Hi guys need some help. Bruce appears to be going blind. He seems to be able to see large and colourful objects but has trouble seeing smaller ones such as his food. For him to find his food I tap lightly on the tank near where it is and he heads for it. sometimes he gets it but often he misses. Have also been trying to teach him to eat from my hand. A scary experience all round! although he is getting slightly gentler with that first bite.

I've only noticed the sigh problems in the last couple of weeks. He did have popeye a couple of months ago which I treated with salts and it seemed to clear up. I was told to use the salts first by another oscar fish keeper. Other things I've done is a complete tank clean including gravel out and rinsed, filter cleaned, half water change. PH, ammonia and nitrites ok but nitrates were slightly high. One eye has a partial film on it and the other a very small red streak near the outer lower edge.

Any suggestions on what to do next would be gratefully appreciated. Be aware putting him to sleep is NOT an option at this point if I can get to him to feed with assistance.

Cheers Kell

A blind fish can have a happy life if proper care is provided. I believe you are in the right direction as for training your fish. Hopefully someone here with similar experience will give you good feedback.

Pop eye is a symptom. Using salts ( I figure you used Epson Salt ) might help with the swollen eye, by pulling fluids out. However, most times pop eye is the result of underlying bacterial infection.

The following is what I would do. I am not a licensed veterinarian, so if you follow my suggestions be aware that I don't have the competence to prescribe. Go at your own risk.

Your fish likely lost one eye, however there seems to be vision in the other one. I would give it some though to put your Oscar in a Hospital tank, and treat with a combination of Maracyn and Maracyn Two, dosing each twelve hours apart. That way you cover some broad ground for both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Treat for at least 2 weeks, and see if vision improves.

Don't do any partial water changes unless nitrates spike or if you go into a mini-cycle. If that's the case, your fish may need a longer time span treatment, say 4 weeks. These meds need to raise certain level of concentration in water to be effective. If your hospital tank has activated charcoal, remove it. Increase aeration -water agitation and/or airstones, keep the lights off and bring temp to a bit below 76F. Most bacteria will slow down their growth rate below at this temp, giving your active antibiotic agents a better chance to be effective.

In the end this might work or not. If it were my fish, I would give this some thought.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

Hi Pepe,
Thanks for that. The salts are called African Cichlid Conditioning Salts by Aquarium Science. I'm heading into town today so I'll try and get the antibiotics. The big pet store in there sells them so i shouldn't have too much trouble.
I don't have a tank to use as a hospital tank but Bruce is in on his own so would that be ok do you think?
He still seems quite happy in himself. Although my hubby, tony, took out all of his floating plastic weeds last night, thinking that would make it easier for him to find the food, and he did not look impressed at all. I noticed this morning that had pulled out the only two plastic plants he'd left alone till now and they are floating at the top. So i think i'll be putting the others back. Lol
Thanks again and I'll let you know how I go.
Cheers Kell

welcome aboard kell!

i believe pepe had covered you for all the emergency approach. i am not a veterinarian either but i want to share my experience with my pangasius Ebony who got total blurred eyes when he hit the glass wall of their tank. the salt make magic because it enhance oxygenation. high level of oxygen in water help fishes to breath better thus, in a way expedite healing. pristine water is the frontier of all medicine for fishes. i believe as long as the one eye of your oscar is not yet plucked-out, there is a high chance of recovery, though, we have two different scenario, mine was self inflicted damage while yours is a disease related infection.

if your ascar is all alone, you can do treatment in its tank with caution, no carbon or charcoal materials in the filtering system, otherwise, your medication will be useless.

the only drawback to medicating in the oscars tank is the size. most medicines are added on total water volume basis so the larger the tank the more medicine you ahve to add therefore the more expensive it is. other than that medicating your oscar in his tank is fine and as paul stated remove the carbon(if you use it) while undergoing treatment.

good luck to you

Hi guys

Well i have the medicine and it doesn't cost that much over here i guess; $50 Australian for both lots. Will be putting in to night and will let you know how I go. Thanks for all the advice.

Cheers Kell