Niger with eye problem?

[mikester311]

This Niger was the last addition to my tank about 2 months ago. About a week after I added it I noticed that was scratching against the sand and rocks like it itching. It has also had this weird white piece of something?? that keeps attaching itself to the trigger's right eye. Sometimes it's one piece, sometimes two, but after a few days it's gone. The weird thing is that none of the other fish I have in the tank seem to be affected by it. I've attached a few pictures but this time the white thing on it's eye is relatively small and kind of hard to really see in detail from the pictures. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[beth]

Well, I was hoping that TerryB might comment on this. It could be a single parasite. Hopefully Terry will reply.

 

[mikester311]

Beth,
You know I was thinking that, but it always seems to be different sizes or lenths. Sometimes one and sometimes two pieces and it always seems to fall off after a few days. After that I still see the fish itching, but I can't see anything on it. I just thought it was wierd how it always appears on the same eye and how none of the other fish seem to have any probems or even seem to be effected by it. I have a stripped puffer, huma huma trigger, dragon wrasse, and banded morey in the same tank.
Mike

 

[mikester311]

Now that I just looked at it again, it seems to be shifed over to the center of it's eye and it looks flatter and cloudy vs. slolid and streamy. I also noticed something similar looking really small starting to develop on it's other eye. What could this be and how can I start to treat it?
Thanks,
Mike

 

[beth]

Do you have a QT? You can do hypo on it, and then perhaps a treatment with formalin bathes. Why don't you post a TERRYB alert that may catch Terry's eye?

 

[mikester311]

Beth,
I don't have an offical QT tank right now. I haven't had too many problems before so I never really needed it. I'll send TerryB a email and alert him to this thread.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[bigbonedee]

I have a small niger with the same problem. Right now he looks great.
I have found that it starts when I need a water change or when I get lazy and dont keep the make up water out for 48 hours prior to adding it to my aquarium and allowing all parameters to adjust.
The Niger is a tough fish but he will let you know when you are getting lazy.
I dont think I would do anything like start treating with anything until I did a couple of proper water changes and fed some garlic based foods.

 

[mikester311]

Terry,
Although some days it does look like a parasite of some kind, it's not internal and it's not always there. The last two days there has been a mucus/sleep like film on part of it's eyes. And it seems to move around like on a person's eyes.. I also noticed some very pale whitish blotches on it's body in the last few days. I don't have a qt tank set up right now. I guess I could set one up, but it will take some time and I also don't want to treat the fish with medication unless I know for sure what's wrong with it. I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just kind of skeptical about doing all this although I would like it to get better and not infect the other fish in the tank.
Mike

 

[beth]

Any advise here is guesswork...very good guesswork, I must say , but still no one can get an absolute ID on anything [except maybe ich] by discussions online.
If the fish is now developing blotches there is obviously a problem that will need to be addressed. You should work on setting up the hospital.