Black Moor Eye infection

**WhistlingBadger** · 02-27-2013, 05:41 PM

I purchased a nice looking, 3-4" black moor from the LFS. Within a few days, its eyes have grown cloudy and it has developed a few white dots on the head. My pet store has a 24 hour guarantee, so I can't just return it...besides, I like the little guy, and staying with me is definitely his best chance for long term survival.

So, I have never dealt with eye infection before. I would guess the standard treatment would be some combination of heat, salt, and chemicals. Any recommendations? A hospital tank is not an option with my tiny house, so whatever alternate housing I find will be improvised and highly temporary.

Recommendations, please. Thanks!

Tom

**Honey Badger 1** · 02-27-2013, 07:44 PM

What size tank is he in and are there other fish in the tank? What is the water change schedule and how much water is changed? Often times cloudy eye is caused by a water quality problem, what are the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in the tank? Have they changed since you added the fish? If it's from water quality, more water changes is all the fish needs. If not, it could be bacterial and a medication will be needed in addition to the water changes. The white dots could be ich, or it could be a fungus. Do they look like salt or are they larger and flat?

**WhistlingBadger** · 02-27-2013, 11:05 PM

He's in a well established, well planted 55 g community tank, where everything is healthy except him, so I don't think water quality is the issue. Temp is right around 75. No sign of the other fish bothering him or stressing him, except a bit of uncomfortable attention from a golden a.e., who was promptly removed.

The white spots have gone away, so either I was seeing things or the ich critters have left the building and it is too late for that. The moor is swimming actively, eating well, and looks otherwise healthy. The eye cloudiness is slight, but definitely there. Should I just keep up the water quality, do some extra water changes, and see what happens, then?

**Honey Badger 1** · 02-27-2013, 11:15 PM

Adding a decent sized heavy bio-load fish to even a well established tank can upset the balance for a time. The first thing I would do is check the parameters. Ich does not "leave the building" without action on your part, it does leave the fish to multiply in the substrate, keep your eyes open for symptoms just in case it was ich and not something else. A water change is always a good option, I would do some extra for a while and see if it helps, if not, then it's bacterial and may need medication.

**WhistlingBadger** · 02-28-2013, 02:41 AM

By "left the building" I meant left the fish and gone to the next part of its life cycle. Humor does not always come through in online communications. :)

If it is bacterial, what then? What sort of medications are needed for eye infection?

Thanks.

T

**Honey Badger 1** · 02-28-2013, 03:40 AM

Lol, I got the joke and thought I made one of my own back at you.

I've got to remember to start using those smileys more.

Here is some information about cloudy eye, http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-heal...oudy-eyes.aspx

and some information on different medications and treatments, http://www.oscarfishlover.com/helpfu...ish-medication

**WhistlingBadger** · 02-28-2013, 04:43 PM

Thanks for the link! I didn't think to check ph. I do a 10% water change once a week, and I have been told everything from twice that much to no changes at all (I have a semi-walstead tank setup). I have never tested for nitrates/nitrites/ph; I just keep an eye on things and try to keep things balanced. I guess that needs to change, since something is obviously off.

Is it possible that this is some residual stress from the petstore that hasn't manifested itself until now? It is to horrifying to consider the possibility that my water quality is *worse* than that in the over-crowded goldfish tank at the pet store!

Also, would anybody advise treating my tank for ich, just in case? (I'm pretty sure I wasn't seeing bubbles or something) I would have to remove my snails, but I think everybody else in there would be OK...that ich med seems to be tough on the fish, though, so I hesitate to use it. I usually take a wait-and-see approach, and things clear themselves up over time.