Does my Platy have a cataract?

[Kryten]

I have a male Silver "Mickey Mouse" Platy living in a community tank (see inhabitants below).

Every so often his right eye seems to become covered over by a cloudy jelly substance, putting him a bit off balance, and keeps knocking into things. A few days later it clears up just fine. No other Platies or indeed any other fish in the tank are affected

Is this life threatening to the fish at all and can anyone explain what is causing it at all

 

[Angel Lady]

give him a salt bath it done wonders for myblack mollie when its eye done this is it like a white film over its eye this is a fungus and I was told that it is where the food goes to the bottom of the tank and growa a fungus on it and they get in to it someway you are over feeding if that is the case

 

[Kryten]

Thanks. I have cut down on food recently. This was my first tank so I may have been feeding too much, kinda got over enthusiastic

For the moment I am going to steer clear of salt baths. My 4 platies seem to be doing really well without, so why fix something that isn't broken

 

[Angel Lady]

Thanks. I have cut down on food recently. This was my first tank so I may have been feeding too much, kinda got over enthusiastic

For the moment I am going to steer clear of salt baths. My 4 platies seem to be doing really well without, so why fix something that isn't broken

well I thought its eyes was covered with a white film if they are doing fine why did you say its eye was bad that is the only reason I told you to do the salt bath livebearers need salt. If you have fish that is scaless then you have a big mess I got some corys and ahad to move them because they cant stand salt. Why post a fish is sick and then tell someone that they are doing fine for

 

[LesGerber]

try this again........
I wouldnt recommend doing a salt bath since she has neons in her tank, even the smallest amount of salt could cause problems and they only way I would say doing it is slowly but you best be ready to do water changes if the neons have a problem.
Contrary to common belief corys, neons, pictus cats irradesent sharks, and balas can all thrive in salt you just have to use much less than recommended amounts with them.
As far as your fish getting a cataract, It is possible I guess, but in this case I would highly doubt it. Cataratcs arent somethign that come and go on a whim, so my guess would be that he has a fungus of some sort and he is fighting it off then looses the battle for a short period and thats when he is getting it.
I would keep a close eye on it, you may have to take him out and put him in a tank to treat him with a fungal medicine.


Les