popeye

[budjr8000]

my heniochus has popeye in my reef tank any one wiht best way to treat him (melafix) or any thing. if itis evan posable to save him.

 

[Bebo77]

i have had 2 fish with pop eye and it went away both times after i took the fish out nad put them in another tank for while... melafix says it works on popeye but in my experience it is brought on by stress.

 

[budjr8000]

i woke up this morning and now othere eyeys have it so is there any thing i can do about it.

 

[Bebo77]

do you have another smaller tank?

 

[Paul B]

I am not sure what causes it and I am quite sure no one else does either. I know what it is though, it is an infection behind the eye which is fairly common in captive fish but I never saw a fish with it in the sea. It is relitively easy to cure and as was said it sometimes subsides on it's own. I have cured it dozens of times in my own tanks and in wholesalers. If it is a real bad infection and it looks as though the eye may pop out I would relieve the preasure by inserting a thin diameter hypodermic needle in the stretched skin between the eye and the scaly part of the face. This will be easy to see as it is very stretched. Pull back on the plunger and the eye will instantly go back into place. Then you can use an antibiotic but I prefer to inject a little antibiotic like chlorimphenicol into the space behind the eye. Usually this is not necessary but it is easier for the fish to recover if you get that pus out. It just yakes a second and I have never lost a fish to this in the almost fifty years I have been keeping them. I recently cured my moorish Idol this way but it required two treatments. If you don't want to get that crazy just try some of that food with the antibiotic in it. I have never tried it but it is the only other method I know except the one I stated.
Good Luck

 

[basiab]

You can try adding epsom salt (from drugstore) at the rate of a tablespoon per 10 gallons. It is not a cure but it is reported to help while the fish heals itself.