Fuzzy Dwarf lionfish has a cloudy eye

[jasonrusso]

On Sunday, I noticed my fuzzy had a cloudy spot at the front of his left eye, it looked like a flap. I assumed that he hit it on something eating or hunting feeders that always hide behind the power heads. The power heads have some sharp coraline bits. He ate fine on Sunday.

Yesterday, he was very reserved. His eye was completely cloudy. He stayed in a cave or up in a corner. He didn't eat.

Today, he is much more out and about, but his eye looks worse. There is almost like a small hole in it. I know he can't see out of it because I saw him bump it.

I haven't fed them yet, but my assumption is that he will eat.

My gut feeling is that it's from trauma. If he keeps acting normal and eating I'll see if it heals. If he gets worse, I already filled up my QT tank and I'll treat with erythromycin. His breathing seems normal.

Sound like a good course of action?

 

[Glass Algae]

Following for science. Super curious!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The very first sentence of your post perfectly describes the fluke, Neobenedenia, AKA "eye fluke". As I look at the pictures, that seems less likely. How long have you had this fish (or how long since the last fish was added to the tank?).

If it isn't Neo, then injury, as you suggested, would be the next most likely thing. I normally don't suggest dosing a DT with Erythromycin, as it sometimes inhibits you biofilter (check you ammonia during the treatment if you do use it). One side benefit - the Erythro will kill off your red slime algae (grin).

If the fish eats for you today, you might consider holding off on a treatment...

Jay

 

[jasonrusso]

Update: He did not eat, but he seemed interested. He followed a few pieces around, but they got scooped up by the others. Usually he would just inhale them. I am confident that he will eat tomorrow.

The very first sentence of your post perfectly describes the fluke, Neobenedenia, AKA "eye fluke". As I look at the pictures, that seems less likely. How long have you had this fish (or how long since the last fish was added to the tank?).

If it isn't Neo, then injury, as you suggested, would be the next most likely thing. I normally don't suggest dosing a DT with Erythromycin, as it sometimes inhibits you biofilter (check you ammonia during the treatment if you do use it). One side benefit - the Erythro will kill off your red slime algae (grin).

If the fish eats for you today, you might consider holding off on a treatment...

Jay

I'm not going to dose the DT. I have a QT set up if needed. I've had him for a year and a half. Everyone has been in there for years (except the puffer, but the puffer keeps to himself).

As far as trauma goes, I am aware that trauma could turn into an infection, so I am keeping a close eye in it (pun not intended). I wouldn't think that a fluke would have a small hole in it. You can kind of see it in one of the pictures.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Freshwater bath followed by epsom salt bath. Melafix will also help heal but I like the epsom salt bath

 

[jasonrusso]

Freshwater bath followed by epsom salt bath. Melafix will also help heal but I like the epsom salt bath

To treat what ailment?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Update: He did not eat, but he seemed interested. He followed a few pieces around, but they got scooped up by the others. Usually he would just inhale them. I am confident that he will eat tomorrow.



I'm not going to dose the DT. I have a QT set up if needed. I've had him for a year and a half. Everyone has been in there for years (except the puffer, but the puffer keeps to himself).

As far as trauma goes, I am aware that trauma could turn into an infection, so I am keeping a close eye in it (pun not intended). I wouldn't think that a fluke would have a small hole in it. You can kind of see it in one of the pictures.

Yes, it isn’t a fluke, I was just saying your lead sentence started Off as a textbook example of Neo(grin). I wouldn’t give it a FW dip, that won’t help with bacterial infections. A good broad spectrum antibiotic in a QT would be the way to go, one that has good effect on gram negative bacteria.
Jay

 

[jasonrusso]

Yes, it isn’t a fluke, I was just saying your lead sentence started Off as a textbook example of Neo(grin). I wouldn’t give it a FW dip, that won’t help with bacterial infections. A good broad spectrum antibiotic in a QT would be the way to go, one that has good effect on gram negative bacteria.
Jay

Thanks for the advice. I lean toward erythromycin because I think it is best for eyes, not much else.

 

[vetteguy53081]

To treat what ailment?

cloudy eye

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the advice. I lean toward erythromycin because I think it is best for eyes, not much else.

Isn’t erythromycin mostly active against gram positive? Almost all pathogenic external bacteria in marine aquariums are gram negative.

Jay

 

[jasonrusso]

cloudy eye

Wouldn't the cause warrant the treatment? Freshwater isn't going to help a bacterial infection

 

[jasonrusso]

Isn’t erythromycin mostly active against gram positive? Almost all pathogenic external bacteria in marine aquariums are gram negative.

Jay

Honestly, I'm not sure. I use erythromycin for eyes. That's all I know, lol. Everything else gets a combo of Kanamycin and metroplex. I haven't had much luck curing anything other than parasite (chloroquine phosphate) and cloudy eye.

 

[jasonrusso]

Isn’t erythromycin mostly active against gram positive? Almost all pathogenic external bacteria in marine aquariums are gram negative.

Jay

My puffer had velvet. His eyes started getting cloudy. @Humblefish recommended erythromycin and it cleared up in a few days.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wouldn't the cause warrant the treatment? Freshwater isn't going to help a bacterial infection

FW bath eliminates any presence of flukes and epsom will help the eye. FW bath is NOT for bacteria

 

[jasonrusso]

Still looks about the same. He ate yesterday and today. He's as active as usual.

I looked up a picture of flukes and it looks different. You can see the individual spots.

This looks like a small hole.

 

[jasonrusso]

So for the last 2 weeks, he has been swimming around and acting "Normal." I've been watching him and I thought that his eye was actually looking a bit better.

Yesterday, during feeding time he shot 1/2 way across the tank and and started shaking his head. He didn't eat. This morning he didn't even want live feeders.

I caught him (he still has some fight in him!!) and put him in a HT. I put some erythromycin and Kanaplex in the water. I've had luck treating eye infections before with erythromycin. I don't think that he has flukes, but I put some prazi in the water as well. It's gentle on the fish so I don't think it will hurt anything.

His other eye is clear as can be and he sees fine out of it. I'm still thinking this was an injury and it got infected. All the other fish are fine so I'm not thinking flukes or a bad bacterial thing.