Eye Bubble Lancing Video

[coralite]

hi All,
I recently got some bluestripe clownfish, one of which had developed a sizeable gas bubble around it's eye. I took the opportunity to videotape the lancing procedure, it came out pretty well and I hope it will give courage to those fish owners who are in the market for this kind of procedure. The clownfish was swimming and eating normally minutes after the procedure was performed. Let me know if you have any questions.

Clownfish Eye Gas Bubble Video

 

[Cristi]

Hi
That is a great video, although I do not know if I could attempt the procedure. What size syringe/needle did you use? I was wondering what is the area under the clown's mouth that looks like a bump? I ask because I have a clownfish that got an eye injury which resulted in popeye and an infection. During the course of treating this clown with nitrofurazone, a similar bump, possibly an abcess, has formed on the chin area of the clown. It is eating and acting fine now, although its eye is still a bit enlarged and it has the bump.
Thanks.
Cristi

 

[coralite]

The fish went through a long circuitous route through stores and macna before I brought it home so I suspect the red chin is from handling wear. The fish has been in 2x strength eryhtromycin and 1x Neomycin since Tuesday. I used a 29 gauge syringe. One of the other bluestripes I picked up also has a popeye but not caused by a gas buildup as far as I can tell.

 

[Cristi]

This is a picture of my clown's bump (also the pic shows its good eye, not the bad one) which looks similar to what is on your bluestripe clown. Has your clown's eye returned to normal and has the red area gone away?
Thanks for sharing.

 

[coralite]

The video I posted was made this morning so the hemorrhaging and the bump have not changed much. The bump on the lower jaw of your fish appears to be just a scar, your fish should be fine.

 

[poconofishy]

Wow Jake! Awesome Video! Glad to see others being encouraged to help fish with this condition.
Cheers,
Michelle

 

[SALT WATER CRAZ]

All I can say is I am surprised that the clown was so calm when that was being done.

 

[coralite]

Keep in mind that I was not lancing the eye itself, the gas bubble is closer to popping a pimple than anything else.

 

[JHemdal]

Coralite,

That was a pretty clean procedure considering you didn't use MS-222. I hate to be a downer here, but that sure looks like a trauma-induced exophthalmia (based on the fish's history and the scrape on its chin). The prognosis for one needle bleed to affect a complete cure is pretty much nil. The retrobulbar swelling that remained after the procedure sure makes it look like the bubble will reform within 24 to 36 hours.
I've had limited success in reducing these bubbles using a pressure chamber, but I have never had a needle bleed-off work (and I've tried this probably 50 times). The antibiotics won't work if this is trauma induced, although they will help to prevent secondary infection from the needle stick(s). Watch the erythromycin as it may impair the systems biological filtration.

Jay

 

[coralite]

Jay,

Give me some credit now, the fish are in a QT which gets 100% water change every two days or less, if the ammo alert even registers. While found that the eye bubble redeveloped within a day or two on the Clarion, after the 5 treatment or so the gas bubble began to form slower and slower. I was lancing every week and became so infrequent that now its down to every four weeks. A small gas bubble has reformed on the clown and I suspect I'll be back at it in a few more days. I agree that the procedure is traumatic but I feel it is a small price for the fish to pay to get rid of the blistering headache.

Jake

 

[JHemdal]

"A small gas bubble has reformed on the clown" - nuff said.

JH

 

[phk36]

I had a tusk with this. After a week it went away but came back a few days later. After two weeks it went down and never came back