Sick Hawaiian Squirrelfish

[WVfishguy]

I have a Hawaiian Squirrelfish, Sargocentron xantherythrum, which has what appears to be a clear bubble growing from the top of one eye. It's getting bigger daily. I've had this happen before with the same species. The squirrel eventually lost the eye and died in quarantine.
All the other fish are fine. The bubble is the only symptom. The fish looks good and eats well.
Is there anyone who knows what this is?

 

[TerryB]

Squirrelfish often get gas bubble disease when in a tank that contains an excess of fine air bubbles. Check to see if you have a pump that is sucking in air. If the eye is clear, not cloudy then it is probably not a bacterial infection. Did you net the fish recently? Netting causes a lot of eye injuries, especially true for squirrelfish. Injury from the net causes swelling. However, you decribe a clear bubble at the top of the eye. Sounds like classic gas bubble disease. The fish can get better when you fix the fine air problem.

Terry B

 

[WVfishguy]

Thanks for the reply.
There are no small bubbles in the aquarium. I had the same thing happen to a Squirrelfish at another location where there were not a lot of fine bubbles in the water (though there's a lot of water movement) so I don't think its gas bubble disease. But I could be wrong.