Clownfish both eyes popped out

[xxoczukxx]

My phantom clown has both eyes bulging. I dont see cloudiness but the eyes are black so its hard to tell.

hes hanging near the back wall i dont think he can see. It was fine yesterday and all other fish are fine as well.

I can get pictures soon but does anyone have ideas? Is it possible both eyes got injured at the same time since theres no cloudiness?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The other fish are all fine? The first thing I worry about with sudden double Popeye is supersaturation from air getting injected into the water from a pump or failed seal (not from aeration). However, supersaturation will affect all fish to some degree.
A picture and video taken under white light will help, as well as background history on the fish. Some useful things to know are listed in the link below my name here.
Jay

 

[Speaker]

My guess would be bacterial infection. Hard to tell without pictures. I would run the clown through some Erythromycin. I have a blenny that had what looked like an eye infection cleared it right up. https://humble.fish/bacterial-infections/

 

[terraincognita]

I was unaware of popeye even existing in saltwater fish. Wow.

Following for interest.

 

[xxoczukxx]

The other fish are all fine? The first thing I worry about with sudden double Popeye is supersaturation from air getting injected into the water from a pump or failed seal (not from aeration). However, supersaturation will affect all fish to some degree.
A picture and video taken under white light will help, as well as background history on the fish. Some useful things to know are listed in the link below my name here.
Jay

Other fish are fine i only noticed because he didnt come to eat. This is a clown ive had for roughly 3-4 years being kept with another smaller clown, a royal gramma and a pink fairy wrasse.

Tank volume is about 35g with a pretty large sump

nitrates about 5 or less, zero ammonia and nitrite.

alk around 9 calc around 420 mg around 1300

Bubbles do happen sometimes if the ato gets low but rarely

 

[xxoczukxx]

 

[xxoczukxx]

My guess would be bacterial infection. Hard to tell without pictures. I would run the clown through some Erythromycin. I have a blenny that had what looked like an eye infection cleared it right up. https://humble.fish/bacterial-infections/

My fish's eyes arent cloudy and nothing hanging off, theyre just bulging its odd

 

[vetteguy53081]

First, a few things to know about popeye:
Popeye disease is a condition that causes the eye of a fish to bulge, swell up, or protrude from the socket known scientifically as exophthalmia.
The bulging appearance of the eye is a result of fluid buildup. The fluid can accumulate behind the eye or within the eye itself (this all depends on the cause of the disease). The severity of popeye can vary quite a bit. In more mild cases, the eye may stay clear as in your case and only have a moderate amount of swelling.
More serious instances of the disease can damage the cornea, creating a cloudy appearance. If not addressed, the swelling can get so bad that the eye will rupture or even fall out. Opportunistic bacteria can take hold, resulting in severe infections as well as fungal problems.
There are a couple of potential causes you’ll need to consider. If your fish is suffering from unilateral popeye disease, a likely culprit is a physical injury.
Saltwater fish are injury-prone creatures. Skittish and highly active species are at a higher risk. Fish could accidentally bump into a rock and scrape their eye. Since they lack eyelids, fish are unable to provide last-second protection to their eye in these instances and with clown which often squabble, this could be the case. Their immune system causes this response also which good water quality and diet plays a role.

 

[Speaker]

Found this as well. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-fish-has-pop-eye.43688/post-477594

 

[xxoczukxx]

I think his vision is definitely messed up right now. Going to check on him in the morning and see how hes doing.

 

[xxoczukxx]

Woke up today and he was floating this was my oldest fish that i had since my very fish saltwater tank 5 years ago

although he was the biggest fish in the tank he was gentle and never bit unlike the other clown

he lived in a small neglected 10g when i went to school and finally graduated to my new system with plenty of friends and space and great filtration corals all the bells and whistles less than a year ago

RIP Casper

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Woke up today and he was floating this was my oldest fish that i had since my very fish saltwater tank 5 years ago

although he was the biggest fish in the tank he was gentle and never bit unlike the other clown

he lived in a small neglected 10g when i went to school and finally graduated to my new system with plenty of friends and space and great filtration corals all the bells and whistles less than a year ago

RIP Casper

Once I saw a picture of Casper, I immediately jumped to mycobacterium - fish tuberculosis. It isn’t treatable, and usually only affects older fish. However, if the eyes developed like this overnight or in a few days, then it wasn’t myco- that is more of a chronic condition.
Jay