Blind Naso Tang

roscoe ii

roscoe ii

Member
I just purchased a fairly healthy Naso Tang. Good size fish and it has some decent gerth. Looks like it has been eating well for a while.
However, After acclimating and puting it in my reef tank I notice it was bumping into rocks, coral as well as other fish.
Is it possible that this blindness is temporary due to the stress of shipping and it's sight should return or is it permenant and eventually fatal?
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Was he shipped to you? If so, most definately, the fish needs and must be allowed to acclimate back to normal. Keep the lights off for several hours.
 
roscoe ii

roscoe ii

Member
Picked up fish at LFS. Seemed a little too clam but I took a chance. LFS tank was bare bottom and no obsticales. My reef tank has many things to bump into and after a hour of observing him I concluded he indeed was blind. Since he was pretty healthy I assumed he hasn't been blind for life and I thought it might be strees related. Left lights off the entire first cycle that night then only atinics for next half of cycle. Now 400w x2 MH on and running normal cycle.
Still not eating and bumping into rocks and fish. But still very calm.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Do you note any abnormalities to eye? Put a net in tank wo making noise or vibration and slowly move it toward him to see if he "sees it".
Can you post a picture of him?
 
roscoe ii

roscoe ii

Member
Eyes look clear and sharp. No abnormalities visable. I tried to feed him (it) seaweed by hand and he swam right into my hand. He stays mostly at top of tank where there is nothing he can bump into and he seems to be timing how long it takes to get from one side to another. Kind of feeling out the tank.
 
E

exile415

Guest
I could be blind. I went to my LFS and i saw a blind naso tang. No eyes and it seemed to be okay. just staying in one spot. It was sad to see that , But go with Beths idea shes the "pro."
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Call the LFS and see what is up with the fish. No animal is just blind. Usually blindness in fish is very notiable due to damage to eye or white eyes.
exile, thanks for the vote of confidence, but I really am not a pro....just a hobbyist who has learned a thing or 2 about fish via the school of hard knocks.
 
roscoe ii

roscoe ii

Member
I have now resorted to feeding this guy by hand. I easily caught him in a soft breeding cage suspended in my tank and slowly began feeding him seaweed by hand it took only a few minutes and before you knew it he was eatng seaweed and thawed mysis right from my finger tips. I kept him there for 10-15 minutes then released him. Seemed to work but not sure I'll be able to keep this up.
 
roscoe ii

roscoe ii

Member
By the way thank you for the support and responding to my questions.
I will try to get a few pohtos up soon.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
This is very odd.
Do you have QT set up? I would put him in it for observation and feeding if you do.
Very interesting situation if you ask me. :thinking:
 
loopy

loopy

Member
Hows he doing? It's going to be like having a new born if he is truly blind. Can you take him back and trade him for another? You said you may not be able to continue to hand feed him, and if this is the only way he is going to eat, I'd go to the lfs and trade him in.
Good luck, keep us updated.
 
razoreqx

razoreqx

Active Member
If you take him back, most likely, the lfs will destory the fish.
If you dont mind the trouble, keep feeding the fish by hand in a QT. I would move him from your main display to a QT so he cant hurt himself. His sight loss might just be temporary.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
It is just very hard to believe blindness, since you say the fish's eyes are in tack and there does not seem to be a problem.
Try using a magnifying glass to observe the eye. See if you notice the eye moving at all.
There may be some kind of neurological problem. How does he look, bright colors? Very bright colors? Perhaps a victim of cyanide poisoning?
Can you post some pictures of him?
 
roscoe ii

roscoe ii

Member
I would hate to return him to the LFS because I know he will destroy him.
As for the colors yes they are just as bright as any other "healthy" Naso I've seen.
I do have some photos and will attempt to attach them here. However they were shot with a flash and the eyes although appera clear in person some of th eflash has reflected in the eye and they my look cloudy.
I will continue to hand feed once every other day should be no problem especially since catching him is so very easy.
 
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