White eyelid on Mandarin

[tiberius]

I posted this problem back in July. This white area is getting bigger and looks like it is past his pupil now.
See thread:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/279450/white-eyelid-on-mandarin
I have seen him bumping into the rocks. He has been back in the 110 gallon for 2 weeks now. He was in my 10 gallon for 2 1/2 months. I was supplying him with amphipods I was getting at the Bay. Just wondering if I can put him in my 20 gallon and treat him with Maracyn. I really don't see him getting better with me not doing anything for him in the 110. But, maybe there is some other medication I could use on him besides Maracyn.

 

[dinogeorge]

It sounds to me like it is some sort of infection, so Maracyn should help to clear it up. The smaller the tank, the less medication you will need to add so I would get him into the smallest tank you have.
I love these guys and the fact that you have one eating makes me hope even more that it makes it.
Good luck man.

 

[tiberius]

Bump

 

[meleerock]

I would try to put him in your 20 and try to treat him. Maracyn is good, also you could use pimafix if you have a quarantene. Im not sure how it works with inverts and the such though.
Mandarins are amazing, fun little fish. I have one in my 14 gallon and eats pods and frozen daily... yes frozen. Brine and Mysis are his favorite. Good luck, we dont want you to lose this little guy

 

[tiberius]

It is a QT tank. I just read about the Pimafix. I would have to buy the Melafix also to work with the Pimafix. Or, have you ever just used Pimafix by itself?
I wish mine would eat frozen mysis! I have tried and he did eat a couple of pieces. He does eat live brine but I don't buy it anymore since they can't live on that. He loves the amphipods. It is fun to see him chew!

 

[beth]

Can you post a current picture?

 

[tiberius]

I tried to get another pic yesterday. They kept coming out blurry. But, here they are. His pupil is still dark like the other side. The iris is still the same color as the other side. It just looks like there is this white thing covering his eye. It is a little past his pupil now. I just put him in the 20 gallon tank. Awaiting to see what meds I can give him. Again, I brought him to the store way back when I first noticed it. They didn't know what it was and that was when I just soaked Cyclopeeze in vitamins and fed them to the amphipods which he ate. Their suggestion. It never got any better. I really do believe that he was like this when I first got him but the white part was smaller.
I can see the little white bit in some of my old pics.
Don't know if you can see it but in the second pic the white goes up his head half way. It is really prominent when he first wakes up and hasn't gotten his color yet. But, it isn't a solid white, you can still see his pattern.

 

[sepulatian]

The white goes up his head halfway? It isn't just his eye? You can try Pimafix. You do not have to use it with Melafix They are both all natural and made to be used together but Melafix is for wounds and Pimafix is for bacterial infections. Give it a try. That gravel is not such a good choice. He can scratch his underside leading to more infection. Are those pics of the display? If so then that would be why his eye is white. The pods would go in the creveces of the rock. He probably scratches his eye everytime he tries to eat.

 

[tiberius]

Yes, the white does go up half way but it really isn't all white. It is almost like it white underneath his coloring. Since you can still see his pattern. It is just really noticeable when looking at him straight on.
Ok Will do the Pimafix. I do hope the LFS carries it. Otherwise, I will have to order it.
Actually, I have never seen him eat the amphipods in my display tank. I have always seen him cruising the rocks and picking that or going up the glass to get at the copepods.
I only seen him eat amphipods in the 10 gallon where he was for a couple of months.
Yes, that pic is from my display tank. I do have CC in there. It is a 21 year old system. I set up the 20 gallon and had to put the gravel in there plus rock to help it cycle better when I changed tanks. It is 1 layer of gravel in there very holey and you can see the black from the glass under neath. (I spray painted the bottom, back and 2 sides.) He was getting amphipods that way in the 10 gallon since those guys wouldn't stay on the bottom. They were from the Bay and would crawl up the glass and stay out of the water about a half inch. Those other amphipods are not in that tank any longer. I removed all that other gravel when I changed tanks and added new from my tank. I have put my pods from my tank back in there. I just siphoned my bed and added lots and lots of amphipods to the 20. The goal is to keep the 20 up and running and just breed the pods in there.
Some people have stated that they have amphipods crawling all over their rock. The lights are on when they see them. Well, I only see them in the bed when the lights are on. Actually, up against the glass. I see them on the rocks when the lights go out and use a flashlight. I do have lots of them all other the rock at night. Once in a while when I feed the tank Cyclopeeze, I do see them come out of their holes in the rock. But, it would be nice to see them on the rocks during the day. I do have lots of caves and he does go in there so maybe he eats some that aren't coming out for me to see.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
Yes, the white does go up half way but it really isn't all white. It is almost like it white underneath his coloring. Since you can still see his pattern. It is just really noticeable when looking at him straight on.
Ok Will do the Pimafix. I do hope the LFS carries it. Otherwise, I will have to order it.
Actually, I have never seen him eat the amphipods in my display tank. I have always seen him cruising the rocks and picking that or going up the glass to get at the copepods.
I only seen him eat amphipods in the 10 gallon where he was for a couple of months.
Yes, that pic is from my display tank. I do have CC in there. It is a 21 year old system. I set up the 20 gallon and had to put the gravel in there plus rock to help it cycle better when I changed tanks. It is 1 layer of gravel in there very holey and you can see the black from the glass under neath. (I spray painted the bottom, back and 2 sides.) He was getting amphipods that way in the 10 gallon since those guys wouldn't stay on the bottom. They were from the Bay and would crawl up the glass and stay out of the water about a half inch. Those other amphipods are not in that tank any longer. I removed all that other gravel when I changed tanks and added new from my tank. I have put my pods from my tank back in there. I just siphoned my bed and added lots and lots of amphipods to the 20. The goal is to keep the 20 up and running and just breed the pods in there.
Some people have stated that they have amphipods crawling all over their rock. The lights are on when they see them. Well, I only see them in the bed when the lights are on. Actually, up against the glass. I see them on the rocks when the lights go out and use a flashlight. I do have lots of them all other the rock at night. Once in a while when I feed the tank Cyclopeeze, I do see them come out of their holes in the rock. But, it would be nice to see them on the rocks during the day. I do have lots of caves and he does go in there so maybe he eats some that aren't coming out for me to see.
Mandarines have a VERY thick slime coat. They are one of the few fish that cannot host a parasite because of their slime coat. How long have you had this guy?

