Problem with red-tail eyes!!

[Mr Burns]

i was putting something things away in my stand, and i noticed that my red-tail shark has its right eye kinda bubbled/bugged out and hazy. it looks like an expanded cataract (sp?). it's not bubbled out much, but it does look slightly (very slighly) larger than the other eye, but it's definitely more cloudy than the other eye. otherwise, he seems to be doing fine and he's still eating plenty. i just did a water change yesterday, and another last monday. any idea what is happening, and if there's anything i can do to remedy it? TIA

 

[RogerMcAllen]

My first guess would be water quality, I'm not really sure though.

 

[Mr Burns]

the water changes were about 40% yesterday, and 40% last monday....that includes cleaning part of the gravel...

 

[Mr Burns]

i may change some of the water again tonight...but i would think if there was a problem with water quality that both eyes would have a problem, yet it's only the right eye... :?

 

[madasafish]

That's a bacterial infection, and should be treated immediately. Pop-eye can lead to more extensive exterior and interior bacterial infections, and eventually death. I lost a HATL tetra to it...

You need antibacterial capsules/liquid and you should QT the RTS as soon as possible. Think along the lines of Maracyn for treatment.

 

[Mr Burns]

i've been watching the RTS closely in the past hour...i don't think the eye is actually swollen, but because of the cloudiness, it only appears larger. kinda like how black clothes have a slimming appearance...only this is with one clear eye and one cloudy eye. if a fish has popeye, and it goes away, does the fish still carry the bacterial cause so that it can happen again later?

i just double checked again...it's not swollen, just cloudy...

 

[madasafish]

Cloudiness is the same. The 2 often go hand in hand... and I still think you were right to think it was swollen. A fish's eye usually gets cloudy and then starts to pop outwards.

You should still treat him... It's still a bacterial infection.

 

[Mr Burns]

so i should iso him and use maracyn? is there anything else besides that?

 

[madasafish]

There are plenty of meds for bacterial infections... just do a google search. You can get at least Maracyn (by Mardel) at pretty much any LFS. You chould also be able to get Myacin (by Aquatronics), though this is a slightly less-well-known brand.

But yes, you do have to remove him to a QT tank, as any meds will kill off the *beneficial* denitrifying bacteria in your tank quickly.

 

[Mr Burns]

oddly enough, his eye looks to have cleared up. i couldn't tell exactly b/c it was still early morning and i was using a flashlight to look into the tank (lights don't come on until 9.) by comparison under the given conditions though, both eyes looked good and clear. should i still QT and med?

 

[Mr Burns]

well, i'm home now...it's not cleared up, but the cloudiness has reduced....

 

[Guest]

should i still QT and med?

At the least, QT and observe. if it is an infection, you don't want your other fish to catch it.

Also, at least buy the meds. If you need them, you'll have them. I hate to medicate, but always keep some antibiotics on hand. I usually find that I need them when the stores are closed, or I don't feel like going out.