Male swallowtail

[Seascapes]

My male swallowtail looks like it's changing, his stripes are not as dark. My question is, I thought he had popeye in one eye. But I read if it's one eye it could be an injury. I started giving him kanaplex in food and then water for 3 rounds back to the food because I don't want to kill my inverts. I can't catch him to quarantine him without tearing up my rockwork. His eye is less swollen. But still swollen. Shouldn't it have gone down by now? Still feeding him kanaplex and my other fish are eating the kanaplex in their food by default. I've been putting vitamins and garlic in the food too. My other fish and the female swallowtail are doing just fine. What could this be? He's now chasing the female again :0) and eating nori. Swims with head down still.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My male swallowtail looks like it's changing his stripes are not as dark. My question is, I thought he had popeye in one eye. But I read if it's one eye it could be an injury. I started giving him kanaplex in food and then water for 3 rounds back to the food because I don't want to kill my inverts. I can't catch him to quarantine him without tearing up my rockwork. His eye is less swollen. But still swollen. Shouldn't it have gone down by now? Still feeding him kanaplex and my other fish are eating the kanaplex in their food by default. I've been putting vitamins and garlic in the food too. My other fish and the female swallowtail are doing just fine. What could this be? He's now chasing the female again :0) and eating nori. Swims with head down still.

Generally associated with stress such as:
Inadequate diet
Water quality (ammonia-ph)
Low salinity
Aggression

 

[Seascapes]

Generally associated with stress such as:
Inadequate diet
Water quality (ammonia-ph)
Low salinity
Aggression

Tested everything and everything is within limits. No other fish are bothering him

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tested everything and everything is within limits. No other fish are bothering him

Has temperature risen?
I’m not a fan of kanaplex in the food but has it resumed eating?

 

[Seascapes]

Tested everything and everything is within limits. No other fish are bothering him

My nitrate was reading high, in 40's using bio pellets now and dosing microbacter

 

[Seascapes]

Has temperature risen?
I’m not a fan of kanaplex in the food but has it resumed eating?

Yes he is eating normally. Temp is regulated by chiller, stays around 78 degrees

 

[Seascapes]

Yes he is eating normally. Temp is regulated by chiller, stays around 78 degrees

Put the kanaplex back in the water column or a different med?

 

[Seascapes]

Put the kanaplex back in the water column or a different med?

I'll take a picture and post when lights come on in a hour.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes he is eating normally. Temp is regulated by chiller, stays around 78 degrees

Only other things that come to mind is change in lighting or illness
Can you post pics under white lighting?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Put the kanaplex back in the water column or a different med?

What May be effective as it covers a wide range of issues is Ruby Rally pro and is reef safe

 

[Seascapes]

Only other things that come to mind is change in lighting or illness
Can you post pics under white lighting?

 

[Seascapes]

These are the best I can get

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

My male swallowtail looks like it's changing, his stripes are not as dark. My question is, I thought he had popeye in one eye. But I read if it's one eye it could be an injury. I started giving him kanaplex in food and then water for 3 rounds back to the food because I don't want to kill my inverts. I can't catch him to quarantine him without tearing up my rockwork. His eye is less swollen. But still swollen. Shouldn't it have gone down by now? Still feeding him kanaplex and my other fish are eating the kanaplex in their food by default. I've been putting vitamins and garlic in the food too. My other fish and the female swallowtail are doing just fine. What could this be? He's now chasing the female again :0) and eating nori. Swims with head down still.

Can you post a video and picture? In many cases, popeye in just one eye is indeed due to a strike injury, but not always. Eye injuries often heal on their own, but it can take weeks.

Jay

 

[Seascapes]

Some more close. What is this?

 

[Seascapes]

Can you post a video and picture? In many cases, popeye in just one eye is indeed due to a strike injury, but not always. Eye injuries often heal on their own, but it can take weeks.

Jay

 

[Seascapes]

I don't know what to do at this point

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

IMO - that looks like a strike injury to me. That it is still eating is a good sign. What happens is that the injury causes air to bubble up behind the eye. Medications won't resolve that, In some cases the air just causes more damage. In other cases, the fish is able to resorb the air and it recovers on its own.

Here is an article I had written some years ago that discusses this issue:

Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it: A Review of Eye Health in Aquarium Fishes

Aquarists need to inspect their fish closely every day, for signs of impending health problems. It is much easier to resolve a problem when it first starts, than to attempt a drastic emergency treatment when the fish is close to dying.

reefs.com

Jay

 

[Seascapes]

IMO - that looks like a strike injury to me. That it is still eating is a good sign. What happens is that the injury causes air to bubble up behind the eye. Medications won't resolve that, In some cases the air just causes more damage. In other cases, the fish is able to resorb the air and it recovers on its own.

Here is an article I had written some years ago that discusses this issue:

Aquarium Fish: The ‘Eyes’ Have it: A Review of Eye Health in Aquarium Fishes

Aquarists need to inspect their fish closely every day, for signs of impending health problems. It is much easier to resolve a problem when it first starts, than to attempt a drastic emergency treatment when the fish is close to dying.

reefs.com

Jay

Thanks Jay, a very interesting article. So don't medicate anymore and see what happens? He doesn't look blind because he's still eating and chasing the female. His eye was bigger than it is now. Still swimming with his down but more pronounced. The swallowtails do that a lot when they go to the surface anyway. He's got more air in his head :0)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Eye trauma and gas embolism are likely as Jay stated and this is up to fish to release any gases (if any) and wait it out for it to sunside. I had a Harlequin tusk that had this and it took about a week, but did restore to normal
Pics were helpful

 

[Seascapes]

Eye trauma and gas embolism are likely as Jay stated and this is up to fish to release any gases (if any) and wait it out for it to sunside. I had a Harlequin tusk that had this and it took about a week, but did restore to normal
Pics were helpful

Thank you, it's just hard to see him like that. My patience is not the best at times..