Eye problems in fish can have a long row of different causes from bacteria to poor nutrition. The symptoms of eye problems vary as much as the causes of the eye problems and include everything from cloudy eyes (which often are a result of bacterial infection) to exophthalmia aka pop eye and opaque lenses. Physical injury is also quite common. If your fish in some way have physically harmed its eye you can help it recover by moving it to a recuperation tank with antibiotics in the water to prevent infections. You should also try to identify the cause of the damage and see if you can prevent it from happening again.
Cloudy eyes are as mentioned above most often a result of a bacterial infection even if it in rare cases can be caused by fungus. Adding tetracycline, chloromycetin (chloramphenicol) or another antibiotic to the water or even better to the food can often (not always) help cure this problem. Start treatment as soon as possible to prevent the infection from causing serious injure or even blindness.
If your fish appears blind without any previous trauma or infection to it it's likely caused by excessive lighting or poor nutrition. Dimming the lighting and improving the diet can in these cases help prevent more fish from going blind but will not help the fish that has already gone blind.
Pop eye, formally known as exophthalmia, can be caused by vitamin A deficiency, tumours, bacterial infection, gas embolism and rough handling. Pop eye caused by vitamin A deficiency can often be cured by an improved diet with more vitamin A. Pop eye caused by tumours or rough handling can be hard to do treat and it is unfortunately often up to the fish itself to try to recuperate from. Gas embolism and bacterial pop eye can often be treated with penicillin or amoxicillin.
Opaque eyes are caused by metacercaria or nutritional deficiencies. Improving the diet and including a lot of vitamins in it can often help cure opaque eyes.
Didn't find the info you were looking for? Register for free and ask your question in our Aquarium forum !
Our knowledgeable staff usually responds to any question within 24 hours
Related Articles
Argulus - Summary of the fish disease argulus
Anchor Worms - Information on diagnosing and treating anchor worms.
Buying Healthy fish - An article about how to avoid diseases by buying healthy fish
Common fish diseases. - An introduction to the more common fish diseases your fish might get.
Chilodonella - Information on diagnosing and treating Chilodonella.
Constipation - Information on diagnosing and treating constipation in fish.
Costia - Information on diagnosing and treating costia.
Danger Signs With Your Fishes - How to recognise the the existence of ill health in a fish.
Dropsy - Information on diagnosing and treating the dreaded dropsy.
Ergasilus - Information on diagnosing and treating ergasilus
Fish Necropsy - How to examine dead fish for evidence of external parasites or internal problems.
Fish Tuberculosis - Causes and symptoms of fish TB. Mycobacterium marinum. Possible treatment. There is some danger to humans when servicing
Flukes - Information on flukes and how to trat flukes.
Fungus in fish - Information on diagnosing and treating fungis in fish.
Ich: An Old Cure for an Old Disease - Information on diagnosing and treating anchor worms.Natural methods to cure ich
Glugea and Henneguya - Information on diagnosing and curing glugea and henneguya.
Hexamita - Information on diagnosing and treating hexamita.
Hole-in-the-Head Disease - Information on diagnosing and treating hole in the head.
Ichthyosporidium - Information on diagnosing and treating ichthyosporidium.
Injuries in fish - Information on how to care for injured fish
Leeches in aquariums - How to prevent and control leeches in your aquarium.
Lymphocystis - Information on diagnosing and treating lymphocystis.
Marine velvet - Information on diagnosing and treating the saltwater disease "marine velvet".
Nematodes - Information on diagnosing and treating nematodes.
Neon Tetra Disease - Information on diagnosing and treating neon tetra disease.
Parasites and Similar Problem Organisms - Various fish parasites, some normally free-swimming organisms, and various species of algae can become a problem.
Preventing diseases - An article about how you can prevent diseases among your fish.
Quarantine Aquarium - An introduction to Quarantine Aquariums.
Red Pest Disease - Information on diagnosing and treating red pest.
Scale Protrusion - Information on diagnosing scale protrusion and how to treat it.
Swim-bladder disease - Information on the different causes of swim bladder problems and how the problem can be treated.
Tail & Fin Rot - Information on diagnosing and treating tail an fin rot.
Treat Argulus - Summary of treating fish disease argulus
Treating White Spot Disease - Symptoms of Ich, its life cycle, and treatments using either malachite green or aquarium salt.
Treating Fish - An introduction to the art of treating fish that suffers from a disease.
Tumors in fish - Information on tumors in fish
Uronema marinum - Information on diagnosing and treating Uronema marinum.
Velvet - Information on diagnosing and treating velvet
