# Cloudy eye



## DigityDog70 (Jan 20, 2017)

One of my fish has cloudy eyes. One ft. long oscar. I"ve had him for over 5 years. I've been doing more water changes, started with carbon and ammonia reducing agent, water parameters are ideal. 
Raised water temps to 81, have been using paraguard and Melafix for about 3 days and aquarium salt now for about a week. Adding some salt every other day.

He has not eaten though for about 8 days. He's big and healthy otherwise, no other visible symptoms, his breathing looks a "little" more rapid than normal, not what I would call labored. 

How long can a fish go without eating and is there anything else I can do for my buddy? He's like our family dog. Usually, when you come in the room he gets all excited and swims around. Presently he's just swimming around slowly and seems lethargic. 

I appreciate any feedback.

DD


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

Dont know the answer but whats the water parameters if you have the test kits? 

Also are you doing all those treatments at the same time with the water temp increase? If you keep adding salt without taking any out with water changes the salt will concentrate in the tank and cause problems. When adding salt IMHO recommend aiming for a certain level and add that only during water changes with the correct amount figured out to treat the new water your putting in. 

Post some pics if you can. What size tank?

Hopefully you get some more answers, these guys are really cool fish and one you have had for a while. Wish they came in a dwarf variety.


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

Deteriorating water quality ( high decomposition/high nitrates in aquarium) in conjunction with acidification in the aquarium due to "old tank syndrome" are the most common causes of cloudy eye. Or, this can happen as well in tanks that are overcrowded or in instances of poor nutrition. 
Fish become stressed under these conditions and, in time, acquire secondary bacterial infections (aeromonas bacteria being the most common). This presents in fish as an internal bacterial infection, cloudy eye, and in later stages, external lesions that quickly erode tissue to the muscle and bone. 

What size tank is this and what other fish in tank?
What are nitrate levels? have you tested for ammonia and nitrite recently?
What is Ph?
What do you feed and how often?

I would turn down the heat asap. This fish definitely has a bacterial infection as indicated by the cloudy eye ( and most importantly, this symptom along with no appetite for 8 days). 
With bacterial infections, the higher the heat the quicker the bacteria spreads through the fishes system. 

The salt is okay to help with osmoregulation and stress.
Paraguard and Melafix have no active ingredients that would help here. 
Antibiotics are needed asap- kanamycin being the best for this condition. 
But, need to get to the bottom of the root cause or antibiotics will not do any good.


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## DigityDog70 (Jan 20, 2017)

Thanks. Root of the problem was when PG&E had a power outage, lost power, no water flowing through filter for 8 hours. Power restored, but I wasn’t made aware of till the following day when I was at work. One of the kids primed filter and got the tank back up. They didn’t know any better. So almost 30 hours elapsed before I was able to do a water change. Ammonia, Nitrates and Nitrites are all good. Nitrites were up to 40ppm but now around 5ppm. 

I agree that we have a bacterial infection. 

I appreciate the feedback. 

I’ve been changing water 2-3 days now. 

I will lower water temp and apply antibiotics. What is the ideal temp? Kentamyicin I picked up, will use when I get home. 




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Tank is a 55gal 4ft long. Oscar is the only fish in tank. PH is 7.4, I use RODI water. 


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DigityDog70 said:


> Tank is a 55gal 4ft long. Oscar is the only fish in tank. PH is 7.4, I use RODI water.
> Feed Granular food and Spirulina Cubes, and sometimes crickets and earthworms.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

With temperature, 78 is fine. 

The reason ask about diet is that Oscars have difficulty maintaining adequate Vitamin A in diet. Is this something you were aware of? It can be helped by providing a vitamin supplement in feed 2X weekly with a product like Boyd's Vitachem. You can see this reference for more detail on this under food habits:
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Astronotus_ocellatus/

I hear you about PGE-- it is a shame that communities are having too pay for their long-term negligence in keeping their equipment up to date and maintained. I understand your frustration. 
I am very close to you in Elk Grove, Ca. And actually went to UC Davis


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## DigityDog70 (Jan 20, 2017)

Thanks for all of the helpful information, I'm optimistic that our Oscar's health will improve. I'm hoping we're not too late to avoid any permanent damage and his eyes clear up.
He still looks as vibrant as usual on his body, although he's on the bottom since I got home, having a pity party. He was at the top before I treated him this evening. When I leave the room he swims back up to the top looking to see if can watch the doorway where we walk in and out of the room. 

