Flukes or cataracts?

[Cherries]

I've had aquariums for several years but I've never had to deal with either of these issues.

My male bolivian ram developed cloudy eyes almost overnight - I'm not sure how long it takes for cataracts to develop. His coloration is darker than normal (think night time sleep colors) and he's hanging around the bottom and seems lacking in energy and or very cautious as if he were sleeping. He is receptive to food and motion stimuli but appears weak.

He is not gasping, flashing, or listing and is generally behaving normally for a fish that is sleeping, but he should not be sleeping since it's day time.

Water params are 0ppm Amm, 0ppm Nitrite, and ~10pmm nitrate. PH is an even 7.0 and the temperature is °79. 30 Gallon tank with freshwater sand substrate, has been established for a year. No extreme diet changes, but they do get fed a varied diet for nutrition. 200 GPH filtration Aqueon Quietflow 30.

He is not being picked on by other fish and his tank is not overstocked.


His eyes appear cloudy and I can somewhat see what looks like extremely small flecks in his eyes, but they're so tiny that I can BARELY make out that they're there and I have perfect vision. I have no idea how big flukes are - I do know that they are highly contagious though. Could it be possible to develop flukes in an established aquarium with no new residents (including plants) for over 6 months?

How does one treat for flukes, and would it be advisable to treat for flukes if I'm simply unsure whether it's one or the other?

I am going to try to take some pictures, but fish are notoriously hard to photograph and I don't have a good camera.

Thank you for your help.

 

[coralbandit]

Cloudy eye is usuaully a bacterial issue.
Cleaner water may help(your parameters seem very good by the way).
No one in average hobby status can measure for dissolved organic and a TDS meter will not tell you what is in the water.


Praziquantel is the drug of choice for flukes if you feel the need to treat.
Prazi is one of the few drugs actually OK to use prophylactically and pretty hard to overdose(very safe and easy to use).
If you use real powder mixing it is very difficult as it does not like to dissolve!
Problem solved by mixing with vodka(hopefully cheap stuff) ,but I have been using Svedka lately in treating a couple of my breeder tanks.
Many sources of prazi(some are already liquid).
I'll link you to a great fish med site!

http://www.nationalfishpharm.com/newproducts.html


ALL of these meds are top notch!!!

 

[Cherries]

Thank you! I knew there was a good use for the bottle of Svedka I've been keeping around.

I'll take a look and probably pick something up precautionary. I'd like to observe a little longer as I don't like to medicate, but if it does come to that your advice is very much appreciated! =)

 

[Matt68005]

API GENERAL CURE is 16.99 at petsmart. If their clamping and have their tails down and their gills look "stuck" open and their scratching, you surely have flukes. Clean the water often use salt and this med and it will work for them.
It contains:
Praziquintel 75mg
Metronidazole 250mg
Dose every other day for 2 or 3 times and keep up with the salt and clean water and good diet and your fish will be okay.
The metro should help with cloudy eyes too i believe, its an antibiotic.

 

[Cherries]

Whatever it was, it cleared up on its own. I did grab some Prazi just in case, but haven't used it yet. My ram never clamped his fins or rubbed and his color is still a little darker than the others, but his eyes look perfect and he's behaving normally.

Perhaps he scratched his eye on a plant or rock and had a small infection?