# Red zebra cichlid with eye injury has developed eye cap



## SienaBlaze (Mar 19, 2013)

I have a red zebra cichlid and recently he injured his eye. I changed the decor in the tank and I think he may have poked his eye on a rock. A clear cap has formed over his eye (this has persisted for about a week now). He seems to be very preoccupied with it; his appetite has diminished and he keep rubbing his injured eye on the gravel. I assume this is in an attempt to remove the cap. Overall, his body and appearance look fine. He hasn't developed any spotting, tattered fins, or lesions. His other eye seems to be normal as well. Within the last 24 hours, the fish has seemed to become very lethargic. I suspect that he might be developing a secondary infection from the stress he has been suffering from. Last night, I performed a partial water change and added some tetracycline. Because he is a solitary fish (the only inhabitant in a 30 gallon tank), I added the antibiotic directly to the aquarium.

I plan on adding another dose of the tetracycline as soon as a full 24 hours has transpired and then treating with melafix. My cichlid has always been a hardy fish, but now I am worried that this eye injury and the resulting immunosuppression might get the best of him. He is approximately 5-6 years old (possibly 7, I inherited him so I am uncertain of his exact age).

What should I do?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Fish injure their eyes frequently- and often heal just fine afterwards. The cap is part of the eye that is damaged and swollen. Given clean water, melafix and time- he should be alright. You are doing the right things, but keep up with the water changes between treatments. Do you know what your nitrate concentration is? The cleaner the water, the quicker he will heal.


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## SienaBlaze (Mar 19, 2013)

Unfortunately, I didn't get the parameters before I added the antibiotic. I could check, however I am wondering if the tetracycline might neutralize some of the bacteria that help regulate the tank? Also, we were instructed to remove all filters temporarily and with them went a lot of the bacteria.

I am definitely doing what I can to stay on top of the water changes especially now that the water is saturated with antibiotic.

My poor cichlid is laying in all sorts of strange positions: upside down and on his side (mainly). Normally that would signify serious illness or imminent death, but it's very obvious he's trying to rub his eye on whatever he can. He's been successful so far in peeling of a thin layer of that cloudy cap. I am very worried.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You want to remove only the carbon...not the entire filter from the tank. How long has the filter been removed? Without the bacteria your toxic ammonia and nitrite can build up.

The test results will be fine in spite of the medication...go ahead and test.


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## SienaBlaze (Mar 19, 2013)

I'm sorry, what I meant to say is that we removed the activated carbon and the spinning bio-wheel filters; we left the other two filter cartridges in. It's been that like for probably 12 hours now.


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## SienaBlaze (Mar 19, 2013)

Here are the water parameters:

pH - 8.0-8.1
Nitrite - Just about 0 ppm 
Ammonia - 0.1-0.15 ppm 
Nitrate - 10-15 ppm


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

So, your biofilter is failing- any ammonia is a bad sign. So- first, do another water change, and do not try to feed this fish for a few days. So- what do you have running for filtration now? Please tell me what filter, and what is in it.... I'm a little confused.


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## SienaBlaze (Mar 19, 2013)

I apologize for the confusion.

I have a 60 gal AquaClear power filter that I run on my 30 gallon tank. Collectively, it take two filters that hold activated carbon, two spinning bio-wheel filters, and two cartridge filters. I removed the activated carbon and bio-wheel filters when I administered the antibiotic. The filter cartridges are currently what's left in the unit.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Throw some filter floss or foam in the AC HOB to increase the biomedia available. It may not do too much good if the tetracycline kills off all the good bacteria, though. Do you have a friend or LFS with a healthy tank that you can grab filter media from when you are done with the antibiotics?


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