2 blind fish

[lion king]

A pink tail trigger and a harlequin tusk, they came from the same supply line at the same time. I purchased them together at a lfs more than 2.5 years ago. The lfs got them in the same order from their supplier.

The pink tail was the king of the tank, then one day he just disappeared behind the rocks. After a few months he re=appeared and I could tell his eyesight had diminished to legally blind. We figured out a system and I stick feed him.

Then the ht followed suit with the same activity. I never could get food to him and he recently passed. There was never any signs of disease or injury. There are 7 other fish in the tank that all seem to be healthy. Unless there is some sort of bacterial infection that shows no signs, physical or otherwise, and just effects vision then I can only guess.

Back in the day when a fish went blind, cyanide was always blamed. I spoke to a board member from Macna the other day and he told me some industry leaders think cyanide is back in play. Another theory could be the over exposure to medications. These fish are exposed to so many meds on their travels before they reach us, who knows.

Just thought I'd share an interesting story.

 

[Maritimer]

There exist parasitic worms and copepods that infest the eyes of fish, but not sure that's what's going on with your two - cyanide use does continue, so that's possible.

Cool to hear that the trigger, at least, was able to adapt and survive!

~Bruce

 

[mort]

Bacterial infections from scrapes can also blind fish but the eyes will look cloudy.


I'm not familiar with cyanide use and eyesight deterioration but I'd question whether it would take that long to come out.

 

[mort]

Also I'm assuming that by the same supply line you mean from sea to tank rather than shop and that it isn't an aussie tusk?

 

[lion king]

Yes from ocean to tank, they showed up at the same time on one of the list the lfs orders from. I just find it a bit curious that 2 out of 9 fish go blind that happened to come through the same supply line.

I think this happens more than we think, I don't think most people realize they went blind. When it happened to the pink tail he managed to find a spot behind the rocks and get food. When he re-amerged I was able to determine he had vision problems. I quickly spotted the same behavior from the tusk. Then observed him closely and determined he was having vision issues also. He then retreated to the rocks and was gone,

Had the pink tail not re-emerged I would have thought some mysterious death, and would have thought the same of the tusk. Maybe others will read this and think that might have happened to their fish. I don't know of any disease that would affect the eyes only with no physical indicators.

The pink tail is probably the fattest fish in the tank now, I probably spoil him. He comes up a spot in the rocks shortly after I feed the tank, he will spin in a couple of circles, and I stick feed him nice chunks of seafood. He mostly hangs in a couple of spots in the rocks, swims openly occasionally; Still gets into a scuffle from time to time, probably with the male bluejaw. He's quite vibrant so i hope he's as happy as a fish in a glass cage can be.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Copper has been known to show neurological effects, but that's to long-term exposure.

Time frame suggests something in the tank. What were the 7 other fish?

 

[lion king]

The other inhabitants are a yellow belly dogface puffer, orange shoulder tang, scopas tang. one spot foxface, majestic angel, and a pair of bluejaw triggers, and a legally blind pink tail trigger. I say legally blind because he can see shadows, he maneuvers around just fine, and he knows when I come up to the tank.

A marine biologist friend and I have cut open fish from peoples tanks that just up and died mysteriously. Some after being healthy for 2 or 3 years, then just dead one day. She has shown me organ damage that she surmised was from medications. We saw some fish brought right from someone's qt under medication with completely liquified insides.

It doesn't always happen overnight. Fish today are exposed to a cocktail of drugs at the collection center, another at each distribution center. Some lfs run low level of copper, perform formalin dips, run de wornming meds and all sorts of other stuff. All this done with meds that can't be or aren't even tested for proper levels and done by some very under qualified people. Then the hobbyist gets them and run their own protocol of meds. It's a real wonder any of them live at all.