Popeye or Worse?

[Jim C]

Today I looked in the tank and saw my yellow tang, which I've had for two years with a swollen, hazy, eye.
It is eating and seems to be swimming normal but I am worried.

A month ago I also mysteriously lost a green Chromis, and a another Chromis looks bloated, but is also eating.

Should I let it be, or do something?

 

[Humblefish]

One eye or both? Can you post a photo of it?

 

[Jim C]

One eye or both? Can you post a photo of it?

It is only one eye. Here are some pics.

 

[Jim C]

It also has something extremely tiny on its top dorsal fin. It is in the above picture. I don't know if I'm just being paranoid.

 

[Jim C]

 

[Humblefish]

Is the eye cloudy at all or clear but "popped out"? I'm having a hard time being sure from the photos.

 

[Humblefish]

Also, do you see any flukes in the eyes? Photos below.

 

[Jim C]

It is cloudy. I do not see flukes like in the pic. The cloudiness is kind of concentrated in the center. And as I am typing it looks to be spreading to the other eye. My royal gramma looks like it has tiny holes in its head with white stuff on its fins, and the hippo tang looks blotchy.

 

[Jim C]

I am thinking I should set up my 150 gallon tank as a qt and let the display run fallow for 72 days? What course of medication should I try to eradicate everything?

 

[Humblefish]

It is cloudy. I do not see flukes like in the pic. The cloudiness is kind of concentrated in the center. And as I am typing it looks to be spreading to the other eye. My royal gramma looks like it has tiny holes in its head with white stuff on its fins, and the hippo tang looks blotchy.

Sounds like you have a bacterial infection spreading from fish to fish. These are often "secondary" in nature to a preexisting parasitic or worm infestation because the immune system has already been compromised.

I am thinking I should set up my 150 gallon tank as a qt and let the display run fallow for 72 days? What course of medication should I try to eradicate everything?

As you are moving all the fish into QT, give one of them (with symptoms) a FW dip to check for flukes: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

If no flukes show, I would assume a parasite (possibly velvet) and treat with either copper or Chloroquine. If flukes do show you can treat with Prazipro right in the DT.

 

[Jim C]

Sounds like you have a bacterial infection spreading from fish to fish. These are often "secondary" in nature to a preexisting parasitic or worm infestation because the immune system has already been compromised.

As you are moving all the fish into QT, give one of them (with symptoms) a FW dip to check for flukes: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

If no flukes show, I would assume a parasite (possibly velvet) and treat with either copper or Chloroquine. If flukes do show you can treat with Prazipro right in the DT.

If flukes do not show does that rule out a bacterial infection?

 

[Humblefish]

If flukes do not show does that rule out a bacterial infection?

No, a bacterial infection can happen in conjunction with either parasites (ich, velvet, etc.) OR worms (flukes, turbellarians, etc.). When any of these attack, they leave tiny holes behind where they've been feeding. These tiny holes are just begging to be infected by opportunistic bacteria because the fish's immune system is already under attack. I suspect with ich, for example, it's the secondary infection which most often kills the fish - not the parasite itself.

 

[Jim C]

Okay I think I got it. If flukes show, treat with prazipro in the display. If they don't show, the mystery begins, and I treat in the QT?

 

[Humblefish]

Okay I think I got it. If flukes show, treat with prazipro in the display. If they don't show, the mystery begins, and I treat in the QT?

Yes; but if no flukes show I would assume a parasite instead and treat all your fish with copper in a QT.

 

[Jim C]

OK. Thank you, and the tiny holes described above are exactly what I see on my gramma. I've had these fish for two years and they were all quarantined. I had a coral wipeout a month ago after a tank transfer, any correlation you think?

 

[Humblefish]

OK. Thank you, and the tiny holes described above are exactly what I see on my gramma. I've had these fish for two years and they were all quarantined. I had a coral wipeout a month ago after a tank transfer, any correlation you think?

Could have exacerbated a preexisting condition. When was the last new coral/invert/fish aka "anything wet" added to your tank?

 

[Jim C]

A bubble coral the week before . I only QT'ed fish, which I thought I could get away with.

 

[Humblefish]

A bubble coral the week before . I only QT'ed fish, which I thought I could get away with.

The coral might have brought in a tomont.

 

[Jim C]

@Humblefish

OK I want to play it safe and treat everything for 72 days. I am setting up the qt tonight. What is the smallest size tank I can get away with for 2 tangs, 3 wrasses, 2 clowns, and a royal gramma? And can I use display tank water since I will be medicating anyway?

I also have prazipro and cupramine on hand. What med do I need for the bacterial infection that my LFS would most likely have? And what order do I put the meds in?

 

[Jim C]

BUMP