Popped eye or parasite on Boxcow fish's eye (not like what others have shown)

[Kathleencurrier]

My son's tank, now I'm hooked!! Help! I got him a little cow fish (peanut) he got ich with the other fish and was treated. Others seem to be ok. Now, has an extended eye...red...and now blind out of it. I know because he was the frist to start eating from my hand. He wouldn't eat for many days but is now eating. Put him in an isolation tank, changed water, gave ich Meds. What can anyone tell me about the eye issue. I've looked at many blogs, posts, etc. but can't find any fish that have this kind of popped eye. See photo for example. Tank parameters are pH 8.0 Ammonia 0ppm Nitrate 0ppm Nitrate 0ppm Salinity 1.0230 Temp 79.2

. Any help appreciated for my little peanut!

 

[Kathleencurrier]

 

[Bent]

1: I hope its in a big tank, because they get about a foot and a half long and really heavy.

2: When you say "Ich meds" what do you mean?

3: that condition is exophthalmos, sometimes called pop-eye. Its a result of a bacterial infection that causes swelling within the aqueous humor of the eye resulting in the eye popping out like that.

99% of the time, its due to an ammonia burn on the eye. So either now, the ammonia is higher than you think it is, or he was somewhere that the ammonia was high previously. So if your positive the ammonia level in the tank is good, then its from a previous burn. He needs treated with antibiotics. My suggestion would be some gram positive coverage since this is a "tank acquired" bacteria. tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin or some form of nitrofuran will do the job.

 

[Kathleencurrier]

Thank you.

Thank you.

1: I hope its in a big tank, because they get about a foot and a half long and really heavy.

2: When you say "Ich meds" what do you mean?

3: that condition is exophthalmos, sometimes called pop-eye. Its a result of a bacterial infection that causes swelling within the aqueous humor of the eye resulting in the eye popping out like that.

99% of the time, its due to an ammonia burn on the eye. So either now, the ammonia is higher than you think it is, or he was somewhere that the ammonia was high previously. So if your positive the ammonia level in the tank is good, then its from a previous burn. He needs treated with antibiotics. My suggestion would be some gram positive coverage since this is a "tank acquired" bacteria. tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin or some form of nitrofuran will do the job.

Thank you very much for the information there was an ammonia spike and couple weeks ago and since has been handled with several large water changes at 40%+ and adding Instant Ocean Bio-Spira the tank has since become extremely stable.

The tank the fish is currently in is a fish only hospital tanks and once all the illnesses are resolved the fish will be move into a 180 gallon fish only display tank.

 

[Bent]

Thank you very much for the information there was an ammonia spike and couple weeks ago and since has been handled with several large water changes at 40%+ and adding Instant Ocean Bio-Spira the tank has since become extremely stable.

The tank the fish is currently in is a fish only hospital tanks and once all the illnesses are resolved the fish will be move into a 180 gallon fish only display tank.

Ok. So that's the problem. My first instinct is to treat him for gram positive bacteria. Most of the time, infections obtained from an aquarium tend to be.

My advice is to find some kanamycin or tetracycline. API makes some tertracycline and kanaplex is kanamycin. The preferred way to treat these infections is orally as opposed to a bath. Soak the food per the directions and treat him that way. If he for some reason isn't eating, than adding it directly to the hospital tank is better than nothing.

Oh, and I should say that I do not advise keeping this animal in a 180, especially with other tank mates. In a few short years he will outgrow it. Some specimens can top 2', but the average size is 1-1.5' with a weight measured in pounds.

Also, be careful when it comes to aggression. A bullied box fish (cow fish are box fish) is capable of releasing some pretty potent toxins that will kill himself and the rest of the inhabitants in the tank. Generally if they die from a cause other than aggression or predation, they won't, but if they feel their life is in danger due to a predator or rival, they will release it.

Good luck with him, he's a cutie!

 

[Kathleencurrier]

Peanut

Peanut

Will the eye go down with the antibiotics? We will get the antibiotics...he's only about a 1/2 inch right now. But will keep all in mind going forward. He/she (how can you tell?) is very shy and would only tend to stay around the bat fish and would eat out of the traffic of the other fish. Honestly I try not to get emotional about a tiny fish but she was my buy and was in a terrible dirty little tank at the fish store. We are NOT buying from them any more...I think my son loss 7 they all came in with ich.
Thank you so much...I've never been on a blog before to get help. I so appreciate your help!!!

 

[Bent]

Will the eye go down with the antibiotics? We will get the antibiotics...he's only about a 1/2 inch right now. But will keep all in mind going forward. He/she (how can you tell?) is very shy and would only tend to stay around the bat fish and would eat out of the traffic of the other fish. Honestly I try not to get emotional about a tiny fish but she was my buy and was in a terrible dirty little tank at the fish store. We are NOT buying from them any more...I think my son loss 7 they all came in with ich.
Thank you so much...I've never been on a blog before to get help. I so appreciate your help!!!

Yes the eye will heal up if the bacteria are eradicated.

Whether or not he regains sight is a different story. But if he isn't treated he/she will def die.