I am going to do some more homework on the diet and if need be, give him what he needs.

I'll post as his condition changes. 
DD

Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrates 0 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
Water Temp 78F
PH 7.8
GH 8 PPM
KH 12 PPM

eyes still have a thin film of haze in the centers, almost look like a miniature contact lense. 
still not eating and just slowing swimming on the bottom but does move around if people come up to the tank.

day two of antibiotics.

Tomorrow will be another 25% water change followed by Boyd ABE16708 Freshwater Vitachem.


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

DD70 what are ya using for nitrate test? The api liquid test you really gotta shake the #2 bottle otherwise gives you really low or 0 readings. 

Keep up with the treatment though, sounds like Discusluv got things worked out for you so hopefully it turns around soon. GL.


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## DigityDog70 (Jan 20, 2017)

Water Parameters still good. 
Re: Nitrate, that's funny you should mention the API kit. I was using that, the expiry date is still good, but I decided to get a new kit anyway, since we want to be sure and when I first tested, the results were not too pretty. 

Things are looking better, now he's swimming around more, but he's still not eating. 

Any suggestions on how to help him to eat something more substantial (besides the Vitachem)? 

When he starts eating and doing his victory lap around the tank, like he normally does after he eats, then I'll know he's well. 

Thanks again for helping us with our AquaPup. 

DD


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## DigityDog70 (Jan 20, 2017)

I think the antibiotics have killed a lot of my beneficial bacteria (?) and I've got a little Ammonia .50ppm right now. Going to grab some bio bags from another tank. Add some Prime in as well and more water. Water level in tank is at the 75% mark. 

I just did a water change yesterday. 

My Oscar's eyes are improving, his color is still good, but he's sitting on the bottom of the tank a lot when I'm in the room and his Pectoral fins are still faded (white and a little ragged looking). When I leave the room he goes to the top so he can watch the door, to see if any people walk-by or are going to enter the room. Kind of feel like he sits on the bottom so I will come over and hang out with him, big baby. I'm thinking, due to the lack of food (although I did add Vitachem to the water) he may be low on energy. 

I'm concerned because he hasn't eaten in two weeks. He's over 1' long and so far as I can tell he hasn't lost any weight? Hard to say. I see some instances where fish go for long periods without eating, but this is "Internet Info." and I'm no Vet., so maybe it's not so bad? How can I get some food in his system? Is the Vitachem going to be enough to keep him going till he eats? I've tried giving him his normal pellets, some small pieces of shrimp, he won't touch it. 

This is how he normally looks.








And this is how he looks now, see attachment. 

PH = 8.0

DD


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

A few things to try:

*I would try soaking some frozen food in garlic juice. Garlic is an appetite stimulant in fish.

*Another thing, and I know it will sound crazy, is orange peel ( washed well on outside). Links to this method:
https://www.reef2rainforest.com/2016/04/19/introducing-orange-peel-discus/
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ile_tilapia_Oreochromis_niloticus_fingerlings

*Now that the meds have had some time to get in system, edge the temperature back up a couple degrees to increase metabolism. 

*Live food that is small and slow added to tank right after adding garlic laced foods and orange-peel. Live blood-worms? Scent of these two and movement of live foods that are easily caught may stimulate appetite. As soon as fish eats incorporate Vitachem in food as well.


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## DigityDog70 (Jan 20, 2017)

Thanks Discusluv, at this point, I have seen improvement with his eye, so I am going to see if the orange peel, garlic, live blood worms and Vitachem does the trick. That's encouraging to see that the Discus didn't eat for over a month and they ended up eating after the orange peel treatment. Who would a thunk? 
Cheers!
DD


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## Discusluv (Dec 24, 2017)

DigityDog70 said:


> Thanks Discusluv, at this point, I have seen improvement with his eye, so I am going to see if the orange peel, garlic, live blood worms and Vitachem does the trick. That's encouraging to see that the Discus didn't eat for over a month and they ended up eating after the orange peel treatment. Who would a thunk?
> Cheers!
> DD


I know- I told you it was a little crazy :grin2:


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