Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
-
Pufferpunk
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
Unfortunately, I have zero help with this website, so some of the great articles are not up to date (just a couple) & I have no idea how to get into the Library to fix them.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
xHiiiPower
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:46 am
- Location (country): United States
Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
Hey PP,
Just following up with an update.
Temperature was lowered to 79F. Ich-X seems to have been effective over the weekend. I am no longer seeing any Ich on the puffer. I will continue dosing Ich-X for another 3/4 days as suggested on the bottle to make sure it's completely gone.
Unfortunately, both eyes are now cloudy instead of just one. The fish still seems incredibly stressed and struggling to breathe. I am currently running 2 airstones in the tank to help with oxygenation. I know the cloudy eye is generally a symptom of poor water quality but I have done so many WCs I am not sure how I could improve it anymore than it is now..
I suppose the best bet is to continue with daily 30% WC's and dosing with Ich-X and Melafix.
Second puffer is still doing great. Very active, eating lots of food and seems very healthy.
Hoping for a recovery but I am honestly surprised he's still pushing through.. It's been close to 2 weeks now that it's been visibly struggling :/
Just following up with an update.
Temperature was lowered to 79F. Ich-X seems to have been effective over the weekend. I am no longer seeing any Ich on the puffer. I will continue dosing Ich-X for another 3/4 days as suggested on the bottle to make sure it's completely gone.
Unfortunately, both eyes are now cloudy instead of just one. The fish still seems incredibly stressed and struggling to breathe. I am currently running 2 airstones in the tank to help with oxygenation. I know the cloudy eye is generally a symptom of poor water quality but I have done so many WCs I am not sure how I could improve it anymore than it is now..
I suppose the best bet is to continue with daily 30% WC's and dosing with Ich-X and Melafix.
Second puffer is still doing great. Very active, eating lots of food and seems very healthy.
Hoping for a recovery but I am honestly surprised he's still pushing through.. It's been close to 2 weeks now that it's been visibly struggling :/
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
I assume he's not eating? Maybe try to wiggle a worm in front of him. Have you tried dropping Melafix directly in his eyes?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
xHiiiPower
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:46 am
- Location (country): United States
Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
Yeah, not eating.. I've held some bloodworms in front with tweezers for about 4/5 minutes a few times with no success. Ended up just dropping them in front of him, the small one eventually finds them and eats them.
I haven't attempted that yet. How would you recommend I do it?
I haven't attempted that yet. How would you recommend I do it?
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
Just hold him in a net.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
xHiiiPower
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:46 am
- Location (country): United States
Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
So I got him into a net and into a small container with tank water making sure it never was out of water. Dropped a bit of Melafix in and let him rest for about a minute.
When I lowered him back into the tank, I thought it had killed him. He immediately sunk to the bottom, and was motionless for about a minute or so. He woke back up and was visibly stressed, black belly and bumping into everything.
The cloudiness on his eyes is terrible, I'm sure it's blind or very close to it. As of today, half of it's face has turned white.
Here are photos of today. Warning, it's unpleasant so I understand if you don't want to view it. https://imgur.com/a/p6me3AV
It doesn't seem like anything is helping :/ not sure what else I should try at this point.
When I lowered him back into the tank, I thought it had killed him. He immediately sunk to the bottom, and was motionless for about a minute or so. He woke back up and was visibly stressed, black belly and bumping into everything.
The cloudiness on his eyes is terrible, I'm sure it's blind or very close to it. As of today, half of it's face has turned white.
Here are photos of today. Warning, it's unpleasant so I understand if you don't want to view it. https://imgur.com/a/p6me3AV
It doesn't seem like anything is helping :/ not sure what else I should try at this point.
-
xHiiiPower
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 1:46 am
- Location (country): United States
Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
Unfortunately he passed about 30 minutes after posting.
I really appreciate all your help trying to bring him back to good health.
I am sad I was unable to help but I am glad he is no longer suffering. I wish I could walk away knowing what happened or what I could have done differently to help but the other little one will get the best care I can provide :/
I will finish out the Ich treatment for the next few days to make sure it's taken care of and the little one doesn't get sick as well.
Thanks again for everything PP. You've been a huge help over the past week or so.
I really appreciate all your help trying to bring him back to good health.
I am sad I was unable to help but I am glad he is no longer suffering. I wish I could walk away knowing what happened or what I could have done differently to help but the other little one will get the best care I can provide :/
I will finish out the Ich treatment for the next few days to make sure it's taken care of and the little one doesn't get sick as well.
Thanks again for everything PP. You've been a huge help over the past week or so.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Figure 8 - Cloudy Eye / Possible Ich
I'm so sorry... I missed those last posts, especially the one with the pics. That's more than just cloudy eye, some serious bacterial infection. 
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"