fish blindness

[itstheantitang]

Ok, Ok, I am serious.
My largest 2.5-3.25 in green chromis may have gone blind.

In the morning it doesn't seem to notice the lights are on, and at night when it feeds it cannot find the food. It will open its mouth thinking there is food but will miss the food. Tonight I did an experiment. I held a fingerful of food under the surface and waited for the fish to smell it and come up. It did. And it ate from my fingers. It missed the food a couple times and bit my finger. I believe it worked because the food was stationary and it didn't have to chase it. Also, I chased it with my fingers while I was feeding and it didn't swim away. This furthers my suspicions.

So, could anyone tell me if this is a possibility and if there are other confirmed cases? Anyone else have something like this?

I just got new lights, but some of this behavior was happening before this.

 

[Dubbin1]

I'm sure it could happen.

 

[Zoalander]

Fish go blind with high phosphates and not using RO/DI water when doing water changes. At least thats what I was told.

 

[mano]

It's totally possible and the fish could just be old or a genetic condition. It may be able to adapt to it's blindness if you continue to hand feed it or make sure it eats. I've taken care of a couple of rather large fish that were blind in both eyes and were able to adapt to their condition in the tank and get food. It was quite impressive actually.

 

[drew22to375]

I accidentally blinded a couple of fish years ago. I had a home made UV behind the tank and the cover came off during the night. The next day the eyes on some of my fish were all white and glazed over and they kept bumping into the LR.

Drew..

 

[Dubbin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6488527#post6488527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drew22to375
I accidentally blinded a couple of fish years ago. I had a home made UV behind the tank and the cover came off during the night. The next day the eyes on some of my fish were all white and glazed over and they kept bumping into the LR.

Drew..

Bad Drew BAD BAD Drew poor little fishys

 

[zemuron114]

a fish will not go blind from not using RO/DI... Fish usually go blind from not getting enough protein in their diet... although it is probably a genetic thing... it does happen.. i would take mano's advice and just hand feed him

 

[CeeGee]

what are your nitrate levels?

I had the same thing happen (back when I didn't know any better) and I had really high nitrates. Did 50% water changes every other day till I got them in check and have never had it happen again.

 

[itstheantitang]

sry I couldn't catch up with this...out of town.

It may just be poor poor vision, not total blindness.
The nitrates are 0 Im proud to say!

 

[Swanwillow]

LOL at fish going blind from not using RO/DI

sorry, but some people are so gun-ho about them, that they will say anything to get others to use them...

wow, I never heard that one before... and never had an RO/DI before either!!!

and phosphates are not going to blind them, unless they are SWIMMING in a wierd, high phosphate solution... phosphate is good for algaes, ect. people keeping planted tanks actually ADD phosphate to keep things GROWING!!!