Cloudy Eyes

[sparky0028]

I have a new yellow tang that after a week has developed one cloudy eye. And a cloudy spot on on of it's front fins about 3-4mm in diameter. Seems to be rubbing and scratching on coral and rocks.
Is this infectious and if not what type of meds are recomended?
Thanks for you input.

 

[thomas712]

Greetings and welcome to the board
Cloudy eye or Popeye can be caused by as simple a thing as poor water conditions. Another chief cause is the use of netting a fish, this can damage the eye, gills.
The first simple thing that you can do to help can be done right in the main tank. Do a 30% water change at least. Many times this is all that is required to cure the problem.
Meds can be used, but if this is a reef tank or even fowler then I do not recommend using the meds in the main tank, a quarenteen tank is what is needed for meds. We'll get to that later after you do the water change, and further treatment is necessary.
Can you post more about your tank? Water paramiters? filtration, as much as you can about your tank can help us to decide what you should do.
Thomas

 

[kreach]

Welcome to the board!

 

[thomas712]

Say thats a good one kreach, how'd you do that?
Thomas

 

[sparky0028]

Water quality seems to be up to par
SG 1.024
PH8.4
Temp 77.5
NH3/NH4 .0
N02 0.2
NO3 5.0
O2 4.0mg/l
Alk High
All numbers fairly consistant. Tank about 8 weeks old.
150gal tank water change weekly of 22 gals.
UV filter
fluidized bed
Protien Skimmer
Filter Sock
Only one eye cloudy and one fin has 3mm spot both on same side.
Thanks

 

[thomas712]

Ph is a touch high. Are you testing for calcium at all.
One hard thing to test for is dissolved organics or DOC's that you can not see. Is the skimmer preforming well?
Popeye is not contagous by the way. Does there appear to be any damage to the eye other than the puffiness?
If this winds up a bacterial infection then you may have to move to the meds, best done in a QTank. Maracyn 2 would be my choice here.
Is the spot on the fin look cotton like?
Any chance of a pic?
At eight weeks your tank is still mighty young, and unstable. What is your bio load like? What other fish?
Thomas.