OMG! My fish lost an eye.
5 posters
:: Freshwater :: Freshwater General
Page 1 of 1
OMG! My fish lost an eye.
Wow...I just turned the lights on in my African cichlid tank and what do a I see? One of my peacocks is missing an eye! The eye is completely gone! There is no bleeding and he seems fine otherwise. What should I do if anything? Should I take him out and isolate him so it doesn't get infected or will he heal up fine in the tank with the others?
This has never happened to me before. Just a little e freaked out about it.
This has never happened to me before. Just a little e freaked out about it.
Mykuhl- Shrimp
- Posts : 74
Join date : 2014-08-06
Location : Etobicoke, Ontario
Re: OMG! My fish lost an eye.
It might be interesting to know who else is in there, to have eaten the eye. I ask because there are some specialised eye eaters in Lake Malawi, and while you probably don't have one, you never know. Dimidiochromis compressiceps is the Malawi eyebiter. I have seen them for sale in stores, and not always at high prices. In the wild, they are known for picking eyeballs out of living prey (what a way to make a living) but in aquariums, they don't always show their natural behavior.
He is now handicapped, but he should survive as long he gets to keep the other eye. I had a one eyed South American cichlid for years.
He is now handicapped, but he should survive as long he gets to keep the other eye. I had a one eyed South American cichlid for years.
GaryE- Veteran Member
- Posts : 2505
Join date : 2013-09-07
Re: OMG! My fish lost an eye.
I had a one eyed Angel for several years. He did just fine and was with 4 other angels. His was injured when I got him about dime sized, a few days later I noticed it was gone.
No infection, no nothing once he learned to spot the food with his one eye.
No infection, no nothing once he learned to spot the food with his one eye.
nyleveiam- Veteran Member
- Posts : 1383
Join date : 2014-02-05
Location : New Hampshire, USA
Re: OMG! My fish lost an eye.
I had a one-eyed black skirt for about a year. Actually, she still had the eye but it no longer worked because of pop-eye. She did fine but only went after the food that fell down on the side with the eye. But then she would adjust and look around for more.
Starfish- Veteran Member
- Posts : 1202
Join date : 2013-09-08
Location : Southampton, Ontario
Re: OMG! My fish lost an eye.
It doesn't have to be a specialised eye eater; it can be a matter of competition within a species. I had it with a sparkler and they were in a species tank.
Biulu- Support
- Posts : 3694
Join date : 2013-09-12
Location : Montreal, Quebec
Re: OMG! My fish lost an eye.
They can easily lose an eye on a scrap. It's not uncommon.
However, since you have a Malawi tank, and since eyebiters are often sold as "African Cichlids" , it's worth a google images search to see if you have one. If you do the problem becomes more complex.
I realize you may know 100 times more about Malawis than I do, but since we don't really know each other, I just throw these things out just in case. I noticed some poorly identified eyebiters in a shop a while back and read up on them. At the time, I wondered what would happen if an aquarist bought one for a Malawi community and had it act on instinct. It probably wouldn't stop at one eyeball....
I have had several cyclops fish over the years through, just from normal sparring.
However, since you have a Malawi tank, and since eyebiters are often sold as "African Cichlids" , it's worth a google images search to see if you have one. If you do the problem becomes more complex.
I realize you may know 100 times more about Malawis than I do, but since we don't really know each other, I just throw these things out just in case. I noticed some poorly identified eyebiters in a shop a while back and read up on them. At the time, I wondered what would happen if an aquarist bought one for a Malawi community and had it act on instinct. It probably wouldn't stop at one eyeball....
I have had several cyclops fish over the years through, just from normal sparring.
GaryE- Veteran Member
- Posts : 2505
Join date : 2013-09-07
Re: OMG! My fish lost an eye.
Thank you everyone for your stories of one eyed fish. It makes me feel better that he will be fine.
Gary,
Thanks for that information. I do know about the malawi eyebiter, and know for sure that I don't have one of those. The other fish I have in that tank are not known to be particularly aggressive. I have other peacocks, a couple of protomelas, a Hap ahli, a yellow lab, 2 calvus and 2 frontosa. I have a feeling that it might have been the Hap ahli, as he is the most aggressive one in there.
Gary,
Thanks for that information. I do know about the malawi eyebiter, and know for sure that I don't have one of those. The other fish I have in that tank are not known to be particularly aggressive. I have other peacocks, a couple of protomelas, a Hap ahli, a yellow lab, 2 calvus and 2 frontosa. I have a feeling that it might have been the Hap ahli, as he is the most aggressive one in there.
Mykuhl- Shrimp
- Posts : 74
Join date : 2014-08-06
Location : Etobicoke, Ontario

» smart fish, dumb fish, pink fish...um, what rhymes with dumb?
» Lost betta
» Lost both Clown Loaches - Need help!
» More New Fish!!!!!!
» TOO Many FISH?
» Lost betta
» Lost both Clown Loaches - Need help!
» More New Fish!!!!!!
» TOO Many FISH?
:: Freshwater :: Freshwater General
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
» Anyone still around? Need help transporting fish
» Stocking suggestions
» New Tank Purchase
» 3 Gallon Tetra half moon tank
» White floaty stuff in gold fish tank
» Ammonia in tap water
» Need advice for beginner with fresh water tank
» Fluval FX5 hose size?
» smart fish, dumb fish, pink fish...um, what rhymes with dumb?
» Is K&E sandblasting sand same as Black diamond?
» What the...is that a leak? NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! (a comedy of horrors...)
» Air stones and the noise they make
» aquatic medications
» film like stuff on the water surface of shark tank
» Articles on swordtail behaviour and fathead minnows
» Lets see your predators!
» Humane way to PTS a shark
» My tanks (Introducing myself)
» Build your own aquarium