapool]

Could there be any link with the two dead fish? Wondering what they died of.

 

[roachslayer]

My thinking is they died from high nitrates. The other fish just happen to be more resilient but still stressed. No further deaths since I started daily water changes. I have 4 angels (had 6), 4 severums, 1 blue acara, 1 firemouth, 3 Rainbowfish, and 5 yellow cichlids of unknown type (maybe yellow zebra?)

I think I found why the sudden nitrate spike. I placed a huge ball of Java moss in there, and can't find it. Cichlids must have devoured the whole thing, so I have a case of unintentional over feeding! My bio media obviously is working great keeping ammonia and nitrite at zero, but results in amazing high nitrate. I did a 25% change followed by a 40% change daily, with 2x Prime dose, and still well north of 80. I must have been over 160 ppm nitrate when I started.

Still can't find any data on red eyes. What is this about? No resource I have read says nitrates cause red eyes. The closest thing I found was that it can cause red blotches on their skin. So strange. Plus, my fish that died exhibited no redness at all.

 

[Delapool]

Late here. Suspect something in water. What is ph?

Otherwise are fish ok? Anything else off?

Suggest lots of water changes, reduce nitrates, reduce prime dosing to normal and then re/check ammonia in case.

 

[roachslayer]

Well, I added carbon to my canister filter last night in case there is something wrong chemically or w/metals. I also had a bag of peat moss in there I removed (doesn't seem to do anything, and maybe its carrying something bad).

pH sits around 7.8 for tap.water here, hoping to bring it down, will maybe try cholla wood, but not until the current issue is resolved.

I've never had to change water like this. Man its a lot of work. 40% daily on a 90 gallon is consuming every evening! I'll have to invest in sumps, barrels, etc in the future to make this easier than buckets upon buckets!

Yes, fish are otherwise ok. Begging for food and swimming around as usual so far.

 

[Delapool]

Lol - had same with an ammonia spike and the novelty of daily water changes wore off pretty quick.

Most of my fish have been pretty common hardy fish at those sorts of high nitrate levels. The angels have been in more around 20 to 40ppm nitrates. A filter clean I have found for canisters is a good way to reduce nitrates.

The nitrates, salt, prime and ph all don't sound alarming - nothing is jumping out. Perhaps if the nitrates spiked suddenly. Which makes me wonder if there was an ammonia spike (that high nitrates has to have come from somewhere) which has now been sorted. These can take up to 3 days to show.

Prime should be ok at 5x but was looking into this. Imo I'd try and get the nitrates coming down into your preferred range and then reduce that prime dosing to normal or 2x as soon as you can. Just in case.

If you have baseline readings for water chemistry in tap you could try retesting to see if anything has changed. It seems pretty hard to pick a problem with tap water as it appears we just don't have the right tests to detect anything they may add extra of. Kh changing is the only one I have found but that probably reflects changing seasons here.

 

[roachslayer]

I finally joined the ranks of the 40ppm Nitrate club. I'm also building muscle mass along the way, as I am now a certified bucket lifter . However, the redness in the eyes is very persistent.

I got to thinking... could I have a crap batch of Prime? I mean, my eyes would look like this too if the water had chlorine! And it just so happens that the red eyes showed up the moment I switched from Tetra AquaSafe to Seachem Prime. Argh.

The only other possibility is a bacteria infection, but what? When it comes to meds I don't like treating an unknown.

 

[Delapool]

I looked at bacterial but it seemed very sudden to have all fish get red eyes at once with nothing else and still eating well. Bacterial could be very quick but it just doesn't sound right. If it persists or gets worse we can look into meds there (eg erythromycin) but would try nitrates and prime at more normal levels first.

If you do see anything on prime I would be interested. Not suggesting it is but always curious

 

[roachslayer]

Update: Not getting worse, but not getting better either.

Water is now clean, nitrates at 20, everything else at 0.

New theories: What about lights?

Lights are currently two 24" T5 tubes, standard output (not for plants, etc) which isn't much for a 90g tank. But they are not on a timer yet and I did leave them on for 20hrs a day several days leading up to the red eyes. They've been off several days now too, still no change in the fish.

This is so crazy.

Another theory: Parasites. Anyone know of a parasite that affects the eyes? I dunno, I'm really struggling to diagnose and get to the cause here.

 

[coralbandit]

I highly doubt lighting as I run some 24/7 during breeding and raising which can be well over 30 day cycles.
Could the fish have had red eyes before you noticed?