Cloudy Eyes - Zebra Dwarf Lionfish

[MarielleKrenzelak]

So, my zebra dwarf lion has developed some cloudy eyes. I attached some pictures so you could see what it looks like. He has been with me a while now so this definitely developed within my care. I want to know how I should go about treating this?

He is in a 70gal. Ammonia and nitrite are 0ppm. Nitrate is at 45ppm. Specific gravity is at 1.026.

 

[Old Fritz]

It could be a number of things but most likely is diet. What are you currently feeding him and how often. Also try to lower your nitrates a bit just to be safe even though 40ppm isn't really dangerous. What is the ph of your water? Have you added any new fish to the tank? How old is your dwarf lion?

 

[MarielleKrenzelak]

It could be a number of things but most likely is diet. What are you currently feeding him and how often. Also try to lower your nitrates a bit just to be safe even though 40ppm isn't really dangerous. What is the ph of your water? Have you added any new fish to the tank? How old is your dwarf lion?

Ghost shrimp every couple days. It's gotten significantly worse since yesterday. 8.2ph. I'm afraid he's gone blind in that eye.

 

[MarielleKrenzelak]

I've had him for a little over a month

 

[MarielleKrenzelak]

No new fish since he was added.

 

[Old Fritz]

My guess is nutritional. Have you done a water change yet to be safe? A lionfish's diet shouldn't just be ghost shrimp however we all know the pain of getting them on frozen foods. This is something that can be cured unless it's cataracts which is unlikely given the age

 

[Mr. Brooks]

When I hear cloudy eye I usually think flukes. Also your nitrate is too high. You need to do a water change and then I recommend treating the tank with Prazipro. Do two treatments, one week apart.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Double post.

 

[4FordFamily]

That doesn't look like flukes, and it sounds like an infection. I'd treat with Kanaplex -or if you want to be safe, I would use Kanaplex, Metroplex, and Furan 2 to really knock it out. Treat 10-14 days in a quarantine and follow the re-dosing instructions on the packages

 

[Old Fritz]

When I hear cloudy eye I usually think flukes. Also your nitrate is too high. You need to do a water change and then I recommend treating the tank with Prazipro. Do two treatments, one week apart.

Prazi could work as well in case it's a parasite. But it honestly doesn't really seem like flukes. All is something you can treat with in your display tank even with inverts, and be sure to add an airstone. and i agree with the water change, the nitrates aren't too unsafe but it's a number you want to get down . Diet is also a big culprit for cloudy eyes in lionfish

 

[MarielleKrenzelak]

I actually just finished him on a preventative API cure all for parasites, with two rounds of dosing.

 

[MarielleKrenzelak]

Do you think paragaurd might help? I have that in my cabinet already.

 

[HotRocks]

If you are talking about general cure from API. It contains metronidazole and praziquantel. It will treat for flukes, as far as parasites are concerned it will only treat Brook and uronema. Which honestly the two doses aren't enough metronidazole for Brook and uronema. You would need to use Metroplex for 10 consecutive days.

If you want to treat for parasites like ich or velvet you'd need to use copper.

I agree it looks like an infection or Popeye. I'd go with antibiotics as suggested by @4FordFamily.