My ornate wrasse can't see to eat!

[cracker]

Hello, Im afraid my blue wrasse has gone blind! God I hope it's not PopEye or something. Any way it has been swimming into stuff and it tries to eat but misses the food. It wants to eat for sure. I tried the nori clip no response I tried a shrimp rubber banded to a rock it hoovered around it but no. If I dump a bunch of mysis it will try to hit it but it's hit and miss. It ate only a little bit today. Now I have had this fish for many years,six at least. If it has popeye Maybe I can supply it with food it can find it might be able to fight off whatever it is. The eyes don't appear cloudy and I'm not sure if they bulge. But it looks like they do a bit? Any ideas on a proper way to hold the food still so it can find it? Anyway here is a couple pic which was hard to get

do the eyes look bulging? I added 3 anthias 8 weeks ago and that's it . I think I will turn off the pumps and dump a bunch of mysis tomorrow.

 

[DaveK]

One think you might do is keep the tank in very dim light for a few days, sometimes this can help the fish to recover. Also, look for lots of micro bubbles. They can indicate that the water is supersaturated and this can be a cause of popeye. Itr is also possible for popeye to be cause by an infection.

In looking at the picts it's hard to tell. It's not a severe case if it is. Popeye can often get better on it's own, so for now leave it alone. If it gets worse, you may need to treat the fish with antibiotics. This must be done in a quarantine tank.

 

[Oxylebius]

Before I bought my wrasse earlier this year I did extensive research. I have had wrasses before, but this time I really dug into knowing more about them. In the process I had come across some information about wrasses and blindness. It seems that labrids (wrasses family) do "go blind" as a family/group much more than most other marine fishes.

Since you posted this and I had read something about it previously. I went looking for more info on it. But, in my searching there isn't any conclusive info that I could find as the cause. The suggestions ranged from simply stress, to a lack of nutrition to bright captive lighting and even a parasitic cause (try searching wet web media by Bob Fenner).

Nutritional problems can lead to a form of blindness in some fishes, and I wouldn't rule out this as a possibility. Vitamin deficiency seems to be a cause. Keep trying to get this fish to eat, using a variety of foods like you already have. Avitaminoses can be a cause, so maybe look into soaking foods in a vitamin supplement like Selcon or you could also try a preparation like Vita Chem. Paul B swears by feeding vitamin D, that it helps eyesight. Maybe he will come along and post here about it (he's had blind puffers and he got them seeing again).

You may also consider the environment of the aquarium: Recheck all water parameters to make sure that there are no measurable ammonia, nitrite, or other toxins in the water. Check overall water quality: Nitrates and phosphates...Review maintenance procedures, such as water changes, protein skimming, use of chemical filtration media, etc.

Also, observe carefully for signs of any disease, etc.. There are parasites (Protozoans, worms) that can lead to blindness as well, apparently.

Try to be patient.

 

[cracker]

Thanks so much! I assumed the worse. So this morning I turned off all the pumps and sank chunks of Rob's herbivore, the fish was able to eat pretty well . I do have bright captive light and nutrition could be an issue as well. I can cut back on lighting no problem. Micro bubbles just in the last couple days after installing the algae scrubber. I" think" parameters are ok will definitely test . Thanks again for the responses! My mistake I meant Rob's" omnivore" not herbivore. I will see what the LFS has tomorrow in the way of vitamins I can add. This is a very cool fish for sure one of the mellower of large fish I've kept. Anybody got an idea of what to add? The lfs may have a supplement, How about a crushed vitamin of some type. I have garlic extract. Thanks , Brian

 

[cracker]

I just returned from the deep depths of internet info! I found more than one post on wrasse blindness, mostly caused by "Avitaminosis" which I interpret as long term vitamin deficiency. This could very well be my problem or worse the fishes problem. I hate to think I wasn't supplying a proper diet. Mr Fenner suggests "vita chem". I hope I can find some tomorrow .

 

[Oxylebius]

I just returned from the deep depths of internet info! I found more than one post on wrasse blindness, mostly caused by "Avitaminosis" which I interpret as long term vitamin deficiency. This could very well be my problem or worse the fishes problem. I hate to think I wasn't supplying a proper diet. Mr Fenner suggests "vita chem". I hope I can find some tomorrow .

Selcon and Vita Chem are the two supplements that I have used. I purchase them online.

My wrasse and clownfish (amazingly) have taken to eating dried algae soaked in Selcon, its not just my herbivores that eat it. But you can pick up any freeze dried food (brine shrimp) and soak that in Selcon also.

What is nice about vita chem is that it is absorbed through the tissues of the fish. So if the fish doesn't ingest a whole lot of food soaked in it, as long as vita chem is in the water some gets absorbed in the fish.

Note: Watch your protein skimmer. Both can through it off for a couple of hours after food soaked in these goes into the tank. Selcon pretty much shuts my protein skimmer down, not bubbles/foam. After a couple of hours all is fine with it. You may also see a little more algae film growing on your tank glass, but other then that I haven't had any issues feeding my fish in DT with these products.

I'm glad to hear that it ate some food for you. Hopefully it will continue to.

 

[cracker]

Thanks, I purchased vitachem today soaked some food the fish wouldn't come out we will try again in the morn. My water tested rockbottom for CA. Before it was way high, so I cut back then it swings way low. It's been see sawing on me! My bad I havn't tested in a long time. Thanks for the help Folks , We shall see if I can get this fish to eat.

 

[cracker]

This morning the wrasse got a fairly good breakfast of Rob's omnivore soaked in vitachem He wouldn't eat again. Still looks the same.

 

[cracker]

I'm afraid the wrasse didn't make it. Waaaa! Thanks everybody for the advice.

 

[Oxylebius]

I'm sorry to hear. Good effort on your part to try to help him.

 

[cracker]

Thanks Oxy, We are responsible for the animals we keep. However there are reasons beyond our control. All we can do is strive to provide the best environment possible.

 

[Oxylebius]

Absolutely agree!