Snowflake eel w/eye problem

[kandr]

I just purchased a Snowflake Eel 2 days ago. When I got him home I noticed that one of his eyes was off shape, and pushed up towards his head in his eye socket. I’ve done some research, and found someone who posted a similar problem, and the solution given is as follows…
"Probably a bacterial infection from some sort of physical damage. Try using one tablespoon of Epson salt per 5 gallons of water. It will help to remove fluid from behind the eye and allow the eel's immune system to rid itself of the infection."
Does this sound like a plausible solution?

 

[beth]

I've never heard of that one.
Is it popeye, or is the eye dislodged somehow?

 

[kandr]

I'll try to get a picture of it tonight. It looks like the eye is pushed forward in the socket. The only way I can tell there is an eye in there is that it moves when he looks around. There is no visible pupil. Just yellow up front and a small opening in the rear.
However, the eel appears healthy, and swims around looking for food. If I tried that Epsom Salt, do you think it could possibly be beneficial, or could it do harm to the tank?

 

[beth]

This sounds like popeye to me. Do a large water change in your tank. Feed the eel [and the rest of the fish] garlic soaked food for wk to see if that makes an improvement. Optium food to eel. Sometimes popeye can be healed with just some TLC and optium environmental conditions. Soak the food in garlic for at least 1 hr before offering it to the fish.

 

[kandr]

Here is the picture. Is this Popeye? Took your advice about the water change and the garlic. Hope it works. Now my house smells like garlic.

 

[beth]

I don't see the pic??? You just soaked the food in garlic, right? You didn't put in into the tank?

 

[kandr]

That is odd. I was able to see it from home. Now that I am at work, it's gone.
You can see the pic at...
http://www.geocities.com/kandrkandr5/DSCN0239.JPG
If you want to see his good eye, goto...
http://www.geocities.com/kandrkandr5/dscn0237.jpg
I had chopped garlic in a jar, and I used the juice from it. The jar said no preservatives. Some garlic pieces may have fallen in though. Is this bad? The fish look happy. I'll be more careful tonight.

 

[kandr]

I have been calling the pet store that I bought this eel at every day since I bought it. I am being told constantly that JOHN is not in, and I will have to speak to him about this. I left my number and never received a call back.
The last time I called I was again told that JOHN wasn’t in, but JOHN did not sound happy about giving me back store credit, or offering any assistance whatsoever, because a week has gone by since the purchase. I replied that it has been a week because this JOHN person is ignoring my calls. (and it has been 3 days. Some people can’t tell time)
So, I would like to take this opportunity to Flame there store.
Pet Experience Inc.
4080 Hempstead Trnpk
Bethpage, NY 11714
Buyer beware.
I will call once more tomorrow, when JOHN is supposed to be in. If I get results, I will retract this flame.

 

[beth]

I couldn't get into the Yahoo site to see the pic either. If you want, email it to me. Put Eel with Popeye in the Subject Line so that I know it is you.

 

[kandr]

Another try. Geocities is C#%P!!!

 

[beth]

Sorry, I really can not tell much from the pic.
But here is an example of popeye. Do as I suggested with the quality of food [prime!] and the garlic. If you can get Zoe or Zoecon, alternate feedings with garlic soak and then the food soaked in one of these supplements. Keep an eye on the fish to see if there is improvement or deteriotion over the next few days. If there is not improvement, you many need to treat the fish with antibiotics. Do you have a hospital tank?

 

[beth]

As for the irresponsible LFS....think of this as an opportunity for you to try to do good by this fish. If this fish makes it, I am sure you will feel good about it and enjoy many yrs with your new pet.