Sick Fish- Cotton Eye?

eternitybc · #1 02-14-2011, 08:22 PM

My blackcap was missing at feeding time today, which is... a first! I started looking for a his body, and after a few minutes noticed him lurking behind rocks...

He has something weird on his right eye, and his mouth- they look like spikes, as if somehting had pierced him. His eye is quite bad- but he wont let me near enough to take a good look.

What can I do the help him?? I'm thinking I should probably quarantine, but it would take time to set up, and how would I get him out? (we have 2 clowns, lawn mower goby, and a royal gramma). My first thought was cotton eye, but this doesnt look like cotton- it looks like firm little icicles sticking from his skin!

eternitybc · #2 02-14-2011, 08:48 PM

OK- Is it possible he went after a bristle worm?? I can't believe this is a fungus, because he had NO symptoms what so ever yesterday at dinner. His eye is not puffy, just has little glass slivers in them, same as his mouth...is it possible he tried to eat a bristle worm and was attacked? Or is there a fungus that could develop in 24 hours?

Trying to get a pic, but he's hiding in the back, and keeping his bad eye hidden.

GMGQ · #3 02-14-2011, 09:10 PM

I dunno if it was a bristle worm or not, but fish can look very different in 24hrs.

My hippo tang got pop eye the other day out of the blue. I fed it some garlic soaked pellets, and the following day the eye was Much better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eternitybc

OK- Is it possible he went after a bristle worm?? I can't believe this is a fungus, because he had NO symptoms what so ever yesterday at dinner. His eye is not puffy, just has little glass slivers in them, same as his mouth...is it possible he tried to eat a bristle worm and was attacked? Or is there a fungus that could develop in 24 hours?

Trying to get a pic, but he's hiding in the back, and keeping his bad eye hidden.

eternitybc · #4 02-14-2011, 10:06 PM

Thanks- this is more like a few hours. I'm 90% sure at this point its a bristle worm- I can't find any reference to a disease that would do this to his eye. His eye looks normal size and clarity, just with "stuff" coming out. Same with his mouth. By stuff, its a firm solid filament, not cotton like.

And I'm pretty sure he's getting over it- it must have happened recently, because in the last 2 hours he's back out in the tank (though hesitant), eating, and I *think* some of them are falling off. Man it looks painful

I hope he recovers ok.. there were so many, I wouldn't be surprised if he lost some or all of his sight. I'M feeling better though! I thoguth i had lost him, or my tank had contracted some deadly disease!

jamesjackkson · #5 03-15-2011, 04:06 PM

I am 90% sure at this point it is a bristle worms, I can not find any mention of the disease, does that to his eyes. His eyes look normal size and clarity, just use the "stuff" out. Similarly, his mouth. To things, it's a firm solid silk, cotton, do not.

eternitybc · #6 03-15-2011, 04:13 PM

Thanks, forgot to update this thread! It was most definitely a bristle worm. The glass like shards completely covered one of his eyes, to the point where I could barely make it out. I thought he would lose it.

But..he didn't. They slowly fell out (or he rubbed them out, who knows) and he's 100% back to normal. Took about a week, in case anyone else has this happen. He's even started his nesting again (He grabs ANY coral, shell, rock, whatever- that he can pick up, and has a pile in the back of the tank). I suspect this may be how he came to grab a bristle worm in the first place.

Stupid fish.