one eye is milky

[n3mo]

I recently purchased a Flame Angel and just noticed that one eye looks milky. What should I do to prperly diagnos the angels eye.

Any Ideas what it could possible be...

[leebca]

The 'milky eye' is what is more commonly called 'cloudy eye.'

My opinion about cloudy eye(s):
A single cloudy eye could be the onset of a debilitating disease, or parasitic attack (e.g., Cryptocaryon irritans), an indication of poor water quality (ammonia), or nothing. On the ‘nothing’ side, it could be the fish injured the eye in a mild fight with a tankmate, net damage, ran into some decoration in the tank, or managed to pick up a mild bacterial infection.

All of these “one-cloudy-eye” situations are ‘probably’ not worth taking any specific action as far as the fish is concerned. The fish should be closely watched for whether the eye is healing or getting worse. The fish should also be watched for any other symptoms of disease. But, there are things to do and think about as far as your tank and water quality is concerned:

Check all water quality parameters. Monitor ammonia especially an hour after feeding. If water quality is eliminated for sure, then make sure there is no decaying matter in your system to address a possible bacterial issue. Time to do a thorough cleanup. This can reduce the numbers of bacteria in the water column. In addition to checking ‘the usual suspects’ with regard to water quality, also check for dissolved organics. Be sure your fish is receiving proper nutrition/diet/foods in adequate quantities, and isn’t under stress (tank too small, issues with tankmates, water quality, etc., etc.). Regarding nutrition, are you sure you are feeding the kinds of foods the fish should be eating? Are you using vitamin supplements? using a fat supplement? and adding some beta glucan to its food during this time is a good idea.

You want to have a treatment tank/quarantine tank standing by, and in case things get worse, you’ll need to put the fish into quarantine. A great, comprehensive guide on quarantine tanks and procedures can be found in this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.htm

If the eye is cloudy AND there is obvious swelling, then besides a bacterial issue, it could also be a parasite. I think the fish should be treated for a bacterial infection, like if both eyes were cloudy (see below). This is assuming there are no other signs of any other disease or condition. If a parasite is suspected, a fresh water dip might knock it off.

If your fish has two cloudy eyes, then this is something to be more concerned about, IMHO. It’s not likely it ran into something twice, on each side, or hurt itself symmetrically. The suspicion of disease now goes high. If you can see no other symptoms of disease, the fish with two cloudy eyes should be moved to a treatment tank and treated with an antibiotic, IMHO.

A fish with two cloudy eyes from a bacterial infection shows there is something ‘off’ for sure. There is always bacteria in our tanks, but healthy fish keep it at bay. And in a healthy tank, the bacterial population in the water column, isn’t high. When a fish gets a cloudy eye or eyes from bacteria, then something has interfered with the fish’s ability to ward it off. Too many bacteria (decaying matter, overfeeding, dead fish, dead snail or crab hidden away), a poor diet, ongoing stress (tank too small, tankmate issues, water quality) — something that is letting the bacteria get by your fish’s normal defenses — are possible causes. Look into these matters and make corrections. Check your water quality closely (keeping in mind that you cannot test for everything, so something could be wrong that you’re not even testing for. For this, you have to play detective.) Make sure you also check for dissolved organics. Is your fish getting the right kinds of foods that it needs? Same as mentioned above. . .vitamins, fats, and at this time, beta glucan.

[White Tiger]

Try doing a water change. One of the most common causes of cloudy-eye is high levels of ammonia in your tank.

[rdanamorton]

mind if i jump in and ask a related question? i've a newly purchased royal grama, seems to be developing one cloudy and "puffy" eye. also fins abit closed. fish has been eating well (frozen brine, formula 1 flakes). now he seems abit more reclusive, in his hole alot.

i recently (2 weeks ago) lost a royal grama and alligator blenny to what i thought was bacterial infection. again both were new less than two weeks in my tank. fyi i'm trying to set up a 30 gal live rock,fish, and currently 3 large bubble tip anenomes. i started 2/1/06.

with the last loss i'd tried mel and pima fix...ran it the recommended 7days. figured i started too late to save the two fish i lost. one large tomato clown is still v. happy in his bubble tips.

so now i'm looking at a similar symptom in a new r. grama. my chemistry checks out : pH 8.2, NH3 0.125, NO2 0.025, NO3 0.0, sp. gr. 1.022, T 79.0.

am i wasting time and fish w/the mela and pima fix?...i've read a few threads and know there varying opinnions.

thoughts?

[leebca]

I've used both Melafix and Primafix. The best I can say is that it may have prevented fish from becoming ill, but I have never found it to actually cure a sick fish. I don't put the single cloudy eye into the 'sick fish' category.

If you are running ANY ammonia and/or nitrite readings in your aquarium, then it isn't ready for inhabitants. These poisons can inch a fish to the edge of survival very quickly or very slowly. :mad: Their presence reduces the fish's ability to cope with even the routine things -- like bacteria in the water.

[White Tiger]

To: rdanamorton

Will you please tell me what Melafix and Primafix does? I might be able to help.

[rdanamorton]

pimafix is a "natural" antifungal trmt, melafix is a natural antibacterial trmt.

you can read about it at aquariumpharm.com

dana

[White Tiger]

Check the level of ammonia in your tank.
If the level of ammonia is low, dicontinue the use of melafix, but continue with your pimafix treatment.
If the level of ammonia is high, stop the use of both medications and do a 30-40% water change. After your water change, your fish's eye will still be white. However, it will start to clear up in a few days.
If the eye does not start to clear up in a week or gets worse and spreads to the body, use your pimafix.

============ALSO=============
Observe your fish. Whitecloudy problems in the eye can be caused by fighting fish.