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Mandarines have a VERY thick slime coat. They are one of the few fish that cannot host a parasite because of their slime coat. How long have you had this guy?
Yes, I saw his slime coat! When I got him from the pet store in March of this year, the guy got him out of the tank with a net and plopped him in a small container then dumped him in a bag. He then put him in a regular plastic bag. When I got home and took him out of the plastic bag, there was slime all in the bag and he was so stift and didn't even look like he was breathing. I panicked and called the store to state he didn't make it. That was when the guy told me about their slime coat.
Since then from moving him back an forth to the different tanks, I just use a clear container to scoop him up and stick the plastic bag in the water then put the container inside the bag and gently turn the container and he swims inside the bag. I don't ever want to see that again as I am sure it is very stressful to him.

 

[beth]

I'm just not thinking that this is an infection. It may be a cyst. You can try Maracyn Two for SW fish for 5 days. Doing a small water change just before each re-dose.

 

[tiberius]

Well, it does look like it could be a growth. I think it actually goes under his skin of his head and comes out of his eye. Esp. since his eye color is still the same as the good eye. Doesn't that make sense? Plus, I can go to the store now and get the M-2 because the 2 stores I have here don't carry the Pimafix and I need to order it.

 

[beth]

If you are going to do an antibiotic treatment, I'd stick with the M2, but at this point, not sure how much good that will do. If your QT is well cycled, it can't hurt.

 

[tiberius]

Just thought I would post his treatment that I did. He received Maracyn 2 freshwater for 5 days in the 20 gallon tank. I double the dose of the M-2 since it was the one for freshwater. (The saltwater has 20mg. of Minocycline and the freshwater has 10mg. The saltwater one has added B vitamins.) The LFS guy said to use the freshwater since it was a weaker dosage and since Mandarins are so fragile. But, I went ahead and doubled the dosage anyways after discussing it with Beth. He did fine with the treatment. However, his eye did not improve at all. He was put back in the 110 after treatment. He has been not himself until today. Where he now is getting back on the rock and picking.
I think keeping him in the 2.5, 10 and 20 gallon for 4 months made his muscles weaker. There was not much current in those tanks. He did have a very good appetite on all the amphipods I put in there. There are only a couple left now. But, he did seem to have trouble swimming in the 110. It was like he was getting blown around by the current.
I went and picked up a female mandarin 8 days ago. I thought if he had a companion he would feel better. The female was getting skinny at the store. She already has a belly on her! He has never had a belly. Even after eating the thousands of amphipods I found at the beach, his was always indented. She is only eating copepods.
When she seen him while he was in the middle of the tank struggling to stay in the current, she made a bee line to him! She had no trouble swimming towards him. So I think he just got weak by being kept in the small tanks. I don't know why he insists on staying out in the front of the tank where the current is stronger. Maybe building his muscles back up! Beefcake! But, now I seen him in the back of the tank on the rock. She hung out with him for a couple of hours. He saw her and his dorsal went up a bit but hers went straight up! She doesn't stick by him that much anymore since he only seems to be staying on the 1 side of the tank.
Maybe he will be able to live with that cloudiness over his eye. It is 3/4 covered now. I can still see the blackness of his pupil through the white so maybe his vision is just a little blurry. All I know is those copepods need to stay on his left side.
Thanks for everyones help.

 

[beth]

Sounds like he has a problem that is just not going to be addressed with standard treatments, and, as I though, its likely not an infection. You did the best you could, now he will just have to make it on his own.