Eye flukes or something else

[Fisher72]

Hello,

I have an Achilles Tang that have been through QT and prazi but looks to have an eye infection. I am wondering if it might be flukes. He is in a 240gal so almost impossible to catch, won't go near my trap. I've watched him for over an hour and he hasn't flashed once or have any of the other fish in the tank.

All fish were QTed and treated with prazi, tank was fallow for 80 days. I tried to get a picture but no luck with getting one that would be of use.

My question is if the flukes are bad enough to get into the eye wouldn't he also flash? No other fish in the tank has shown any signs of flukes/flashing.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Fisher72]

 

[redfishbluefish]

This one is for @melypr1985 , @Humblefish , @4FordFamily , @Brew12

 

[Fisher72]

Here is a little better picture

 

[Humblefish]

One eye or both? Is the eye just popped out or does it also look cloudy?

Below is a photo of fish with eye flukes for comparison purposes.

 

[Fisher72]

One eye, look like it is cloudy with 4-5 white lines through it. really hard to get a good picture. I have a couple of wrasses in QT now that had flukes all flashed, but none of the fish in the display are doing any kind of flashing, they have been in there for about a month after coming out of QT. Thinking to catch another fish or two and do a FW dip to see if they have flukes, all the tangs are too smart to enter the trap.

 

[Humblefish]

One eye, look like it is cloudy with 4-5 white lines through it. really hard to get a good picture. I have a couple of wrasses in QT now that had flukes all flashed, but none of the fish in the display are doing any kind of flashing, they have been in there for about a month after coming out of QT. Thinking to catch another fish or two and do a FW dip to see if they have flukes, all the tangs are too smart to enter the trap.

It would be good to confirm flukes are present. Otherwise, it could be a bacterial infection.

Have you tried baiting the trap with nori soaked in garlic? Stop feeding them, he will go in eventually.

 

[Fisher72]

I haven't gone to that extream, I'm sure if I spent enough time3-4 hours I could get him, I think I'll try a FW dip on another fish first.

As I look closer it looks like the eye is a little popped out, cloudy with white scratched on the outside of the lens if that helps.

Are eye flukes the same as external flukes? If so, I would think I'd see signs on one of the other fish, I have another 5 tangs as well at 25 other fish, all seem fine. Black tangs looks perfect.

 

[4FordFamily]

It sounds like flukes but with the eye bulging I'm second guessing. We need clearer photos and I too recommend a FW dip!

 

[Humblefish]

Are eye flukes the same as external flukes? If so, I would think I'd see signs on one of the other fish, I have another 5 tangs as well at 25 other fish, all seem fine. Black tangs looks perfect.

Yes, it's just that once flukes reach the eyes that usually means the fish is heavily infested.

I agree more fish should be showing symptoms if your system had flukes.

The more likely explanation is an eye infection, and erythromycin would be the best antibiotic to use for that. Some have gotten away with dosing it in a DT with corals/inverts, but that can be risky. I doubt food soaking erythromycin would help much in this situation. He really needs to go into a QT, so you can dose the medication directly into the water for his eye to absorb.

 

[Fisher72]

Thanks everyone. I will evaluate how he is looking tonight. Try a couple of tricks to can catch him, I have a QT setup with a couple of Flame wrasses that I can move to another tank so I have a place to QT him although this is only a 20L so he won't be happy in there for long.