Jawfish "Popeye" Problem

[DjScibbity]

I just noticed that Bruce, my Pearly Jawfish in My NC24, has "popeye" in his right eye. This is recent as I look at him every day. My other fish (firefish) looks great, but the pearly jawfish has the popeye and a discolored spot on his tail. I do not have a quarantine tank nor the means to set one up anytime soon. ADVISE PLEASE??? I hope he is OK...he is family as Ive had him about 8 months now and he is the coolest fish ever! He greets me when I come home from work every day Thanks

-JP

 

[Philwd]

Can you post pics? Eye and tail both.

 

[DjScibbity]

I can try...My camera is horrible, but Ill give it a shot. PS. The fish seems healthy..,normal behavior, is eating well (as usual). Water parameters are all fine (zero Nitrites, ates, ammonia),...

-JP

 

[DjScibbity]

Tank Lights are off and when I use flash on my camera...the pics come out bad. That, and Bruce is hiding his tail since its night time. Ill try to take some pics tomorrow. The spot on his tail looked to be slightly brownish...not too easy to tell its there unless you look at him for a bit. Its about half the diameter of a penny.

-JP

 

[Philwd]

No flashing against rocks, no rapid breathing? Normally there isn't a tail spot with popeye unless the popeye is a secondary infection from whatever is causing the tail spot.

 

[DjScibbity]

No, he hasnt been brushing against rocks or acting abnormal in any way. I just noticed it last night (the eye bulge first, then the spot). I just did a water change, hoping to give him better conditions. He has been a perfectly healthy fish since Ive had him..In fact, he has grown a lot since I got him.

-JP

 

[Pyrrhus]

Jawfish are pretty tough once they are established, there was probably a tunnel collapse that scraped him up a bit. If you dont see the wounds getting worse in the next day, he will be fine.

 

[DjScibbity]

Thanks...I hope youre right skip...Ill give it a few days and post pics if it stays the same or gets worse. Thanks again

-JP

 

[aphenes]

JP-
Out of curiousity, take a REALLY close look at the eyes on the jawfish. Look and see if it looks like a contact lense is on the cloudy eye.
Also, look for abrasions around the gills.
There is a monogenetic trematode (flatworm) that causes the symtoms you are refering too.
I see misdiagnosis as "bacterial" infection becauses of the cloudy eye, which IS probably bacteria, BUT, it is secondarial to something else.
The trematodes come in regularly on hawaiian and florida fish shipments, and I have seen them on alot of fish at local shops.
They then spread to ANY fish in the system.
Let me know!
Scott

 

[aphenes]

BTW-
If it is trematodes, they can be controlled with a 2 minute freshwater bath of the infected fish, or, treated with a product called ivermectin, which is only available through a vet.
Make sure if you do a freshwater bath to use purified water, with a matching ph and temperature to your aquarium.
Catch the fish with a plastic specimen container, no nets!!!
A good trick to it is to go in at night time with a flashlight, put the container in the tank, coax the fish out, shining the flashlight at it, and corral it into the container.
Good luck!
Scott

 

[bozu]

i once had a coral beauty that i thought had pop eye. the eye got really cloudy and a lil bulged out but during a feeding one night the lense (or whatever it is) fell off drifting in the current. the cool part is that the eye was perfect underneath!!!!

 

[DjScibbity]

Indeed it does look like a contact lens from what I recall...What are the other symptoms of this infection? He really seems healthy other than the discoloration in his tail and the eye thing. He eats well and still displays the same personality. I have never tried to catch a fish in my tank...so that could be interesting. If I need to do a freshwater dip, how do I do it exactly? How long, can I use RO water, how do you raise/lower the PH, etc... I want ALL the details as this is my favorite fish and CANNOT risk him. Thanks

-JP

 

[DjScibbity]

Ohh...does anyone have a fish trap I could borrow? How do they work in the confined spaces of a nanocube 24? Bruce is pretty smart

-JP