Harlequin Tusk acting blind on CP

[jasonrusso]

I removed my Harelquin Tusk, Kole Tang, and dwarf golden moray into a 55 gal QT to treat for velvet with CP. Since then, the tusk is showing signs of blindness (pacing up and down the glass, standing upright at times, etc). I remember these signs from years ago when I bought an already blind tusk (not on purpose of course. He died when he swam into my lionfish when he was looking for nearby food).

Now, I was treating my DT with CP. I pulled the plug on that when the ammonia was rising and the pH was dropping. When I was doing that, he stopped eating and started this behavior. After I turned the skimmer back on and the carbon reactor he stopped the pacing and started acting more normal.

Now, he is VERY active and pacing, but I cannot say if he has eaten. It has been 3 days. He is still fat from before. I don't think he is totally blind because he knows when I am in front of the tank because he gets timid (I usually watch him on camera) so he may not be blind at all, just stressed. Yesterday, I quickly moved a envelope towards him and he saw it because he hid in a quick fashion.

I'm going to stop on the way home and get a couple mussels to see if he eats. I also have some "entice" coming from amazon tomorrow.

The tang and eel are also very active but still, no one wants to eat, but the tang was pretty bad off. He lost almost all his stripes but he is coming back. I may put some nori in there tonight.

The ammonia alert shows 0.05, so I am adding some prime. That being said, it said 0.05 when I first filled the tank with new water (which I tested to 0.00 ammonia) and there are no fish in it. This makes me question the accuracy.

 

[jasonrusso]

I have read reports of harlequin tusks losing their vision when on copper (but it returns after?), but there is not much info on CP.

 

[Paul B]

Tuskfish and most fish can go blind if they are in a lighted tank with few places to get out of the light. It happens to puffers, porcupines and squirrelfish all the time. If you dim the lights for a few days, his sight should return. Unless of course something else kills him

 

[jasonrusso]

It's not too bright, just a window and actnic lights on a timer.

I did have the white lights on yesterday, but I turned them off when he seemed upset.

No one else in the tank is going to harm him, so he's save there

 

[jasonrusso]

Also, stress affects fish in different ways. This fish has always been a bit of a baby

 

[Humblefish]

LFS I advise has run dozens of tusks thru CP, and never had any problems.

Alprazo has also successfully treated Harlequin Tusks with CP. They also usually do fine in copper.

 

[jasonrusso]

LFS I advise has run dozens of tusks thru CP, and never had any problems.

Alprazo has also successfully treated Harlequin Tusks with CP. They also usually do fine in copper.

Like I said, it may be stress. He isn't banging into things, just acting weird. I'm hyper sensitive with my fish.

 

[jasonrusso]

Well, he ate last night and this morning [emoji3]. I'm soaking some Larry's food in vitachem so hopefully it will help with his vision of it is nutrition based.

Still can't get the tang or eel to eat. The eel did have a lot on Friday before the move. The tang was the worst of the three. His color is coming back so hopefully his appetite is next. I have the entice coming today.