Angel Eye Damage

abcdefghi

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Jun 6, 2007
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I noticed yesterday that my male angels eye has been damaged, I am assuming by the female, since they are doing a bunch of lip locking etc. I know that fins can heal, but can his eye heal? Usually when looking at their eyes its almost like there is a clear bubble over them, but looking at his now it is flat, and almost looks like the pupil is damaged. Is he going to heal? or possibly end up blind in the one eye?

I attached some pictures that might help.

Thanks.

eye 001.jpg eye 002.jpg eye 003.jpg eye 004.jpg
 
It looks pretty superficial to me. If it's not infected, I'd be optimistic for a near full recovery. Good luck!
 
The "clear bubble" you normally see is the cornea. The cornea is a clear living lens that helps to focus light into the eye. You have a cornea on the front of each eye as well. The eye normally contains fluid inside of it with a certain range of normal fluid pressure. If the cornea and/or other part of the eye is punctured, it will actually deflate and this can cause a variety of problems including intra ocular eye infection, retina detachment. It would seem that you don't see the clear bubble on this fish's eye because the eye has been punctured and is deflated. Without the normal shape of the cornea, that eye is undoubtedly blind at this point and is now susceitble to infection. IF the interal eye parts become infected, this can spread to the surround eye socket and brain and cause death. I don't think there's much you can do for a fish in this situtation -- it would need antibiotics by mouth to prevent infection and a suture of the open wound -- never gonna happen. So, not much to do - just keep feeding her and keep good water conditions and hope for the best.
 
Well, I took some closer looks this morning. And I am pretty sure he is blind in the one eye, if I look closely enough, I can see white behind what I would assume is his pupil.

Debating re-homing my female angelfish now, she does not get on well with my other male, and so far has now managed to semi blind my other male. The saddest part is that I think he is confused and is attempting to impress his reflection on the side of the tank thinking that it is the female (they look identical).
 
The "clear bubble" you normally see is the cornea. The cornea is a clear living lens that helps to focus light into the eye. You have a cornea on the front of each eye as well. The eye normally contains fluid inside of it with a certain range of normal fluid pressure. If the cornea and/or other part of the eye is punctured, it will actually deflate and this can cause a variety of problems including intra ocular eye infection, retina detachment. It would seem that you don't see the clear bubble on this fish's eye because the eye has been punctured and is deflated. Without the normal shape of the cornea, that eye is undoubtedly blind at this point and is now susceitble to infection. IF the interal eye parts become infected, this can spread to the surround eye socket and brain and cause death. I don't think there's much you can do for a fish in this situtation -- it would need antibiotics by mouth to prevent infection and a suture of the open wound -- never gonna happen. So, not much to do - just keep feeding her and keep good water conditions and hope for the best.

Well, I took some closer looks this morning. And I am pretty sure he is blind in the one eye, if I look closely enough, I can see white behind what I would assume is his pupil.

Debating re-homing my female angelfish now, she does not get on well with my other male, and so far has now managed to semi blind my other male. The saddest part is that I think he is confused and is attempting to impress his reflection on the side of the tank thinking that it is the female (they look identical).

This is so sad, abcdefghi. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your angel :(
 
Sadly I think I am going to have to consider my options with him, yesterday I saw him laying at the bottom of the tank. He has been resting in a net overnight (to be honest, I had hoped he would pass away overnight) and this morning I tried to move him to a different tank, he simply fell out of the net, has no control moving, appears to be constantly pooping.

I am debating ending his suffering at this point, but have no idea how to do so with a fish with a so large.
 
I have an Angel with one eye. lost it fighting with the male.
it take a bit of adjustment.

the big thing is if the angel gets an infection.
keep the water clean.
 
I have an Angel with one eye. lost it fighting with the male.
it take a bit of adjustment.

the big thing is if the angel gets an infection.
keep the water clean.

I think that he may now have dropsy, he has swollen up considerably, I also noticed that the edge of his fins appear to have red spots on them. Oddly though I keep reading that dropsy is caused by poor water conditions, which I am fairly sure my tank is clean. It is a 55G with filtration from an Eheim 2217 and a Cascade 700, water change is 50% weekly and its heavily planted. All the other fish, including rummy nose and rams are fine.
 
actually i don't believe dropsy is a result of poor water.
I believe it is more a problem of organ failure than poor water.
typically , Sx is swelling and may be edema , end result is usually organ failure.
but have seen it occur in pristine water conditions on some species of fish.
 
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