Loaches Online Forum

Just noticed today after doing a water change that one of my striata has a white layer over his right eye. It looks like a film covering it. Not really fuzzy, but not just the center of his his eye. I can't tell if it is damage from a fight or accident, or if it is a disease or infection. I am including pictures, but they really show more of just a white center in the photos. The film is over his whole eye, and possibly more raised at the front. He is behaving completely normal grazing the bottom and digging in the gravel for food, not avoiding the other fish and nobody seems to be after him either.

Aside with assistance with diagnosis and treatment my other question would be do I remove him from the tank and treat him separately or are the other fish at risk and do I need to treat the whole tank.

Assistance would be most appreciated. - Thanks!!!






I tried to include some other eyes in the shots for reference, sorry they aren't the greatest, I'm panicking a little and he won't cooperate.

Something like that can clear up on it's own. It could just be an eye injury from scraping with another fish. Excellent water quality is the best remedy for minor injuries or bacterial problems. If the fish becomes lethargic or has other unusual symptoms, then you may want to quarantine and medicate the fish with antibiotics, such as the maracyn I & II combo. You should only use antibiotics in extreme measures and in a quarantine tank.

Thanks Chef!

It doesn't look any worse this morning. I'm going to do another water change again today on that tank. That will be 120 gal through a 75 in 2 days that's about as fresh as it can get.

I'm really hoping it is an injury and is in the healing process, which today with the help of some sunlight in the room is more what it looks like.

It caught me by surprise last night and freaked me out. I've been sick myself all week and haven't had as close an eye on the tank as I normally do.