Is tusk blindness reversable?

[vetteguy53081]

Yes, that is what I am used to as well. They are skiddish.

I just got him eating on Friday after a week. I do use vitachem and selcon (not sure how much sticks to the food). He's been eating cockles, silverslide, chunks of LRS, I was going to try salmon today.

After he ate, his behavior changed immensely.

Salmon is oily and will leave film in your water. I got fresh seafood as it was able to eat entire package of LFS in 4-5 days
Smelt is good but seasonal- available right now . Silverside good.

 

[jasonrusso]

Salmon is oily and will leave film in your water. I got fresh seafood as it was able to eat entire package of LFS in 4-5 days
Smelt is good but seasonal- available right now . Silverside good.

Does the fact it's oily make it bad?

I have a Asian supermarket, I can get anything there. I can get whole head on shrimp there.

This one doesn't smash things on the rocks like my last one. Likely because he can't see them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Does the fact it's oily make it bad?

I have a Asian supermarket, I can get anything there. I can get whole head on shrimp there.

This one doesn't smash things on the rocks like my last one. Likely because he can't see them.

Mine swallows or grabs and eats it down in its tusk made cave. Oily fish affect water quality and not good for fish intestinal tract as it create mucus in its poop

 

[jasonrusso]

Mine swallows or grabs and eats it down in its tusk made cave. Oily fish affect water quality and not good for fish intestinal tract as it create mucus in its poop

My last one (died from stress after moving to a Hospital tank) would bang food on the rocks if it was too big.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Would you agree there is still "something" there?

Seems like it to me. Pretty animated, not bumbling about running into things like I expected.

Jay

 

[jasonrusso]

Seems like it to me. Pretty animated, not bumbling about running into things like I expected.

Jay

Huge difference between day 1 and 2 until now (see the videos below). He's much more lucid and with it now. I hope he continues to improve. He had a cockle and a silverslide tonight. He really is a beautiful fish.

Right now I have a free tusk, but in the end I'd rather pay for a fish that's not a liability.

I'm not concerned with the caudal fin, it will most likely grow back.

blind tusk

youtube.com

blind tusk 2

youtube.com

blind tusk 3

youtube.com

 

[SCH14]

They are susceptible to popeye and I dont believe they are cyanide caught nor Get copper poisoning. Im on my third tusk over 20+ years and have had one who seemed it could not see but after a paus e appeared normal and ate Aggressively. I cant say the appearance of the eye and retina determines its ability to see but looking at your pics, its eyes appears the same as Mine who has now reached 9".

This is the current state, 2min ago, right now he is face first in the sand but still breathing

 

[SCH14]

This is the current state, 2min ago, right now he is face first in the sand but still breathing

 

[jasonrusso]

This is the current state, 2min ago, right now he is face first in the sand but still breathing

Looks and sounds like the one I had. Where did you get him from?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Cyanide is certainly an issue with tuskfish from Indonesia and the Philippines. I always get them from Australia now. Importers know the issue and often sell any nice looking tusk as “Australian”.
Cyanide has been implicated n neurological issues, including blindness, but I’ve not had a blind tusk myself, so I can’t speak from firsthand experience.
Jay

 

[KrisReef]

Mine likes to lurk about the rockpile where he excavated a home. I suspect they prefer dark locations and may have difficulty "seeing" in bright lights and probably suffer under some of out modern lighting schemes? @CH3RRY 's fish is assuming a common position Ive observed in many different predatory fish, kind of hanging about waiting for something tasty to swim by?

 

[jasonrusso]

Mine likes to lurk about the rockpile where he excavated a home. I suspect they prefer dark locations and may have difficulty "seeing" in bright lights and probably suffer under some of out modern lighting schemes? @CH3RRY 's fish is assuming a common position Ive observed in many different predatory fish, kind of hanging about waiting for something tasty to swim by?

All the healthy HTs I've had lurk in the rocks and swim laps. The two blind ones act confused and sit in weird positions.

 

[KrisReef]

Bummer to have had two. Blindness should be rare so I suspect that your's were injuried along the way from the ocean to the LFS, which is also a huge bummer.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I wonder too if cyanide caught as it has all the signs of that

 

[jasonrusso]

Mine likes to lurk about the rockpile where he excavated a home. I suspect they prefer dark locations

My little guy has a new spot somewhere where I can't see him. I look for a while and I am convinced he's gone. A soon as the food comes out he appears out of nowhere.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My little guy has a new spot somewhere where I can't see him. I look for a while and I am convinced he's gone. A soon as the food comes out he appears out of nowhere.

I can assure you , about 7:30p or shortly after, they go into hiding for the night but may come out when food hits the tank.

My Guy:

 

[jasonrusso]

I can assure you , about 7:30p or shortly after, they go into hiding for the night but may come out when food hits the tank.

My Guy:

My stomatellas reproduce like crazy. I see him pecking at the rocks like a tang. I wonder if he's eating the baby snails. He's thick like they are supposed to be.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My stomatellas reproduce like crazy. I see him pecking at the rocks like a tang. I wonder if he's eating the baby snails. He's thick like they are supposed to be.

They do eat snails especially ceriths. That would be awesome if he is although stomatellas are keepers

 

[jasonrusso]

They do eat snails especially ceriths. That would be awesome if he is although stomatellas are keepers

I think my stomatella population is healthy. My skimmer is always full of them and I see them all over my glass.

 

[Ks4726]

@jasonrusso what ended happening with the tusk? If you don't mind me asking.

Mine of 2 years stopped eating a month ago. I believe it went partially blind. I'm out of ideas.