Arowana Eyes

[benzjamin13]

Over the past few days...my Arowana is starting to develop drop eye in his right eye, while the other one has cataract! :irked:

Any cure for cataract or is surgery needed?

[ospy]

Absolutely! I have the cure! Ready? Forget about it. Thats all I can say. They will get drop eye almost always. Arowanas get it in the wild and in your fish tank. It is not a disease, it is an arowana. Thats what they do. To much time is spent worrying about this. Just love your fish. I HAVE seen severe cases in older arows but in young ones, to me, it is kind of cool. The blue color on the top of the eye looks neat. The other eye will catch up. It just seems like a distraction to worry about this. It doesn't hurt the fish. It doesn't effect their ability to hunt. It doesn't effect their ability to attract a mate. And (to me) it doesn't effect their status as one of the most graceful cool fish in the world. To many people are making to much of this, putting ping pong balls in the tank (you've got to be kidding), Hell throw a basketball in there, maybe that will help. You need to look at it as thats what the fish do. They get "drop eye". I don't even like the term, as it implies there is something wrong. I'd rather say "as arowanas mature, there eyes begin to drop, giving them an even greater menacing look than they had as youths". There, did I fix it?

[benzjamin13]

I'm not so worried about the drop eye as I am about the cataracts. I know Drop Eye would've eventually happened so I wasn't too surprised about it. I guess I'm not lucky enough to get one that won't develop it. But it's really the Cataracts I'm wondering about.

[ospy]

describe the cataracts. I am not sure I'd know it if I saw it. How can you tell? Is it apperant by looking at the fish?

[Deathcurl]

Does it look like the eye was rubbed or is it in the pupil?

[benzjamin13]

His eye is extremely cloudy. Almost white as if he was blind. It started when I did this one water change...he didn't like it or somthing. He was hanging out at the bottom and almost laid on it side. But he snapped out of it, but he started to develop cloudy eyes. It eventually went away, but not completely from his left eye. As he started to develop drop eye, the cataract go worst.

I'll see if I can get a picture.

[ospy]

add salt? What do you think guys? I believe some salt would help that. Sounds funny though (what? your eye hurts? Well, let me throw some salt in it) I do believe that some amount of salt will help this. Let the MFK experts tell you how much.

[big E]

I hope that you can fix his eyes, did you try the salt ?

[benzjamin13]

Here's the best picture I could get...

[benzjamin13]

Sorry for the quality, but you can see the white on his pupil...sorta

[ospy]

Needs a little salt. Not sure of the gallon to salt ratio, but it will fix it. Don't worry won't be cloudy for long.

[benzjamin13]

Will the salt have a negative affect on the other fish?

I have 2 Pbass, a Clown Knife, a Vampire Pleco, and a Gold Spotted Sailfin Pleco.

[kissme_419]

As long as you don't put in to much salt it shouldn't hurt anything. Actually from what i've always heard salt is really good for your fish. Bacteria and viruses can't live in a high salt content. I'm sure you know what the max is on your fish as long as you don't over do it, you should be fine.

[ospy]

not sure, but not thinking so. Don't add salt untill some of the other MFK guys chime in. Your not going to be adding that much salt. It will seem like a lot, but after it desolves you still won't even be able to taste it in the water............okay, I checked my salt box, it says "as a general stress reducer and to enhance disease treatment use 1 rounded tablespoon of salt for every 5 gallons of water. I'd go ahead and treat it. I don't think your other fish will be harmed. Keep an eye on all their behavior. You'll need to pick up a box of Aquarium salt at your lfs (wich is basically just rock salt). By the time you do that, others will also respond.

[Deathcurl]

Won't hurt to treat it. One of the aros that I rescued a few years ago had the same issue. It cleared up somewhat, but never really totally left.

[desertdweller]

To help prevent the drop I put ping pong balls (1 or2) in the water & the movement of the balls helps the aro look up & not just down. For the eye I agree to try salt & keep a eye on him. Good luck.

[ospy]

I like to try a hole variety of sports. bolling balls and hocky pucks don't work though, they just sink. perhaps a football. maybe a deck of cards (Pinochle preferably). At least throw in a couple paddles so they can get a game going.

[hazmat101]

I like to try a hole variety of sports. bolling balls and hocky pucks don't work though, they just sink. perhaps a football. maybe a deck of cards (Pinochle preferably). At least throw in a couple paddles so they can get a game going.

tryed that, it didnt work... they are missing the aposible thumbs so it is hard for them to grab the paddles.

:ROFL:

[brettrotchell]

ok if you are adding salt , turn temp up a little about 2 or3 degrees and add one tablespoon of salt for every gallon , trust me will not hurt your fish. aquarium salt though do NOT add table salt , you need aquarium salt . and as far as the droppy eye goes you can add led moonlight to the top of your tank and add in a flashing led light so all the light flash on and off this will cause the aro to look up all the time at night , this will help with the droppy eye

[d20monsteroscar20]

Hey tanx for this thread! I just got an arow and I guess from what I m reading it will get cloud eyes(that sucks) but I will make sure to treat it when it comes time for it.

