Blind chromis? How to tell? What next?

[ToddTT]

I had a disaster a couple of weeks back where I believe I introduced a toxin to my tank while installing a new return pump. A couple of water changes later, and some new filter media, and all of my tank's inhabitants are doing fantastic...

Except for one chromis, out of 6. He was just hanging out at the bottom of the tank, mostly staying in one spot.

I started feeding him with the Kent squirt feeder. He would eat, but seemed surprised when the food would make contact with him. And he wasn't eating efficiently. Seemed like only food that practically hit his mouth was being consumed.

After the other fish started picking on him, I separated him to my QT. He is swimming now, but it seems random and he bumps into the walls a lot. I try to get a reaction by waving my hands, but he doesn't react at all.

I think he is blind.

Have people had fish behave like this, and recover?

Any suggestions for feeding him?

Any suggestions for utilizing my main tanks' filtration to take care of my holding tank's water? I have a feeling I am in for the long haul with this poor little guy.

[leebca]

If it doesn't eat, it won't live. If it does eat, it will likely regain partial site. Unlike human eyes, fish eyes keep growing, laying down new retina as the fish gets older. So a blinded fish (that once saw) can begin to see again.

But it has to eat.

[ToddTT]

If it doesn't eat, it won't live. If it does eat, it will likely regain partial site. Unlike human eyes, fish eyes keep growing, laying down new retina as the fish gets older. So a blinded fish (that once saw) can begin to see again.

But it has to eat.

If he bounces back I will be ecstatic.

I'm overfeeding his private tank, and he is definitely eating.

I'm also doing water transfusions with my main tank to keep the water quality high, as well as skimming out the excess food in the process.

Hopefully I'll make up for my blunder which got him into this mess.

Thanks,
Todd

[Parrothead]

""Any suggestions for utilizing my main tanks' filtration to take care of my holding tank's water? I have a feeling I am in for the long haul with this poor little guy"".

The main reason for a QT/HT is to seperate new arrivals from the primary system, thus doing our best to keep diease and other nasties out of our display tanks, now if you combine the filtration of you display tank with your QT/DT you have just defeated the whole purpose of a QT, because the diease will be shared by both systems sharing one filter

[ToddTT]

""Any suggestions for utilizing my main tanks' filtration to take care of my holding tank's water? I have a feeling I am in for the long haul with this poor little guy"".

The main reason for a QT/HT is to seperate new arrivals from the primary system, thus doing our best to keep diease and other nasties out of our display tanks, now if you combine the filtration of you display tank with your QT/DT you have just defeated the whole purpose of a QT, because the diease will be shared by both systems sharing one filter

There's no disease, my QT is acting strictly as a sanctuary at the moment. Maybe I should refer to it as my vacation tank.

[Parrothead]

I think you misunderstood what I was saying, if you have a qt tank set up, the key word there is "quartine", it is used to house new additions to insure a safe trip to your display tank and to make sure that the newly acquired creature is free from disease, now if the unfortunate situation of a new arrival having a disease and you have both tanks hooked up to the same filtration system, you run a high risk of transferring the disease from the qt to the display tank through the filter. Follow me now, that is why its called a quartine tank to keep this from happening

[ToddTT]

If it doesn't eat, it won't live. If it does eat, it will likely regain partial site. Unlike human eyes, fish eyes keep growing, laying down new retina as the fish gets older. So a blinded fish (that once saw) can begin to see again.

But it has to eat.

About 6 weeks later... and we have sight!

I just fed him, and he swam around grabbing the food before it hit the bottom!

Prior to this, he was exclusively eating off the bottom, in hit-or-miss fashion. And always acting scared when a piece would happen to brush against him.

I was afraid he was blind for good, or brain damaged, but it looks like he's going to recover. Very cool!

The next hurdle will be reintroducing him to the display tank, when he's ready. I hope the school takes him back (5 other chromis), and doesn't attack him.

[Steve McKay]

I'll be damned, you did something right.

[Ljuba]

I have the same problem. I am happy that I found this forum. I started feeding this fish and hope he will recover :-) Thanks for sharing your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a disaster a couple of weeks back where I believe I introduced a toxin to my tank while installing a new return pump. A couple of water changes later, and some new filter media, and all of my tank's inhabitants are doing fantastic...

Except for one chromis, out of 6. He was just hanging out at the bottom of the tank, mostly staying in one spot.

I started feeding him with the Kent squirt feeder. He would eat, but seemed surprised when the food would make contact with him. And he wasn't eating efficiently. Seemed like only food that practically hit his mouth was being consumed.

After the other fish started picking on him, I separated him to my QT. He is swimming now, but it seems random and he bumps into the walls a lot. I try to get a reaction by waving my hands, but he doesn't react at all.

I think he is blind.

Have people had fish behave like this, and recover?

Any suggestions for feeding him?

Any suggestions for utilizing my main tanks' filtration to take care of my holding tank's water? I have a feeling I am in for the long haul with this poor little guy.

Attachment 13420

[Ljuba]

What type of food did you give to the blind fish?

[Ljuba]

Thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!

If it doesn't eat, it won't live. If it does eat, it will likely regain partial site. Unlike human eyes, fish eyes keep growing, laying down new retina as the fish gets older. So a blinded fish (that once saw) can begin to see again.

But it has to eat.