Drop Eye = genetics or consequence?

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josephjeon

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 22, 2010
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California
So there are is a lot of controversy concerning drop eye: lots of theories about how it's caused and how to "cure" it. I also heard that it is mainly only silver arowanas that get drop eye... so why wouldn't other species be getting it often as well? Is it because silver arowanas genetically get it?

I have 3 silver arowanas that are about 5 months old, and none of them had any symptoms of drop eye. But recently, one of my arowanas' eyes started to droop down and began to appear a bit more protruding. (I tried to get a picture but it's so hard with my phone... haha) They all eat the same thing: FLOATING hikari food sticks (the one with the picture of arowanas on it) and farm-bred, carrot fed crickets (which also float).

-Neither foods are very fatty, which elminates the fatty-theory about drop eye (in my case of course).
-Both foods float to the top, which eliminates the sinking foods-theory (in my case again).
-There are no parts of the tank that show a reflection, and the ground is completely covered with natural aquarium gravel, which eliminates the staring at reflection / looking down at reflection theory.

What would be the cause of my arowanas' drop-eye appearing?
Is it just genetically going to get it, or was it a result of something I did?
(All 3 arowanas are very healthy, happy, and always have a voracious appetite, it just bothers me because it might be unsightly if it's severe)
 
Were the signs of DE apparent before the arowana jumped out of the tank?
 
Something I have learned are:
Ice cream melt
Concrete crack
Arowanan eye drop
If you can't stand dropped eye, don't keep arowana.
 
Bderick67;4697685; said:
Were the signs of DE apparent before the arowana jumped out of the tank?
Click to expand...

Actually the one with the drop eye appearing is the one that didn't jump out. It appeared about 2 weeks ago? It hasn't gotten any worse though, it's just there now.
 
josephjeon;4697675; said:
Actually the one with the drop eye appearing is the one that didn't jump out. It appeared about 2 weeks ago? It hasn't gotten any worse though, it's just there now.
Click to expand...
There goes Brian's theory! :D
 
I think the style you keep the aro in plays a big part with drop eye

1. Feeding if you dump loads of food in at feeding time and the aro needs to take food from the bottom this is not good
a aro in the wild would only eat food as soon as it hits the water or even above the water a aro in the wild would never eat food from the floor as it wouldn't get a chance as other fish would eat it 1st

The water in the wild is also very murky and the aro would be wasting it's time looking down for food

I just throw in 1 bit of food at a time if the aro grabs it as soon as it hits the water then I throw in the next bit any foods that's missed the dats or rays get it takes longer but if it helps with drop eye who cares how long it takes

2. No bare bottom tank and if possible cover 3 sides with background cutting out as much reflection as possible

3. Keep the temp high 86 and change at least 2 x 25% of the water per week not big water changes of 50% aros don't like big water changes

4. Now this one is a bit controversial I only feed live insects as that would be the main food for aros in the wild they would also eat fish and small rodents
But it's the type of fish that matters I think it's best to stay away from sea foods

These are just rule I have stuck to with over 20 asain aros and not one has ever got drop eye which seams strange as Asian aros are the 2nd most likely to get drop eye after silvers
 
this whole barebottom tank theory is a complete myth - those that have bare bottom tanks, try looking at your tank bottom from above - you wont see any reflection at all - just your stand or whatever is under your tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
lungfishlover;4698554; said:
this whole barebottom tank theory is a complete myth - those that have bare bottom tanks, try looking at your tank bottom from above - you wont see any reflection at all - just your stand or whatever is under your tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Just because you don't see it doesn't mean the fish doesn't see it..
 
genetics ( eye position and ability of movement) say that the fish should be looking up a lot.
consequence of human glass tank keeping is that they look down and out a lot and hardly ever up.
in the wild they will be scouring the surface and looking up a hell of a lot more than what they will do in front of us in our tanks.

it may also explain why some varieties are more prone because some have evolved different feeding habits and eye positions.
nature would not have exercised genetic selection for drop eye, they would have their eyes or more a better indication the mouth position different to what it is now. even the barbels are an indication they feel the surface.
i think it has less to do with fatty diets than people claim.
 
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