Chocolate Tang with popeye

[jp415]

I just got a chocolate tang for a week and it developed some sort of pop eye.

Trying to see what kind of steps I should take to help it out.

Seems like one of the other tangs may be going after it every so often but not that bad.

I placed a mirror up to stop the aggression. I just don't want this to spread to my other tangs.

 

[Spare time]

Best bet would be to QT the fish with something like kanaplex.

 

[jp415]

Would it be okay in the tank and heal by itself?

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Would it be okay in the tank and heal by itself?

Popeye is usually a result of localized bacterial infection, nothing that can spread to other fish. They can recover from it without medication if kept in a very clean, stress-free environment. That means the other tangs would have to leave him well alone, and you should keep up with your water changes.

 

[jp415]

Thanks.

He eats fine and doesn't seem to have any other issues. The popeye just happened today and I had this tang for 2 weeks no issues.

 

[mtraylor]

Get the seachem kanaplex and focus and put it into the food. If you are not going to remove fish it will not hurt the others.

 

[jp415]

Get the seachem kanaplex and focus and put it into the food. If you are not going to remove fish it will not hurt the others.

Are these okay to put in the food with corals and anemones?

 

[mtraylor]

Yes

 

[mtraylor]

If you get on it you can probably save the eye so it doesn't go blind

 

[AydenLincoln]

Poor little guy! @Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081 #fishmedic

 

[Spare time]

Would it be okay in the tank and heal by itself?

Possibly, possibly not (and lose the eye). You could try and medicate the food but its hard to be accurate with that.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like result of an eye injury
Treatment will be in a separate treatment tank using Maracyn/Maracyn 1 which is ethromyacin for 5 days

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks.

He eats fine and doesn't seem to have any other issues. The popeye just happened today and I had this tang for 2 weeks no issues.

Its rapid onset means is likely due to an injury, in this case, fighting with or swimming away from one of its tankmates. The white spots on its sides could be from injuries as well, or could be parasites, no way to tell just by looking.

It may get better on its own, but not if the fighting continues. Moving it to another tank and dosing with Maracyn 1 (erythromycin) would be a good way to go.

Jay

 

[jp415]

There is a gem tang that occasionally chases after him once in a while. All my other tangs are doing fine. As you mentioned this probably is an injury. I will definitely put him in a separate tank and get him back to health.

 

[Floyd-]

My Dory had popeye. Just kept her well fed and she was fine in about 4-5 days. Its been months since that and shes healthy and fat as ever.

 

[jp415]

My Dory had popeye. Just kept her well fed and she was fine in about 4-5 days. Its been months since that and shes healthy and fat as ever.

Did you leave her in the tank or did you have to put her in a separate tank for a few days.

 

[Floyd-]

Did you leave her in the tank or did you have to put her in a separate tank for a few days.

She was still in the tank with all the other fish (Maybe 11-12 at the moment) No issues with aggression with any of my fish. I did have a Scopas tang that was VERY aggressive and I had to rehome him last year. As long as no one is getting picked on id leave them be.