Weird Eye Problem, please help!
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.
- Dadof4
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Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
You can use your normal dose, just make sure you turn off your skimmer during treatment or you'll have an ugly mess...it foams up.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
- studmaster
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Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Thanks for the heads up...the skimmer should arrive Monday or Tuesday, I might hold off for a few days to install it and give the tank the full course of Melafix (7 days). Then do a 25% WC.Dadof4 wrote:You can use your normal dose, just make sure you turn off your skimmer during treatment or you'll have an ugly mess...it foams up.
- studmaster
- Figure 8 Puffer
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- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:24 am
Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
3 day update....not much of a change in the eye so far. Nitrates are down to between 10-15ppm. I have added Melafix everyday for 3 days now. There might be a reduction in the swelling, but the eye is still all white and I can't even see the pupil.
- LilGreenPuffer
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Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Poor thing!
I hope he's better soon.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
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Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
If it's possible w/o too much stress, you can drop Melafix directly to it's eye.
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!"
- studmaster
- Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
REALLY? That sounds pretty intense. Unfortunately Zephyr is wound so tightly that he would never allow that. He gets spooked really easily. I honestly don't think I will ever be able to get him out of that tank without him getting majorly stressed out. I would have to sedate him first.Pufferpunk wrote:If it's possible w/o too much stress, you can drop Melafix directly to it's eye.
How long does it usually take for eye problems to get better? Should I be seeing some signs? Or is this a 2-3 week time frame?
- Dadof4
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- Location (country): United States
- Location: North Wisconsin
Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
It depends on the issues at hand. Trauma to the eye usually heals fast, 2-3 days. Can you post a current picture? I saw the ones you have already posted but I want to see what kind of difference there is.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
- studmaster
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:24 am
Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Okay here's a couple I just snapped with my Rebel. The eye isn't as puffy as before, it looked like it had air in it before. Now it just looks like a white eye.Dadof4 wrote:It depends on the issues at hand. Trauma to the eye usually heals fast, 2-3 days. Can you post a current picture? I saw the ones you have already posted but I want to see what kind of difference there is.
It's going to be hard to compare with the old ones though as they were from a bad camera.
http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... 62crop.jpg
http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... 6_crop.jpg
- Pufferpunk
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C valentini
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suvattii
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Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Awww... poor fella! I have seen these kind of eye problems clear up though. I know Bob Fenner mentiones a Hydrogen peroxide dip but I'm mot sure of the percentage. See if you can search for something at his Wet Web Media site. BTW, I used to drop Melafix directly on my frog's eyes when they had infections.
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!"
- studmaster
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:24 am
Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Well they eye looks a bit better this afternoon, I hope it's a good sign. I've only got experience with frogs as a kid and they are easier to catch than fish. Zephyr is like a bull in a china shop when he gets scared. Actually I'd rather be in a china shop with a bull than in the tank with Zephyr when he's spooked.Pufferpunk wrote:Awww... poor fella! I have seen these kind of eye problems clear up though. I know Bob Fenner mentiones a Hydrogen peroxide dip but I'm mot sure of the percentage. See if you can search for something at his Wet Web Media site. BTW, I used to drop Melafix directly on my frog's eyes when they had infections.
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Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Looks to be a fair amount of swelling around the eye. I'm glad its looking better, but you would have to wonder if there is something behind the eye itself to cause the area to swell like that - tumour/abscess. Both could affect the eye, by causing damage to the optic nerve. I don't think corneal damage would cause such changes to the surrounding tissue.
- LilGreenPuffer
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RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Popeye, an infection that creates a buildup of fluid behind the eye, causes it to swell and pop outwards. That's what's going on here. I doubt that there's a tumor or abcess.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
- studmaster
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:24 am
Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Hopefully it was just popeye and Zephyr is on his way to recovery. The one thing I did notice before the eye turn all white, was what I thought was a little scuff mark around the centre....but wasn't sure. Then a day or so later it started getting pretty bad and swelling up. Now the swelling is all gone, just looks like dead skin (cornea cells) are on top hopefully waiting to be pushing off by new healthy cells. The eye still moves along with the other eye when he sees something, so the mechanics are still working. I was doing the pencil test with him a couple hours ago.LilGreenPuffer wrote:Popeye, an infection that creates a buildup of fluid behind the eye, causes it to swell and pop outwards. That's what's going on here. I doubt that there's a tumor or abcess.
- Pufferpunk
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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: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
Yup, sounds like he got poked in the eye.
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!"
- Dadof4
- Tech Team
- Posts: 2862
- Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:50 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
- Location (country): United States
- Location: North Wisconsin
Re: Weird Eye Problem, please help!
I agree with PP about the poke in the eye. The pictures you sent today look much better than the last set. The opacity of the corneal tissue looks better and not quite as bulged out. Corneal tissue is some of the more resilient tissue in the body and heals fairly quickly. Keep doing what your doing for treatment.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."