Help IDing a Fish Problem

[Dave & Monica]

I have a Bartlet and one of its eyes is 4 times the normal size and looks.. um.. disgusting. Does anyone know what this is and what I can do to treat it? I really don't want to even attempt trying to catch em, even with one good eye fish are near impossible to catch in a reef. //Dave

 

[spleify]

Could be popeye. I don't know much about it, or if thats even the official name for it but you might try looking that up and see if you can find anything on it.

HTH

Good luck

Spleify

 

[katyttt]

Does sound like popeye, a bacterial infection.
Should treat asap.
Chris

 

[rehnberg]

Could be just a sctratch, I had that happen on a coral beauty and clear up on its own.

 

[Dave & Monica]

OK - I did a lot of reading and it's popeye, but not bacterial - what I think right now. I suspect as rehnberg said it's a scratch or due to physical contact. I have 5 barlets. It apperas 2 are changing into males and they chase the females around alot. A female has the popeye. What I've read is to observe it for a week, if it is worse, or other fish are picking on it - take it out and QT. If it goes to both eyes, it's bacterial. Thanks for the replies.

 

[katyttt]

Sounds like you have a handle on it, be ready to treat if you see any red streaks, swelling of the belly or listless behavior, that would suggest further internal bacterial issues. Hopefully the fish will be able to heal itself.
Good Luck,
Chris

 

[godoggo]

i've had really good results using melafix when dealing with tissue damage, once with a clown fish with a bulging eye and several times with bullied fish, torn fins, wounds.

 

[rehnberg]

I soak frozen food in Boyds Vitam Chem, this stuff is great for fin regeneration.