Lt. Tang blind!?

[Reefdiculous22]

Hello everyone. I just got home from work and was looking at my tank and after noticing my foxface ate my duncan I saw my Lt.Tang in the back of the tank , he’s usually up front and center. I went to go see what he was doing and he wobbled his way to his hiding spot. I went to try and fetch him out but he came on his own and I noticed his eyes were swollen and cloudy. He was fine yesterday as far as I can tell. I have a horrible algae outbreak and I switched to reef crystals my last 2 water changes and my parameters have changed. Don’t know what could have caused this. Is it aggression from another fish? Or infection? Pics below.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

thank you in advance for any tips. Im just freaking out because this was literally over nigh.

 

[Karen00]

Oh my. That doesn't look good. Let's get some help. #fishmedic

The experts will chime in for sure. Do you have your parameters handy in case that's needed? Is this both eyes? It looks like it is based on the angle of the pics. Do you notice anything else on the body or is it just the eyes? Is he still eating?

 

[Screwgunner]

My clown did the same thing . I had to feed him with my tongs everyday for it seemed like forever one day he was swimming around like nothing ever happened. I do not know what caused it though. I think I was using reef crystals at the time.

 

[MnFish1]

Need more information - look at the link below - to see what questions to answer - BUT - unless its velvet due to a new addition - (the pictures the way they are are not as helpful as one might think) - this is a bacterial infection of some sort - and - should be treated in a separate hospital tank. Whether there is an underlying parasitic infection underlying this - is impossible to decide with the information. Sorry, though about your fish. If it's not infectious - I would assume it could be any number of skin irritants - since you didn't mention that - I assume chemically the tank is fine.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

thank you in advance for any tips. Im just freaking out because this was literally over nigh.

The odd thing is that it developed so fast. Flukes can cause this, but it develops over days to weeks.
Could it have gotten wedged into a rock and then struggled to get free? I see a mark on its side and a torn up caudal fin as well.
Jay

 

[Reefdiculous22]

The odd thing is that it developed so fast. Flukes can cause this, but it develops over days to weeks.
Could it have gotten wedged into a rock and then struggled to get free? I see a mark on its side and a torn up caudal fin as well.
Jay

He just got stuck in a rock . I think he’s blind and can’t see where he is going . I just found him in a small hole in a rock and he can’t get out. I have to take the rock out to help him but I have nowhere else to put him unless I put him down in the sump. I did notice yesterday that he was swimming horizontally with his head down towards the sand and my desjardini was kinda pecking at him I thought they were just playing and I was laughing wondering what in the world they were doing.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

Need more information - look at the link below - to see what questions to answer - BUT - unless its velvet due to a new addition - (the pictures the way they are are not as helpful as one might think) - this is a bacterial infection of some sort - and - should be treated in a separate hospital tank. Whether there is an underlying parasitic infection underlying this - is impossible to decide with the information. Sorry, though about your fish. If it's not infectious - I would assume it could be any number of skin irritants - since you didn't mention that - I assume chemically the tank is fine.

It doesn’t seem to be bothering any of my other fish they all seem fine. I’ve had all of for about a month. I bought 2 clowns one week and the next week I bought the Lt tang a roseband , foxface, and the sailfin. Just tested the water. My alk dropped from 9.6 to 8..4 in 2 days. Just tested the other day as well. Ph dropped from 8.6 to 8.5
Phos. Stayed at .02 but is down from .05 from last week
Nitrates went up from 7.5 to 8.9 but had skimmer off from dosing bacteria to help fight the algae
Mag 1200 red sea
Calcium 350 down from 402 red sea
All other tests done with Hanna

 

[Reefdiculous22]

Oh my. That doesn't look good. Let's get some help. #fishmedic

The experts will chime in for sure. Do you have your parameters handy in case that's needed? Is this both eyes? It looks like it is based on the angle of the pics. Do you notice anything else on the body or is it just the eyes? Is he still eating?

Oh my. That doesn't look good. Let's get some help. #fishmedic

The experts will chime in for sure. Do you have your parameters handy in case that's needed? Is this both eyes? It looks like it is based on the angle of the pics. Do you notice anything else on the body or is it just the eyes? Is he still eating?

yes it is both eyes. He has been swimming and eating like crazy. Last night when I fed he was chasing the frozen food all over the tank. He almost did a back flip. Lol that’s what’s so crazy

 

[Uncle99]

The change in salt, not a good idea.
It may change Alk, PH and nutrient levels in the water which adds to stress.
Is there someone who would chase him to a point where he, would try and escape into the rockwork for relief?
It’s hard to see, but are there some nips on his fins?
A Sailfin…..Hum….can be a bully.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

The change in salt, not a good idea.
It may change Alk, PH and nutrient levels in the water which adds to stress.
Is there someone who would chase him to a point where he, would try and escape into the rockwork for relief?
It’s hard to see, but are there some nips on his fins?
A Sailfin…..Hum….can be a bully.

The sailfin is a bully and usually they get along . I did see him hit lt kinda hard last week but that was about it. Usually they swim together and the lt will sometimes egg him on. Unless he was just try to show signs of less dominance ( can’t think of the word I’m looking for) . Either way I just pulled my rock out and freed him and put him down in the sump. Unfortunately I don’t believe he is gonna make it. Looks like his eye is about pulled from the socket and he’s barely moving or breathing.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

About the salt though, I didn’t want to change but I buy all my stuff from brs and I was using regular IO but they were out of stock so I switched to the reef crystals. Not saying it’s reef crystals fault or anything, I just didn’t know what other brand to switch to and a lot of ppl used the reef crystals so I thought I’d try it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

As stated nby Jay, I too suspect flukes and notice the fins are wasting away pointing to bacterial infection.
Not sure if there are other occupants in tank and how they look but Quarantine tank is needed and treatment using maracyn 2 or Seachem neoplex.
Ruby Rally Pro would address bacteria and fins also.

 

[Screwgunner]

Chewy has io and reef crystals alot cheaper I bet.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

As stated nby Jay, I too suspect flukes and notice the fins are wasting away pointing to bacterial infection.
Not sure if there are other occupants in tank and how they look but Quarantine tank is needed and treatment using maracyn 2 or Seachem neoplex.
Ruby Rally Pro would address bacteria and fins also.

Is that contagious? I have 6 other fish in the tank

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is that contagious? I have 6 other fish in the tank

Any pics under white lighting you can provide of other fish ?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Is that contagious? I have 6 other fish in the tank

The flukes can be contagious to the other fish, if it is indeed the case here. The suddenness of this problem makes me think this could be mechanical damage or aggression, however, and possibly a bacterial infection.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

Any pics under white lighting you can provide of other fish ?

They did not want their picture taken. They were all over the place. Tried to get shots of both sides on each fish but it wasn’t happening.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

Also I did put the foxface back in the tank yesterday is it possible he got hit by his spikes? Could that cause it?

 

[Reefdiculous22]

It just really sucks because in those pictures he looks so miserable. I’m not sure I have the right aptitude for this hobby. I look at these guys everyday when I get home and long periods of time on the week ends. Maybe I just didn’t know what I was looking for.