Tang With Eye Disease

[johnstires]

I just noticed that a fish in my workplaces tank has a nasty eye disease. I am not familiar with large fish and diseases, so I though I would post it here. Does anyone have any thoughts on what it is and how to treat it? I've put a call into our maintenace service, but would like some other opinions. Other than the deformation of the eye, the fish seems fine.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=162967

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=162966

[SAT]

It's a little hard to tell from the photo, but does it look to you that something might be covering the eye? If so, it may be a parasite (e.g., monogenean) that can be knocked off with a freshwater dip or formalin bath.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/treatments.html

If you think it's actually an infected wound, I'd go with an antibiotic such as nitrofurazone or a double dose of Maracyn-Two, in a treatment tank. Don't use formalin on the fish if you think it might have an open wound.

If you think it's just a deformity or healed wound, and not currently infected, then no action is appropriate.

[TerryB]

I agree with SAT. It looks like a parasite and I would try a formalin dip if you know how to do it right. Do not use a net to catch and move the fish. Use a clear plastic bag or specimen container and try not to remove the fish from water during transfer into the dip. You are going to have to remove it from water when you transfer the fish out of the dip so you don't get formalin in the tank. After the dip you probably should treat in quarantine with a good antibiotic.

Terry B

Terry B

[johnstires]

So there used to be a little whitehead type of thing on the eye. Now the whitehead has gotten bigger and it looks like a small white pill poking out of the eye. Is this a parasite?

[SAT]

Hard to say. Could be a parasite or it could be something like a pustule. A dip followed by antibiotic treatment should cover the bases.