Possible Popeye

[petem]

I just noticed that my one yellow tail blue damsel has both eyes larger than normal. He's also "hanging out" around the top of the tank. I dont know if this is popeye or what?
water parameters:
NH3: 0
Nitrates:less than 20
Nitrites: less than 20
ph 8.3
water temp: between 79-80
salinity, a bit low, 1.020.
eating fine, otherwise acting normal. Tank inhabitants:
Yellow tang; 3 zebra striped damsels; snowflake eel. 7 turbo snails (4 of which were new additions last night) and 3 hermit crabs.
5 small pieces of Live rock. and a few pieces of Base rock, Also live sand.

 

[clint_reno]

I think popeye is a symptom. My yellow tang had popeye during his ick problem. Look at the fish closely. Do you see anything else wrong?

 

[petem]

How obvious is popeye. Is one eye or both, grossly exagerated? I dont see labored breathing, I just see him hanging out close to the top of the tank. He's eating fine. color is good. I just cant understand it.

 

[thomas712]

Popeye is also known as exophthalmoses or exophthalmia. It is more of a condition than a disease. It appears as an extruded eye where the eye socket is out further than normal, it can also be accompanied by cloudy eye if a pathogen is present. All this equals an eye trauma. It is not contagious. Even with these symptoms the fish can still appear to be healthy baring any pathogen that may be present. A pathogen is: a specific causative agent (as a bacterium or virus) of disease.
It is normally caused by environmental conditions like poor water quality, high DOC’s, high nitrates, improper catching like when using a net, fighting with other fish, or by having hit something hard in the tank like rocks, heaters, or any other stationary object. It can also be caused by bacteria, parasites, virus or a growth behind the eye.
In minor cases of Popeye the eye will usually return to normal without blindness. If more serious the eye may appear colorless, grey or have that clouded look, and could result in blindness in the eye. If both eyes are affected and are severe the eyes may burst or disappear in which case the fish may not be able to recover and may die.
Thomas