# Arowanas and the notorious "droop eye"



## shuks (Jul 10, 2005)

Hay there, I was wondering what everyone thinks about this disease, or rather condition, called "droop eye". What causes this, and how can it be prevented?
I've heard many diffrent oppinions about the cause of this, but bottem line is that it is a side effect resulting from captivity in a small area. Another hypothasys is that "droop eye" is caused from overfeeding of fatty foods, ie - goldfish, shrimp, prawns, ect. Generaly, the bigger your tanks is the less chance your arowana will develope this condition. I've also heard many diffrent treatments to prevent this; floating a ping pong ball on the surface to atract the arowana's attention upwards, and try not to overfeed with fatty foods. Perhaps, in many cases it can't be prevented. Who knows? I sure as hell don't. Let me know what you think about it...


----------



## Spar (Aug 7, 2003)

that is a hot topic on www.waterwolves.com . If you have many questions on predatory fish, that forum is going to answer your questions better than here.

it is pretty much a given now that it is genetics (from inbreeding) and has very little to do with all the other theories. The other theories merely speed it up. My 27" Silver had droop eye. An estimated 90% in the hobby have it.

It is less likely in Jardini, SA Black, and African.

The only way people have had "some" success in cureing it is to put them in a backyard pond for a while.


----------



## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Spar said:


> The only way people have had "some" success in cureing it is to put them in a backyard pond for a while.


Does that force them to keep looking skyward for predatory birds or something? Makes you wonder if it is better termed 'lazy-eye'.


----------



## Spar (Aug 7, 2003)

basically. there is more going on at above eye level like insects flying over, animals walking by, birds, leaves falling in the water, etc, etc.

in captivity there is so much going on underneathe eye level. even pets walking by is an example. while not much, if any at all, goes on above the eye level.

it truely looks like the eye is coming out of the socket on them. not very visually pleasing.

the theory that it is from fatty foods is true to the sense that it keeps the eye from easily going back in. they have fat pockets that always form behind the eye, so given the chance for the fat pockets to push outward (thus forcing the eye further down later) the worse it makes it. It isn't the original "cause" though. Cutting back on food will help keep the fat pocket slimmer, thus helping it progess back to normal.


----------



## shuks (Jul 10, 2005)

I'm going to have to dissagress with your on this subject Spar. I don't believe that "droop eye" is caused by imbreeding, or genetics. I've seen pleanty of wild arowanas that now live in captivity. The arowanas at my local fish store are all imported from the wild, not bred in small fish tanks. But still you can expect about 50 % of them to get this syndrome. If "droop eye" is genetic, and 90% of arowanas have it, it means thry have all come from the some original source. I don't think 90% of arowanas out there are imbread. The droop in the eye, I believe, comes from having too much activity on the bottem of your tank, and not enough activity on the surface to stimulate the arowana's attention upwards. Additionaly, in a fish tank, they are repressed from jumping like they do in the wild to catch food. 

just my oppinion... The truth is that no one really knows for sure what causes this problem? In a captive bread arowana, having one eye droop like that is probably an advantage for them. However, it doesn't look to pleasing.


----------



## Spar (Aug 7, 2003)

there are many opinions on the issue. Genetics is a cause, as others are too. Studies have shown that 90% have it though. Some cases just arent as severe, even to the point of not seeing it until a much larger size / older age. If you dont stuff yours full of food all the time then the fat pockets dont push down. If you have a low tank then they dont have as much incentive to look down (i.e. as you pass the tank, etc.). But, genetics is the key player. Otherwise, why dont Black Arowanas, Jardini, or African get it? All you see is almost all Silver and Asian having it. What are the most commonly owned and most commonly mass-produced? Silver and Asian.

I will find you the post I was referring to. It proves both of our points right though, so there is no winner 

here ya go: http://forums.waterwolves.com/index.php?showtopic=83967

I am "Spar" there too. Been a member for a quite a while. Great forum to get to know all and the above about any Pred fish.


----------



## shuks (Jul 10, 2005)

cool... very interesting information..


----------



## Scout (Mar 30, 2005)

I believe that it is caused by lack of surface/above surface activity. I think it is rarer in Aro's like the Jardini(my fish) because they tend to spend more time at mid level compared to the Silver or Asian.
I also try to feed him floating food or I hold the food for him to take from my hand so he is feeding at the surface. I don't know what the real cause is but I don't think its hereditary, might be smaller aquarium size too.
My .02


----------



## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

Don't know if this is true or not, it's definitely not scientific, but here it goes

some believe that they can actually fix this droopy eyes by covering the aquarium with red non-see through material/fabric completely. This combined with feeding only crickets & centipede would eventually bring the droopy eyes back to normal.
I can't seem to remember if they also tweak the light (always on or always off)

Just my two cents


----------



## eeng168 (Apr 22, 2005)

*Droop eye*

What the others said about being able to look out of the tank and down is pretty accurate. It doesn't help. 

Hi...

I have arowanas myself and the droop eye can be linked to quite a number of things. It can be from fatty foods, but the following is one of the main reason. 

In the wild, arowanas are always looking up for food such as insects, bugs, birds, etc. on the surface on even on the limbs of plants and trees that overhang the water. So they are always looking up for food. But in a fishtank, out of captivity, no one out there has shallow fishtanks.....so, the aro in the tank does not always stay on the top, it'll swim all around looking for food or chasing tankmates. Plus, the fact that the aro can look out on all sides of the tanks does not help. That's why some people try to cover the entire tank with a black cloth, thus allowing the aro to only look up. 

You can try any of the following and hope that it helps. If it's too severe, it won't really revert back:

1) Ping pong ball. If your arowana it too big for the ping pong ball, use a whiffle ball! (That's what I used)
2) Drape a dark cloth over the entire tank covering all sides...you can let light in from the top or just use your light fixture. 
3) Try to feed the aro food that does not sink or goldfish where the aro will have to chase after it all over the tank. Feed it crickets which stays afloat. 

Hope this all helps. If you want more info...there's an arowana forum just like this one out there. www.arofanatics.com :fish: 

Gosh, I know more about arowanas than a planted tank. I can't even get rid of hair algae. :icon_redf


----------

