Swollen Eye

[zibnata]

My hippo tang has ich . He was eating a lot and I have been soaking food with garlic gaurd.The ich seamed to be going away.I got some formula 2 with garlic yesterday and when I went to feed he was not interested and hiding between 2 rocks where he normally doesn't hang out. When I say him I noticed one of his eyes were huge. I have set up a QT ,but I dont beleive I could catch him and if I tried it would only stress and make matters worse.Can I use any Medication in a reef tank? Any other suggestions ? Thanks

 

[thomas712]

I suggest you try to catch him when he is sleeping.
If you want to save him then I would QT, I know tearing apart the tank to try to catch him is a royal PITA, but it may be the only way to cure him.
If you have corals then no I would not medicate the main tank.
As to the popeye, it sounds like it may be time for a water change in the main tank, at this time I would change 30% to help clean up any docs that may be in the water colum. Sometimes popeye is caused by poor water conditions that we can not see, and a simple large water change can be all the cure that is needed. When you see the fish does the eye look damaged at all? Like he rammed into something?
Thomas

 

[zibnata]

Thanks for your reply. The eye doesnt look like he rammed into something, however he hides when I approach the tank so I really cant get a good look at him. The problem about the water change is that I dont have any water mixed yet so if I mix it tonight can I do a change tommarrow night ? I usually let it age for a few days.Also all I have is a 10 gallon QT is that big enough for him ? One other problem is no refractometer so is there any meds I could use in the QT? I really wan't to save him he is like the family pet right up there with the German Shepherd. I probably should get a 30 gallon for a QT , but this is what I have now. Thanks for your help.

 

[thomas712]

If your hippo isn't to large then a 10 gal would do for the qt process.
Yes I do the same with my waterchanges and let them mix for a few days. Time may be against you though so make the 24 hour mix do. So yes mix today change tomorrow.
Not being a disease expert, my guess is to treat for the ick first using hypo, if it becomes necessary then go to the marycin 2 for the popeye. Let me know if you are going to use meds, there may be different instructions to follow other than what is on the box,.
Thomas

 

[zibnata]

Thanks, I will get back to you

 

[zibnata]

Here is a pic

 

[zibnata]

another pic

 

[zibnata]

Now Blackcap Basslet and Royal Gramma have ich. I just mixed up 15 gallons of saltwater for water change tommarrow.
It dawned on me that i filled QT with fresh saltwater. Is it supposed to cycle ? Should I remove some and add water from display tank or when I do water change can I replace all the water in QT with existing display tank water ? I will order a refractometer from an online site,probably wont get it for another week. Found one for 50 bucks. Thanks

 

[beth]

Read the FAQ thread at the top of this forum for setting up a QT. Yes, use 100% water from you main tank.
That tang looks like he has the beginnings of head and lateral line disease [HLLE]. First things first and lets get the ich treated.

 

[zibnata]

I probably wont get refactometer until monday.I hope he hangs on. Tonight I am going to get a 20 gallon tank to replace 10.I will fill it from the main tank when I do water change.I hope I can catch him..What medication should I pick up from LFS so I can start treatment right away ? Thank you for your help,you people are awesome

 

[zibnata]

I just did a search on HLLE and one thing mentioned besides parasites is carbon.The day before the eye happened ,I cleaned out cannister filter and added stuff called algone to cannister. I wonder if that could have caused anything ?
http://www.algone.com/
Possible Causes
There are many "theories" as to why this disease occurs, but there seems to be no single definitive answer that can be pinpointed or solely connected to it. Many of the contributing theories include stray voltage in the aquarium, poor water quality and environmental conditions, high nitrate levels, lack of vitamins and poor nutrition, stress, parasitic infestation (a protozoan, Octomita necatrix),using carbon , and that some fish may just be genetically pre-disposed to this disease condition, such as Tangs & Surgeonfishes

 

[beth]

I have to say, I don't exactly see ich on that fish in the pic. Can you get a good pic of the ich and the swollen eye?

 

[zibnata]

Its hard to get a pic

 

[zibnata]

I just tore the tank apart and got all fish in 20 gallon QT. Except for damsel which I will deal with tommarrow. I put Maracyn Two in tank.I put 2 tablets in 20 gallon.I will be getting refactometer early next week.Am I doing the right thing ? Thanks

 

[zibnata]

Help please......

 

[beth]

Those spots still do not look like ich to me. Are they raised off the skin? Is the fish scratching? Is fish the only fish effected?
You can go ahead and begin to reduce the water salinity by using a glass hydrometer while you wait for the refract.

 

[zibnata]

The spots are raised and there are more than you can see on the pic.The camera really isnt that good.What else do you think it could be if not ich ?While they were in the tank besides the hippo the basslet and gramma were scrathing on the rocks and they also had something that looked like ich.Hippos eye is looking better,but the water is cloudy from the maracyn-2 so its hard to see.And they are freaked out being in the 20 gallon.They all hide in the pvc pipes .Hippo isnt eating like he did in the main tank.I couldnt catch the damsel in the main tank and I know if it is ich I need all fish out. I would hate to do this but should I not feed it so it starves? Thanks

 

[beth]

Try not feeding it for a day, then maybe you can entice it out and then catch it while he takes some food from a turkey baster. Try catching it. Moving your rocks around isn't going to hurt the tank. I just did this last wk because I wanted to thin out some of my LR. You can easily lay out a shower curtain on the floor. Use a deadicated spay bottle and fill it with tank water. While the rocks are layed out on the shower curtain spray them down good with the water every five mins. Get the fish out, then replace the rocks. Its really not a big deal. Just try and keep the substrate from getting too stired up.

 

[zibnata]

Beth, after treating QT with maracyn-2 ,hippo's eye looks normal .Started hypo and white spots look like they are dissapearing.I am limited on time so I have to wait till end of week to move rocks to catch damsel.Damsel is scratching on the rocks and has white specks on tail and fin. I almost had it with the net .I understand that I cant put fish back in tank for 30 days after the last fish is removed. Cant wait.... Thanks

 

[beth]

If you started hypo, you really can't just throw the damsel in a hypo tank. Fish need to be acclimated to hypo conditions.
What are you using to measure salinity?