Severe Acute Infection

My RTG suffered from a fungal infection of the eye which led to blindness, in less than 48 hrs!

Sequence of events:
Saturday: I changed 50% of my tank water (ok I know this is too much, should have changed only 30%)
Sunday: Fish behaving normally, eating well, no signs of problem.
Monday: I didnt take a look at my fish for the whole day.
Tuesday Morning 6:30am: Noticed white cotton-wool-like film over one eye. I added anti-fungal medication + salt.
Tueaday Evening 8pm: Eyeball pops out and drops to bottom of tank. Fish is blind. Fungus seems to have eaten away all of the cornea.

Between Sunday evening and Tuesday evening (48 hrs), my fish went from healthy to blind.

I thought "cloudy eye" is a common infection? The fish shop uncle even told me not to worry, it will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. I followed the S.O.P. to add medication + salt, but to no avail. My water quality has always been good.

What could have caused this? These are some possibilities:
1) The fish injured its eye by knocking something (pump/pipe), then the infection set in from there, that's why it was so serious.
2) Extreme case of super-strong fungus?
3) Stress on the fish due to 50% water change, sudden drop in temperature + change in other parameters.
4) Combination of 1, 2 and 3.

What will happen now? The fungus is clearing up. The eye socket is empty. Scar tissue will form? The fish is one-eye blind, that's for sure, but how will that affect its health?

The fish is now not worth much (if anything at all). Will arowana breeders still want to adopt it for breeding purposes?

So sad my poor fish that I reared since it was a 4-inch old baby has now gone blind.

[Panther]

Originally Posted by adrian9591

My RTG suffered from a fungal infection of the eye which led to blindness, in less than 48 hrs!

Sequence of events:
Saturday: I changed 50% of my tank water (ok I know this is too much, should have changed only 30%)
Sunday: Fish behaving normally, eating well, no signs of problem.
Monday: I didnt take a look at my fish for the whole day.
Tuesday Morning 6:30am: Noticed white cotton-wool-like film over one eye. I added anti-fungal medication + salt.
Tueaday Evening 8pm: Eyeball pops out and drops to bottom of tank. Fish is blind. Fungus seems to have eaten away all of the cornea.

Between Sunday evening and Tuesday evening (48 hrs), my fish went from healthy to blind.

I thought "cloudy eye" is a common infection? The fish shop uncle even told me not to worry, it will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. I followed the S.O.P. to add medication + salt, but to no avail. My water quality has always been good.

What could have caused this? These are some possibilities:
1) The fish injured its eye by knocking something (pump/pipe), then the infection set in from there, that's why it was so serious.
2) Extreme case of super-strong fungus?
3) Stress on the fish due to 50% water change, sudden drop in temperature + change in other parameters.
4) Combination of 1, 2 and 3.

What will happen now? The fungus is clearing up. The eye socket is empty. Scar tissue will form? The fish is one-eye blind, that's for sure, but how will that affect its health?

The fish is now not worth much (if anything at all). Will arowana breeders still want to adopt it for breeding purposes?

So sad my poor fish that I reared since it was a 4-inch old baby has now gone blind.

Very sorry to hear your case bro. I dun think it is fungus that caused the eye to pop out. I think likely parasites or some disease...I'm no doctor...but just that I dun think fungus will cause that.

That's very sad.

Originally Posted by Panther

Very sorry to hear your case bro. I dun think it is fungus that caused the eye to pop out. I think likely parasites or some disease...I'm no doctor...but just that I dun think fungus will cause that.

Yo bro, ever heard of any similar case before? That's why I'm still puzzled as to what happened - cant be just fungus alone 'eating' away the eye in such a short period of time.

One possible explanation is:
Water change, traces of chlorine remaining (despite using anti-chlorine/chloramine) causes fish's eyes to be irritated. Fish tries to 'scratch' against the wall, causing injury. Then the fungus manifests itself in the injury, thus causing such a catastrophy.

I've called Aqualife Vets, will probably arrange a house call later to come check on my fish.

[Panther]

Originally Posted by adrian9591

Yo bro, ever heard of any similar case before? That's why I'm still puzzled as to what happened - cant be just fungus alone 'eating' away the eye in such a short period of time.

One possible explanation is:
Water change, traces of chlorine remaining (despite using anti-chlorine/chloramine) causes fish's eyes to be irritated. Fish tries to 'scratch' against the wall, causing injury. Then the fungus manifests itself in the injury, thus causing such a catastrophy.

I've called Aqualife Vets, will probably arrange a house call later to come check on my fish.

Not sure bro. Fungus usually manifests itself on exterior (eg. eyes, scales, eggs, etc)...so I dun think it is fungal infection. However it may be something (maybe parasites) eating from the inside thus destroyed the eye or that the eye was blocked by fungus thus restricting it's contact with oxygen and died....just my speculation.

[Panther]

You can get bro Vetduck or Hobbit6003 (Kenny) to share with you coz they're in the doctors here.

Originally Posted by Panther

You can get bro Vetduck or Hobbit6003 (Kenny) to share with you coz they're in the doctors here.

Thanx dude!

i tink my fish is suffering from e same case!! juz tt e eye is still intact.. but it looks as though it's gonna come off anytime... anyway to save it??

Originally Posted by fantasy18

i tink my fish is suffering from e same case!! juz tt e eye is still intact.. but it looks as though it's gonna come off anytime... anyway to save it??

any picture to see how is it like?

Originally Posted by adrian9591

My RTG suffered from a fungal infection of the eye which led to blindness, in less than 48 hrs!

Sequence of events:
Saturday: I changed 50% of my tank water (ok I know this is too much, should have changed only 30%)
Sunday: Fish behaving normally, eating well, no signs of problem.
Monday: I didnt take a look at my fish for the whole day.
Tuesday Morning 6:30am: Noticed white cotton-wool-like film over one eye. I added anti-fungal medication + salt.
Tueaday Evening 8pm: Eyeball pops out and drops to bottom of tank. Fish is blind. Fungus seems to have eaten away all of the cornea.

Between Sunday evening and Tuesday evening (48 hrs), my fish went from healthy to blind.

I thought "cloudy eye" is a common infection? The fish shop uncle even told me not to worry, it will clear up in 1 to 2 weeks. I followed the S.O.P. to add medication + salt, but to no avail. My water quality has always been good.

What could have caused this? These are some possibilities:
1) The fish injured its eye by knocking something (pump/pipe), then the infection set in from there, that's why it was so serious.
2) Extreme case of super-strong fungus?
3) Stress on the fish due to 50% water change, sudden drop in temperature + change in other parameters.
4) Combination of 1, 2 and 3.

What will happen now? The fungus is clearing up. The eye socket is empty. Scar tissue will form? The fish is one-eye blind, that's for sure, but how will that affect its health?

The fish is now not worth much (if anything at all). Will arowana breeders still want to adopt it for breeding purposes?

So sad my poor fish that I reared since it was a 4-inch old baby has now gone blind.

I don't think is cause by water change.I always change my water up to 80%...nothing happened so far..already 3 years plus...look arround your fish tank got any sharp object???