My Beautiful Wide Nose Unicorn Tang has Popeye Help!!

[Kruser]

My beautiful tang is about 8 inches long and she is the personality of my entire tank. She has been hiding and not eating. When I moved some rock and got her to come out both her eyes are bulging and she is just laying in the front of the tank. She won't eat, which is totally out of character for her. I did a 30% water change. What else can I do?

Thank you!

 

[phishy23]

Remove the fish and dip it in formalin. This clooudy eye is usually caused by a parasite, flukes ot odinium. 2 drops per gallon for 20- 50 mins. per dip. Dip once per week until eye is clear

 

[johno4]

it is an infection and it can clear up on its own if water quality is good. What is your water like? I would guess there are some parameters off.

 

[Bebo77]

it can also be caused by stress is he fighting with anyone in the tank...

try and keep up your water parameters.. do daily water changes...

 

[Billybeau1]

Kruser and Phishy23

[welcome]

I used Melafix for my tang and it worked but it could have just cleared up on its own, which is entirely possible.

If your fish is not active, he's in trouble.

Billsreef has a lot of experience with this and should be along in awhile.

Good luck.

 

[kevin2000]

Bulging eyes are often the sign of a bacterial problem .. in some cases they will clear up on their own .. however if the problem is severe or your don't see any progress then you should qt the fish and treat with an antibiotic. Maracyn 2 is an antibiotic that is readily available.

Formalin is effective with some external parasites but won't help with popeye.

 

[Hattie B]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10355723#post10355723 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phishy23
Remove the fish and dip it in formalin. This clooudy eye is usually caused by a parasite, flukes ot odinium. 2 drops per gallon for 20- 50 mins. per dip. Dip once per week until eye is clear

No offense or anything like that but I completely disagree with this statement.

Netting and removing the fish will more then likly cause MORE damage to the eye, unilateral or bilateral never net the fish.

Since you say its one eye, I would agree that its probably popeye, due to stress, trauma; trauma from another fish or possibily from a rock while the tang was swimming as 'happy' they do.

Contiune to do water changes and watch for any other signs, if the eye turns cloudy; the other eye is infected. If it is pop eye, good water quality goes a long way..

ps. I know what you mean about Uni's, I rehomed my Naso Unicornis, when she was almost a foot and had streamers and a 'mini' horn growing..

Best,

HB

 

[Kruser]

Update on Unicorn Tang

Update on Unicorn Tang

Thank you so much for all your input. I did several water changes. My parameters are great now. She layed in the front of the tank for 5 days. Both eyes are affected. She would become more active when I came to the tank but mainly she layed and stayed in the same spot. Each day her eyes got better. Last night she started swimming carefully around the tank, but she acts like she can't see well, bumping into the rock. Her eyes are now normal, but I can see redness on one of them. I think my water quality was the problem, which I have now fixed, but I do think I need to treat with antibiotic. Since I don't have a QT tank would erythromyicin work? I love this fish, she is so amazing and my tank just wouldn't be the same without her. I am so amazed that she has had made it so far. She is still not eating which really concerns me, I'm going to try mysis shrimp right now and see if she will eat.

Thank you again !!

 

[Billybeau1]

You could also try soaking the mysis in garlic. It can be an appetite stimulant.

 

[Percula9]

Antibiotics are good if you can treat in a hospital tank. Antibiotic use in the display tank will kill some of your biological filter. Purchase a 10 gal tank from your local fish store. You can use a box filter and don't use carbon. Treat with Furan 2 very effective in treating a host of bacterial problems. She may indeed be blind now. If popeye is goes untreated it usually results in the loss of the eye. Hopefully this is nt the case. Keep an eye on the level of NH3 in the sick tank because it has no bio filter. Do a water change on it when necessary. I discovered an Angel at work had the beginnings of popeye, immediately placed in sick tank and treated with Furan 2. Good luck.

 

[deansreef]

any update on the Unicorn?