pop eye

[carco88]

Well it had to happen !
every thing was going so well and then i noticed one of my prize fish has developed pop eye, does any one know what causes this and how to treat it?
thanks dean

[Wombat]

Usually bacterial infections, parasites or an injury. It can be a symptom of viral disease such as viral hemorrhagic septicaemia virus but the latter cause is quite rare.

Is your prized fish is an Anthias? they often develop gas bubble disease as they live in deeper reef habitats and can have trouble with nitrogen/oxygen balance in shallow water due to the low pressure

Treatments

not easy
anitbiotics/antimicrobials/immunstimulants for bacterial infections.
Parasite antihemetics, immunstimulants, freshwater dips, copper based medications
Viral infections it's wait and see
Gas bubble disease reduce aeration, increase the depth you keep the fish at.

[carco88]

Is your prized fish is an Anthias? they often develop gas bubble disease as they live in deeper reef habitats and can have trouble with nitrogen/oxygen balance in shallow water due to the low pressure

Spot on it is an anthias !
although its a deep tank as far as tanks go! 48" but i wonder if its these dam micro bubbles that are haunting me!

[Wombat]

Ah! re PM (read that first) yep the microbubbles will add to the problem also is your sump cooler than the tank (cold water holds more gas than warm water leading to supersaturation and this will compound a gas bubble issue)

I know that some importers keep Anthias, squirrel fish etc in a cage in a deep water sump (circa 2m deep) to begin with, slowly bringing them to the surface over a week or so to prevent this problem.

It's a radical solution but you could confine the fish to a pen at the bottom of your tank it will help but probably isn't practical.