Pop Eye from Injury

[CStrickland]

Hi all!
My chalk bass got spooked and swam head first into a rock (so dumb). Now one of his eyes is popped out. It doesn't look any worse today than when it happened the day before yesterday, but not much better either. It hasn't developed any cloudiness, or any odd colors besides a little blood, kinda like when a person has a blood vessel burst in their eye. He's laying low in his cave, but he comes out to catch food I put right there for him. His color overall is a little dark, like when he gets scared, but otherwise he looks ok. Not panting or anything. I can't really get a pic without disturbing him. The rest of the tank seems fine.

The diseases sticky says that for popeye you are supposed to use antibiotics, but it sounds like sk8ter was talking about popeye from a head infection or bad water quality. I wasn't sure whether that would apply when you know it is from an injury, other sites said no. I been dosing Melafix cause I had some around and just trying not to stress him out since it doesn't look infected, but I wanted to see what you guys think?

Thanks!

 

[CStrickland]

I forgot to do this part, my bad
1. How old is this aquarium?
8 months
2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level?
zero, anyway
3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured?
1.025, swing arm hydrometer confirmed with the floaty glass kind I use to make beer and jam
4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium?
about a week and a half ago (melanurus wrasse, ywg) I think that's why he was skittish and swam into the rock, a little stressed out. The chalk bass was the first fish in.
5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How?
not really, a few weeks observation. idk if I did the full 4 weeks
6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When?
7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer?
8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color?
9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish?
10. Is the fish eating? What? I think I hit most of this in the OP. I feed mostly blender mush with an occasional flakes when I'm in a rush, 3-4x a day

 

[Dmorty217]

Epsom salt at 1 tablespoon per 5g to ease the Popeye

 

[CStrickland]

Thanks D, my mags a little low anyway.
He's out more today, but I think it's hard for him to move his eye. Like, he goes for food even on that side of his head so I guess he can see it, but misses it sometimes cause he can get to it but then not focus right on how far it is from his nose.
Poor fella

 

[ca1ore]

I have kept dozens of chalk basslets over the years, and they do seem prone to popeye. As long as it's just one, and the fish is eating, I typically don't do anything and it always clears up - though may take a week or two. If it's both eyes, and they're cloudy, then I treat with antibiotics in HT.

 

[slief]

Over the years I've had fish that got pop eye from run in's with the rock, run in's with fox face, urchins, stress etc. I've never once dipped one or used epsom salt. I know epsom salt does work but so does a bit of time in my experience. I've never had a case of pope eye lasted more than a week or two and never once treated it. I've also never had a fish with obvious permanent damage from it. If there is obvious cornea damage, that's a different story but I haven't had that happen to date.