Golden Severum gone blind :(

[chestnutree]

Hi,

my golden severum’s eye ballooned up. It’s now gone down with a ‘nipple’ type bit hanging in the middle and it’s completely cloudy. This is in just one eye. It’s quite clear from the lack of reactions on its right hand side that it has lost its eyesight.
Anyone know what it is and whether it’s treatable?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Is the other eye like this?

It looks like pop-eye to me, which is caused by poor water quality.

How often do you clean the filter? How often do you preform water changes? What are your water parameters?

 

[JuiceBox52]

@Colin_T

 

[Colin_T]

The eye has been injured and the best treatment is clean conditions and a bit of salt.

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Wipe the inside of the glass with a clean fish sponge.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media/ materials in a bucket of tank water and re-use them.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise oxygen levels in the water.

-----------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 2 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

 

[chestnutree]

Hi,

Thanks for so much helpful advice. There’s a chance he was attacked but also a chance of poor water quality.
I’ve had an upside down catfish for the same length of time as these (about 6 years). The catfish has shown aggression on occasion. Killed off my other severums over the years and did attack this one on the side of the bad eye. I did hand it back to the fish shop 2 weeks ago. I don’t like parting with any pet but I had to think of the other fish. Kinda wish I’d done it sooner but I felt guilty parting with it.
the other eye is fine.
I guess I have been slightly guilty with maintenance this year. Long story.

I’ve done a few water changes over the last few weeks to improve things. Also changed some of the media 2 weeks ago.

It looks like it’s got worse. Kind of like it’s rotting? I haven’t done the salt treatment yet. Would you say this is a must at this stage? Any other treatments? Would I need to remove the carbon?

I hope he’s not in pain but how do you even tell?

 

[Shiverz]

That eye is looking worse, it does look pretty bad, the only advice I can give you being a green horn is this -

Take Colins advice, and carry out the treatments he's suggested. He's a medical guru when it comes to fish and knows what he's talking about. If I were you I'd do it as quickly as possible.

(EDIT- editted message so it was more understandable).

 

[Colin_T]

I think the eye is stuffed and will probably fall out or rot in the fish's head. If it does rot in its head it could kill the fish.

You can try salt now but I think it is probably too late for that. You might need anti-biotics but it's probably too late for that too.

Enlarged/ inflamed or damaged eyes are uncomfortable and sometimes even painful when infected.