is drop eye a concern?

**aspects** · 12-22-2009, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Northernguy

I understood that it was a poor diet and bad water conditions that caused drop eye.Genetics may also be a contributing factor.

That would be fill curl. Not DE.
Drop eye is purely genetic. It comes from farm raised and overly inbred aros. This I'd why you don't see it in WC silvers/jars and you rarely ever see it in Asians and leis.
there are even pond raised silvers with DE on MFK, further showing that not even tank size is a factor.

Like I said. There is nothing you did wrong.

**Demjor19** · 12-22-2009, 08:01 PM

I agree with aspects for the most part. There are so many myths and falsehoods about where DE comes from. It's not water params, looking down, lighting, diet, etc... The only two arguments that I will entertaine are either genetics and/or jumping and bashing the tank lids.

On another forum (MFK) some members Aros are getting DE while raised in ponds, while others have allegedly corrected DE by placing them in a pond.

I know from personal experience, my arowana developed DE after a severe encounter with the tank lids. I woke up one morning to her having an open wound above her left eye...luck would have it...she developed DE in her left eye within days.

Both of these theories hold water in my mind and could even go hand-in-hand. It may be a genetic weakness causing the eyes to drop much easier due to head trauma?

This is all just my 2 cents.

**mos90** · 12-22-2009, 08:14 PM

he is a jumper and has hit the lid fairly hard many times. could be the problem. not much i can do i guess.

**Northernguy** · 12-22-2009, 08:20 PM

Not much you can do to stop jumping.
Keep the glass lid clear of anything,a canopy will help keep flies and bugs from the tank light.My oscars jump hard for flies!lol

**Demjor19** · 12-22-2009, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Northernguy

Not much you can do to stop jumping.
Keep the glass lid clear of anything,a canopy will help keep flies and bugs from the tank light.My oscars jump hard for flies!lol

They jump mostly because they are skittish. There is really nothing you can do to prevent it. I have noticed mine to be calmer when the water parameters are at their best though. Annoying tankmates will also cause them to jump.

**Crispy** · 12-22-2009, 08:58 PM

I agree with demjor about only genetics and head trauma theories holding water for the cause of DE. My 20" silver is very used to people and I even pet him. He seems to jump at night in the dark. Some real serious jumps too! I have replaced my glass canopy with plexiglass since it won't shatter or hurt him as bad. Ontop of that is an enclosed wood canopy. When they start really bulking up at 18-20" you'll realize you now have a pet monster!

As for good diet, mine loves superworms, rainbow trout fillets, gutted smelt, yellow perch fillets, market shrimp, 2 kinds of carnivore sticks... just have a good variety of a few of those things for him. Tilapia and prawns are also popular and easily available. Keeping your aro from being a real picky eater is a great advantage.

**raptorkill** · 08-01-2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by Demjor19

I agree with aspects for the most part. There are so many myths and falsehoods about where DE comes from. It's not water params, looking down, lighting, diet, etc... The only two arguments that I will entertaine are either genetics and/or jumping and bashing the tank lids.

On another forum (MFK) some members Aros are getting DE while raised in ponds, while others have allegedly corrected DE by placing them in a pond.

I know from personal experience, my arowana developed DE after a severe encounter with the tank lids. I woke up one morning to her having an open wound above her left eye...luck would have it...she developed DE in her left eye within days.

Both of these theories hold water in my mind and could even go hand-in-hand. It may be a genetic weakness causing the eyes to drop much easier due to head trauma?

This is all just my 2 cents.

I agree with you Demjor19, but there is one other thing one of my silvers got DE in one eye and i could not find out why as my water was perfect and the food i was giving him was perfect o so i thought. until i got in contact with a fish vet from London zoo and she said that some of the food i was giving him was too much as meal-worms, crickets, and some fish have got to much fat and the fat is what over grows in the eye socket pushing the eye ball out on the top section of the socket. she also said that if you detect the DE at its early stages by cutting the fat amount you feed him the DE can be rectified as the eye tendon as not been yet stretched to much. any way i took her advise and my silver's eye went back to normal. Now i don't know if it was coincidence or she was right but it helped my aro and all my aros now have a low fat content diet

**Demjor19** · 08-01-2011, 06:42 PM

My Aros diet has remained fairly consistent over the years yet the severity of her DE fluctuates...Usually getting worse after a big jump. Her diet consists mostly of various pellets, raw shrimp, and smelt. I still completely disagree with the theory of a fatty diet causing or even having an impact on DE. I stand by head trauma being the cause of DE...Even after several more years of observing my Aro and her habits.

**raptorkill** · 08-01-2011, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Demjor19

My Aros diet has remained fairly consistent over the years yet the severity of her DE fluctuates...Usually getting worse after a big jump. Her diet consists mostly of various pellets, raw shrimp, and smelt. I still completely disagree with the theory of a fatty diet causing or even having an impact on DE. I stand by head trauma being the cause of DE...Even after several more years of observing my Aro and her habits.

Yes in your case it may be an impact with the aro jumping but have a look at this video and you will see the removal of to much fatty tissue and fixing the DE syndrome. i am not saying that all DE comes from a fatty diet but its one off the many causes. BUT the more we all chat about this subject the closer we all get to the problem fix if any without resulting to an operation like in this video.

**Demjor19** · 08-01-2011, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by raptorkill

Yes in your case it may be an impact with the aro jumping but have a look at this video and you will see the removal of to much fatty tissue and fixing the DE syndrome. i am not saying that all DE comes from a fatty diet but its one off the many causes. BUT the more we all chat about this subject the closer we all get to the problem fix if any without resulting to an operation like in this video.

I've seen videos like this many of times...I just still don't agree with the theory. Maybe it's actually some sort of scar tissue they are removing from repeated trauma to a given area? At this point we are all just thinking out of theory as nobody knows the cause/solution for sure yet. This is a conversation that is great to have from time to time as it's great to hear everyones opinions/experiences with DE in Aors.