Pop Eye in Anthia in 12 hrs

[dochow]

Hi all, I fed my fish this AM normal mix of live blackworms, fresh chopped clams and a small amount of formula 2 flake food. All fish looked healthy and happy.

I have a 75 gallon mixed reef with 1 Kole tang, 2 stubby Ocelaris, 1 starry Blenny, 1 Royal gramma, and 3 Lyretail Anthias (1 male, 2 females have been in tank for two weeks, no QT)

This afternoon I went to feed again all of a sudden my mail Lyretail Anthia has popeye on his right side. Pics attached. Honestly he has been doing amazing, eating everything and showing no signs of disease.

Do I create a 20gallon QT and pull him out if I can catch him? I only have Furan2 available to treat.

It happened in less than 12 hours in ideal water conditions so I'm leaning more towards and injury. SG 1.025, nitrites 0, nitrates 0.

They eye is slightly cloudy however, but this may be inflammation. Could my cleaner shrimp have gotten too aggressive?

Need advice, my wife is extremely upset...I've read possibly Epsom salt in reef is ok?

 

[Humblefish]

He probably damaged his eye on a rock or something. Sometimes fish just freak out and swim head on into a rock trying to escape whatever spooked them.

I would dose Epsom salt (1 tablespoon per 5 gals) to help ease the swelling. You can do this twice over a 48 hr period. If you don't see any improvement after that I would move him to a QT, and treat with either Erythromycin or Kanaplex. Both are better than Furan-2 when it comes to eye infections.

 

[dochow]

Epsom salts reef safe? That's a lot of salt (tablespoon per 5 gallons) for 90+ gallons of water, just worried I may do something detrimental

 

[dochow]

Has anyone ever used Epsom salts in their mixed reef?? I'm hoping someone can give me their expertise and experience before I drop it into my tank!!

 

[Humblefish]

Epsom salt is just magnesium sulfate, and thus reef safe. I've used it in my reef many times, in conjunction with magnesium chloride to raise the mag level. Just make sure the Epsom salt you use is USP (food) grade to avoid any impurities.

 

[terry2]

I used it for Popeye that my anthia had I mixed it in Rodi water and poured as much as I could on the fish I saw results in 24 hrs and was healed in 4 to 5 days and hey u get a little extra mag in ur tank use usp food grade only

 

[dochow]

Thanks everyone, I'll dose and let you know how it goes

 

[dochow]

Just a heads up, the popeye has almost completely healed after less than a week. I did one dose of Epsom salts.

 

[sc50964]

If the fish has this in one eye, then it's due to fighting or accidental contact with a hard surface and he will heal without medicine. If the fish has this in both eyes, then it will need meds.

 

[ryarnall3772]

So..I came home for lunch today and noticed my female fire clown looking like this..treat?..let heal?..i have a qt up and running and is close to ready..treat the whole tank?..i call her the queen *****..So I wouldn't mind giving her a time out..bought some melafix on my way home from work

View attachment 20160229_221227.jpg

 

[Humblefish]

@ryarnall3772 Is the eye also cloudy or just popped out? It looks cloudy in the pics.

 

[ryarnall3772]

It is cloudy

 

[ryarnall3772]

Also since I adopted her..Looks like she has had some really slow gill erosion on the same side

 

[ryarnall3772]

I adopted her and her man along with a beat up yellow tang when I rescued a poor maintained tank

 

[Humblefish]

Also since I adopted her..Looks like she has had some really slow gill erosion on the same side

Sounds like she could benefit from some R&R in a QT. If Melafix doesn't get the job done, use an antibiotic such as Erythromycin or Kanamycin. You can also dose Epsom salt (1 tablespoon per 5 gals) to help ease the eye swelling.

 

[ryarnall3772]

Thank you much!!

 

[ebeez]

I have just dosed with the salt....