blue acara with "cloudy eye"?

[hbeth82]

Honestly, if it were my fish, I'd euthanized a blind fish.

I've considered it, mostly worrying that if both me and my boyfriend are out of town for a while, who ever takes care of the fish won't bother to make sure Plinko eats and the little guy starves. Or feeling bad that he spends his whole day upset running into things or getting stuck in plants, and scared when unseen fish go after him (bn pleco is incredibly territorial).
Up until this, I'd thought he was doing much better - swimming, eating well - but now I'm not sure what went wrong.
I'll try the Maracyn Plus + Melafix + salt treatment for a while and keep my fingers crossed.

If I'm wrong on any of this, please let me know.

Thanks

 

[ChileRelleno]

Nah, your doing good, treat as you propose.

 

[hbeth82]

Okay, thanks for all your help. As I'd said, his behavior had been a bit more lively today so I'm trying to be optimistic about that and hope to have a positive update sometime soon. Still seems silly to be so attached to a fish but can't help it.

Also, noticed this a while back but love your signature, truth of it becomes more evident with every evening news broadcast.

 

[ChileRelleno]

Not silly, not at all... I've had my Oscar for 6yrs, I'll likely shed a tear or three, when he goes to the big river in the sky.

 

[hbeth82]

I've had my Oscar for 6yrs, I'll likely shed a tear or three, when he goes to the big river in the sky.

Same way with Plinko. When he first got sick back in January, one of my concerns was that if he didn't make it, how could I ever bury him since the ground was frozen, though not feeling any better about the prospect now. Still, fingers crossed that this combo will work. I'd also put snails in the tank with him so he could graze when he felt like it, anxious to see them all gone!

Again, thanks for all your help!

 

[taylorodw]

Good luck! I've never dealt with more than ich so I can't be much help... but I find it really amazing, how much care and thought you devote to your fish! If anybody could help Plinko, it's you!

 

[hbeth82]

Good luck! I've never dealt with more than ich so I can't be much help... but I find it really amazing, how much care and thought you devote to your fish! If anybody could help Plinko, it's you!

Thanks, guess ich is one problem I haven't had yet [knocking violently on wood!!!], so far it's mostly been pop eye & dropsy. Glad this seems to be a good forum for people dedicated to the well-being of animals in their care, which is better than what I find in the people around me, & it's been a huge help! Plinko's moving around more this morning, though haven't tried getting him to eat yet.

 

[hbeth82]

UPDATE:
The Plinko-potomus is consistently eating!!! Treated with the Maracyn Plus until a week or so ago when he started showing more interest in food and now his appetite has clearly recovered. Also much more active. Thanks for all the advise & support!

So, with these improvements, is there any reason to keep him in the 10gal QT or is it safe to move him back into the 55gal main tank? Worried about keeping the ammonia levels in the QT tank down (only have a sponge filter) but don't want him to get overly stressed by moving him too soon.

 

[mattrox]

If he is on the mend, I don't see any reason not to return him home.

 

[Crepe]

Give him a cane and a long beard and try to steal a pebble from his pectoral fin. I'm glad the fish is doing alright. I've recently read a book saying a fish without it's eyesight is nearly as functional in aquaria as one with, while a fish without it's lateral line or sense of smell is blind, deaf, dumb and lame.

 

[hbeth82]

Give him a cane and a long beard and try to steal a pebble from his pectoral fin. I'm glad the fish is doing alright.

Thanks, though not too sure about letting Plinko have a cane, he might decide to take revenge on the bn pleco that jumped him a few times!

Planning on doing water changes tomorrow, may move the little guy over after that.

 

[hbeth82]

May have spoke too soon - moved Plinko back to his home tank Saturday afternoon and since then he hasn't eaten and moves very little. All day today he's been fairly up-right (tail down, mouth pointed toward surface), laying in one plant or another. Is it possible that the difference in depth from the 10gal to the 55 is too much for him to be able to surface easily, or might I have just rushed moving him?
Any thoughts on whether I should try to move him back or wait this out?

 

[hbeth82]

NM, just found him wedged under a chunk of driftwood. Thanks everybody for all the advice, guess the little guy just had too much against him.

RIP Plinko.