[benzjamin13]

Alright...here's some closer shots of how his eye looks. His eye looks a lot more white in person. I guess the camera drowns it out. :confused:

[ospy]

I still think one tablespoon for five gallons is good. ALso, someone suggested turning up the heat. This is also a good idea. I'd say to about 79 degrees

[benzjamin13]

Thanks for the help everybody. I actually keep the tank around 80, so I guess I'll turn up the heat to 82-84? I've been stuck inside the house all day with a horrible headache, so I threw in some kosher salt. What about Instant Ocean salt? I have some from a saltwater tank that never happened.

[Fishminded]

ok if you are adding salt , turn temp up a little about 2 or3 degrees and add one tablespoon of salt for every gallon , trust me will not hurt your fish. aquarium salt though do NOT add table salt , you need aquarium salt . and as far as the droppy eye goes you can add led moonlight to the top of your tank and add in a flashing led light so all the light flash on and off this will cause the aro to look up all the time at night , this will help with the droppy eye

I wouldn't do 1 tablespoon per gallon...that's way too much....

The typical "rule of thumb" amount for salt is a heaping tablespoon per 5 gallons.....this is what I use on all my tanks and it definitely helps.... and make sure it's aquarium safe salt...you don't want to use salt with iodide(sp?) as it will kill your fish....

good luck...I hope he makes a full recovery

[DeLgAdO]

I still think one tablespoon for five gallons is good. ALso, someone suggested turning up the heat. This is also a good idea. I'd say to about 79 degrees

damn!!!! then what would it be before you turned it up??? :eek:

[brettrotchell]

I wouldn't do 1 tablespoon per gallon...that's way too much....

The typical "rule of thumb" amount for salt is a heaping tablespoon per 5 gallons.....this is what I use on all my tanks and it definitely helps.... and make sure it's aquarium safe salt...you don't want to use salt with iodide(sp?) as it will kill your fish....

good luck...I hope he makes a full recovery

YES fishminded is right i got it wrong my mistake it is 1 tablespoon for every 5 gallons of water . SORRY about that . good call fishminded sorry guys he is right . but Aros do like there water warm so yes take it up to about 84 degrees if it is only at 80

THANKS FOR CATCHING MY MISTAKE FISHMINDED

[dr_sudz]

Ya that just looks like what they call cloudy eye, usually caused by stress or poor water quality. Need to give your aro a massage and pamper it a little :ROFL:

Some on here claim almond leaf will help calm the aro.

[benzjamin13]

Well...I just did a 50% water change, added aquarium salt, and bumped up the temperature to 84 degrees. Hope it works.

[ospy]

It will, I garantee it! You should notice it clearing up soon, but it may take a while for it to completely clear up.

[Red Devil]

I would post this also on fish health and diseases.. I hope it is a success... he looks like a handsome guy. Best to u

[benzjamin13]

Should I being adding aquarium salt everyay or once a week or every water change or what? :confused:

[ospy]

The salt will not evaporate, if you remove 50 gallons of water and replace it with fresh, add 50 gallons worth of salt to replace the salt you removed. If you just keep adding salt, the water just gets saltier. Just do your regular water changes. The salt won't go bad.

[benzjamin13]

Cool! Thanks for all the help guys! I reaaly appreciate it! :thumbsup:

[DeLgAdO]

It will, I garantee it! You should notice it clearing up soon, but it may take a while for it to completely clear up.

I will fall out of my chair laughing if the fish croaks.

[Red Devil]

I hope he is doing a little better now, let us know.

[Red Devil]

I hate to bug you but really want to know how Arow is doing.. i hope his eyes improved.. although i do think this does take some time.

[benzjamin13]

Before it was all over the eye and now it's just on the pupil. Now he looks like he's blind in one eye from the cataracts. I'm still hoping it'll go away with a few more water changes and a bit more salt.

[Red Devil]

well at least it is an improvement..and hopefully it will keep getting better.. keep us posted .. because we are looking forward to hearing good news..

[HiGhTiMeZ]

the fish will be ok! dont worry! :) dont forget to dechlorinated after ur water changes aight! ;)

[benzjamin13]

Well...it's been awhile. Here's some more pictures. It looks more concentrated around the pupil now and it's not as cloudy all around now. Is it reversable?

[DeLgAdO]

Well...it's been awhile. Here's some more pictures. It looks more concentrated around the pupil now and it's not as cloudy all around now. Is it reversable?

why is he so dark? :confused:

[benzjamin13]

why is he so dark? :confused:

I was playing around with the camera and those are the best shots I can get of him. :irked:

[dr_sudz]

I would keep up with the salt treatments and maybe up your water changes, that should help and I think it may take awhile but should clear.

[DeLgAdO]

this is bad if its been going on for this long, its obvious now that the fish had cloudy eye

go ahead and dose the tank with melafix