Is this Drop Eye?

[longtemps]

I've been a member only one day, after about 1/4 century away from the species but all this talk of drop eye made me take a closer look at my new silver arowana.

There is a definite asymmetry between the way he positions his left and right eyes when relaxed. His left eye (right in the photo) has a slight downward cast. I'm guessing this is drop eye as defined around here. Would it be considered a mild or moderate case? I don't think it's too severe from some photos I've seen of others.

Side view:

I've answered questions in my introductory thread about not seeing drop eye in the silver arowanas I'd kept 25 years ago. I will need to amend that to say, the condition at this level may have evaded my notice. Back then there was not a whole of readily available information, no internet, books that tended to be out-of-date. Drop eye wasn't something I watched for.

If any had it back then, it did not affect their behavior or ability to feed. Their diet was mostly homemade frozen mixtures, which would slowly sink in the tank, so they were all used to going after food in mid-water, able to keep food in sight even if drop eyed.

I hope this new one's drop eye condition doesn't get worse, or that the other eye doesn't show it at some point. I had a one-eyed silver arowana way back when which thrived quite well with one (good) eye.

** I just took a look at my avatar photo which is of the new guy, taken a few weeks ago, and I don't see the downcast. I'll review my photos to see if I can tell when it first appeared.

 

[Onion01]

yep, it's early DE

 

[Onion01]

the right eye is fine. As soon as the eye starts drooping like the left one you know it's DE

 

[iloveoscars702]

what is de?

 

[Red tail catking]

DE Stands for Down Eye, or Drop eye both are the same thing, there a common disorder in aros and sometimes other fishes, mostly common in the silvers and Arapaima Gigas if we are talking just about species of the Osteoglossidae.

 

[dragonfish18]

yea its DE my 2 arows have one DE on oppsite sides

 

[jcardona1]

yup, DE! a silver w/o DE is rare in my experience. all three that ive had have had it, so have all the ones ive seen in person. some people hate, but it doesnt bother me. it doesnt seem to affect the fish either

 

[jwong1024]

What is its diet? Yes that is DE, and starting very early too.

 

[Hao]

yea slight DE

 

[longtemps]

What is its diet? Yes that is DE, and starting very early too.

Diet:

Mainly homemade frozen cubes made of supermarket raw shrimp, supermarket raw smelt, crickets, fish flake, shrimp pellet and gelatin to hold it together. Also freeze dried krill, an occasional earthworm, rare live guppy.