Bulging Eye

[jjjack]

Does anyone what might be wrong with a Unicorn Tang with a bulging eye. It is so bad now that you can see air bubbles in it. The water in the tank has been checked and rechecked and is okay. All the other fish are cool as well. The Unicorn rubbed his sides against an anenome when I first put it in anbout 3 weeks ago and had spots on his side that were healing and almost gone. Could it be that one of the stingers (or what ever they are) from the anenome finally worked its way to his eye and is causing the problem? I appreciate in light that could be spread on the situation.

 

[alyssia]

See if you can find any info in the disease forum about pop eye.

 

[promisetbg]

Most likely not popeye if it is one eye. Mechanical injury most likely caused a bacterial infection..he may have rubbed it on a rock. Do you have a QT tank? There are meds for eyes which involve taking the fish out every couple days and putting the med directly on the eye..and there are less invasive meds which could be added to the water. It does need to be QT'd though. I would talk to Beth in treatment and disease. He may lose the eye if it's really bad.

 

[lion_crazz]

Popeye is more a condition than it is a disease. In saltwater fish it may affect one or both eyes, appearing as if the eye has air or fluid trapped inside, around or behind it, causing the eye to enlarge and bulge out of its socket, as if under pressure. Duration of this condition can be anywhere from several days to several weeks.
A variety of physical injuries or non-infectious and infectious diseases can lead to this clinical condition.
Probable Causes - Trauma to the eye is usually the reason a fish has this condition when only one eye is affected. Eye trauma can be attributed to a scratch, scrape of bruise to the eye from encounters such as fighting with other fish, net abrasion, or coming into contact with a stationary object or organism in the aquarium, and may be bacterial or fungal in nature as well. In most cases where popeye occurs from eye trauma, the unsightly looking eye does not seem to affect the fish's overall good health.
Treatment - In cases where eye trauma is involved it is suggested to not remove the fish from the aquarium, unless harassment from other fishes is becoming a threat. Handling of the fish can cause further irritation to the eye, as well as additional trauma. In most minor cases the injury will heal in time as the condition is allowed to run its course. To help aid in the continued health and healing of the fish during the course of this condition, oral feedings of foods soaked in selcon or another type of liquid vitamin. Eventually the eye will deflate, but may result in various conclusions.
-In minor eye trauma situations, the eye will usually return to its normal appearance without blindness.
-In more serious cases where treatment is not provided or proves to be ineffective, the eye may appear colorless and gray, resulting in blindness to the eye, but is not necessarily fatal.
-In cases where one or both eyes have sustained severe trauma and treatment is not provided or proves to be ineffective, the eye(s) may burst or disappear altogether. This can be such a traumatic event that the fish may not recover and death will occur.

 

[lion_crazz]

What Beth recommends is to increase the feedings, dose the fish's food with fresh garlic and vitamins, and make sure that the affected fish is getting a good bit of this food. You may need to target feed if you have other boisterous feeders.