Help.. I Have A One Eyed Fish!

[matchstickgeezer]

Hi there

I have recently restarted tropical fishkeeping in my new home and this week bought home my first 6 fish. 2 orange swordtails, 2 zebra danios and 2 spotted mollies.

However, after I got home I have noticed that one of the Swordtails (Male) has only got one eye!! I know eyes are normally areas of disease, but I cant find anywhere online that seems to deal with 1 eyed fish!!

He seems healthy enough and is swimming around freely with no spots or obvious other deformaties. Only thing is... when the other swordtail goes to its right he can't keep up!!

What should I do?

Ps. Hi, Im new!

 

[Nook29]

Probably be best to return it, and let the shop keeper know of the problem so he can check the tank he keeps the swordtails in for any problems.

Also, if it is carrying an infection, you don't want any other fish catching it.

 

[matchstickgeezer]

I guess I should take him back but I'm growing quite attached... is there any way he could have been born this way??

He's been in my tank for 4 days now with seemingly no ill effects??

 

[Nook29]

I guess I should take him back but I'm growing quite attached... is there any way he could have been born this way??

He's been in my tank for 4 days now with seemingly no ill effects??

Is it just a hole where the eye should be, or is it covered? If it's a hole, I doubt he was born with it, if it is covered over, then it could be natural.

 

[WILDER]

Fish can survive with one eye, but if the tank is cycling i would take him back, as you don't wont him to lose the other one bless him.

 

[matchstickgeezer]

Fish can survive with one eye, but if the tank is cycling i would take him back, as you don't wont him to lose the other one bless him.

Its kind of a hole... but its all orange so you cant really tell.

I may have to take him back although it would be a sad day.

Any idea what type of disease it could possibly be if it is indeed one?

 

[WILDER]

If there an hole in the eye it sounds like has damaged it on something.
What are your stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, as he needs excellent water quality to survive.

 

[matchstickgeezer]

If there an hole in the eye it sounds like has damaged it on something.
What are your stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, as he needs excellent water quality to survive.

Hi again... i had my water tested 2 weeks ago and was told I had no ammonia but 0.3 nitrite... i then left the tank for another 10 days and added safewater and the man in the shop said that my water was fine and ready for these fish.

The fish (Captain Jack Sparrow!!) only had one eye when i got it (at least it must have as when i placed it in my tank it had 1 eye immediatley).

I have noticed he is finding it very hard to see the flakes I am putting in, and so often loses out to the other fish. This is slightly worrying me, although I am making sure he does eat a small amount whenever i feed them.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

If you want to keep him you probably can, however as others have said you will need to be fastidious with your water quality as he will be more prone to picking up diseases than others.

With the feeding, we've had fish that struggle to compete for food before and what we do is get some frozen food, defrost it in an jug, then get a little pipette or syringe and suck some up into it, stick the rest in the tank, then find the one you wanna feed and squirt out the contents of the pipette right infront of his face so he gets most of it. Do this every couple of days and he'll get plenty

 

[matchstickgeezer]

If you want to keep him you probably can, however as others have said you will need to be fastidious with your water quality as he will be more prone to picking up diseases than others.

With the feeding, we've had fish that struggle to compete for food before and what we do is get some frozen food, defrost it in an jug, then get a little pipette or syringe and suck some up into it, stick the rest in the tank, then find the one you wanna feed and squirt out the contents of the pipette right infront of his face so he gets most of it. Do this every couple of days and he'll get plenty

Thanks, that is some very interesting advice. I will be posting a picture of the fish up later if I can so people can see him properly!

 

[jerkyslim]

i have an x-ray tetra with one eye named one-eyed willy(from the goonies) and nothing is wrong with my tank and they seem to be doing fine!!