New desjardinii w/ cloudy eye

[ian]

I just added a desjardinii last Friday to my 215 gallon tank. The owner at the lfs kept him in a small system for me for 3 weeks since I do not have a QT at home. As luck would have it I now see he has a mildly cloudy eye. I am sure it was on set by stress but it is going to be almost impossible to catch him. I have two rocks that are about 40 to 50 pounds and he can easily hide in the rock work. I know it may go away but I also have a Lopzei tang that lost an eye about a year ago to the same problem. Anyone have any suggestions?
Ian

 

[beth]

Optimize quality of food and soak food in garlic.
Do a water change and maintain optimum water quality.

 

[ian]

Will try! Thanks Beth
I think water is about perfect but I will double check

 

[beth]

Test kids do not measure everything. When fish show possible signs of bacterial infections, or fading colors, etc., water change is in order.
What are you feeding this fish?

 

[ian]

I feed them Formula 1, Formula 2, Brine Shrimp, Prime Reef and the tangs get a regular diet of Nori too. I am fully open to any suggestions.

 

[beth]

Those foods are good, but they are not great. IMO fresh seafoods are the best for fish, especially sick fish. You can get a viariety of fish foods, shrimp, octapus, squid, scallops from the seafood section of the grocery store, food process it with some garlic and or zoecon. You can also add some greens into this mixture, including seaweed selects, etc., for your vegetarian fish.
You can try this, or just use the food you are currently using and garlic soak it. Otherwise, if the problem does not improve, you are looking a hospital tank and treating with antibiotics.
There are flake food in the hobby that are medicated which you can try.

 

[ian]

Thanks for the advice. Once I pick up that food how do I prepare it. I have heard to people putting on a short cycle in the blender but I am not sure that would work. I have never fed them truly "fresh" food out of fear of doing more harm then good. How do you store the food, can it be frozen?
Thanks again!

 

[beth]

If you have blender, use it. I have one of those small black and decker counter food processers that is designed to chop up small portions of onions, etc. This works great. You just put the seafood in there, with seaweed selects, or whatever really, then blend it. Add some Zoe or Zoecon, some fresh garlic, or some garlic extreme which is sold in the hobby, and your good to go! I roll the mixture out in to a shallow dish then freeze it slightly [just enough so you can cut it]. Then cut it into cubes and store for feeding.
Believe me, your fish will thank you for it!

 

[ian]

Great I will swing by the grocery store on the way home. Two last things and I think I am set. You metioned vegetables or greens, what do you use other than seaweed? You also mentioned zoecon, I am not very familiar with what that is. Where can I find it?

 

[beth]

Use vegetable preparations that are sold in the hobby. There's a host of seaweed selects. If your LFS sells macros for fish food, you can get this and include it in your food prep. Most veggie preps for the hobby are in dry form, so you can use whatever you can find, but stay away from flakes.
Zoecon is an excellent vit supplement, particually for tangs.
I'd suggest you brouse online stores that sell fish food so you get an idea about variety and what is out there in terms of veggetarian foods. You can actually get real macros too online for food. Zoecon is also commonly available online. LFS may or may not have these items.