Mandiarnin Help. Pop Eye or Something eElse?

[rowdyreefing]

Hello,
I am in the process of a slow tank move. Just noticed my female mandarin (captive bred) that I have had for about one year has a white spot on her eye. She is still eating still swimming around and seems normal. Is this Popeye? Or something I should be worried about. It looks like she still has the eye but white over it.
Everything in the tank has been stable in tank.

thanks!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Can you get some clearer pictures taken under white lights?

I can see the spot on the fish's eye - if it is popeye, the eye will be protruding. It could also be a cataract, and then, there are some flukes that infest the eyes of fish. Most likely it is just from a bump though.

Here is an overview of fish eye health that I wrote up some time ago:

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

 

[rowdyreefing]

Can you get some clearer pictures taken under white lights?

I can see the spot on the fish's eye - if it is popeye, the eye will be protruding. It could also be a cataract, and then, there are some flukes that infest the eyes of fish. Most likely it is just from a bump though.

Here is an overview of fish eye health that I wrote up some time ago:

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! I will read it. I will also work on getting more photos. When I was looking top down it does look like the eye protrudes a little bit.

The white spot covers about 80% of the eye

 

[rowdyreefing]

@Jay Hemdal

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

That sure looks like a cataract, but I can't account for why it would only affect one eye like that.

Sorry, but no treatment comes to mind, as it doesn't look like it is associated with an infection.


Jay

 

[rowdyreefing]

@Jay Hemdal I was able to get a close look and it’s seems that the white is actually inside her eye. I was able to see the clear part of the eye ball from a behind side view. Nothing on top of it

would that still lead you to believe a cataract? She’s been in em erythro for 10 days and not much change.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal I was able to get a close look and it’s seems that the white is actually inside her eye. I was able to see the clear part of the eye ball from a behind side view. Nothing on top of it

would that still lead you to believe a cataract? She’s been in em erythro for 10 days and not much change.

Cataracts will be inside the eye, with the surface of the eye being clear- that’s what the photo looks like to me. There is another, rarer issue - internal eye flukes. When most people think eye fluke, they are talking about Neobenedenia that lives on the eye surface and look gray. Internal eye flukes live inside the eye. I’ve never treated fish for those, they are very rare, but praziquantel in the water might work.
Jay