purple pseudochromis w/ cloudy puffy eye

[fatoldsun]

I added a purple pseudochromis/dotty back about a week or 2 weeks ago. It was QT'd for about 4 weeks and came from a fellow reefer's tank never showing any signs of a problem. Since I added it to the DT my hippo tang has shown an interest in harassing it. I've kept her at bay somewhat using the mirror trick and it worked. Today I noticed one of its eyes looks cloudy and puffy. Could that be from the tang (or a 6-line in three also)? Anything I can/should do? Thanks

 

[TanksNStuff]

Could be Popeye.

http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/disease-prevention/popeye.aspx

I think Melafix / Pimafix is a good medicine for that. You can get it just about any pet store.

I suggest going back to Quarantine while medicating. Will be easier to observe there too.

 

[fatoldsun]

Could be Popeye.

sounds right George. When I moved it from the QT to the DT it surfed the basement floor for a few seconds. Likely enough to scratch its cornea. Just broke the QT down and I finally returned a trap I had borrowed for several months so I can't fairly ask to borrow that. This guys really little anyway. A small water bottle trap should do it. The article says its very hard to treat. I guess getting a fish to "take its antibiotic" is challenging.

 

[fatoldsun]

I haven't been successful trapping this guy and the eye while not 100% looks about 60-70% improved. I'm questioning of I should continue trying to get it out. I'm thinking it may be more harmful. Especially going through the DT intro again. There is what looks like a battle scar below the eye. Maybe it wasn't as badly injured as I first thought and it will heal up on its own. Not sure it has the same impact on marine life but salt water always worked wonders for me as a kid

 

[TanksNStuff]

That's good news Dave. If it continues to improve then I'd leave him in there.

 

[fatoldsun]

It's doing better. Weird thing is the Hippo tang (which I thought was mild mannered) is relentlessly going after it. She's never chased anything else I've added. They're neither the same size, shape or color. I expected that type of behavior from the wrase but all he does is go after his reflection in the mirror. He really hates himself. Literally every waking moment...

 

[sbelyo]

those things are impossible to catch. I have to catch mine as he nearly killed my Allen's Damsel. The damsel was pretty chewed up one day. I just finished treating with Melafix in the display tank as I have no QT setup. The Damsel has made a full recovery but is living in a large Beta condo.

On a side note I actually caught the pseudochromis first by accident in the beta condo. I felt bad and went to give him some food and the little bully jumped right out into the tank

 

[fatoldsun]

I gave up trying to catch it. I would have had to leave the trap in overnight and I was afraid I'd find the 6-line in there too. It's a pig and goes after ALL food. I guess I got lucky b/c the eye is all healed up. Just wish I knew what the tang has against this little guy.

 

[Hawkeye]

i made the mistake of housing my tang in a QT with a damsel. The damsel stupidly tried to carve out a space and that didn't work out. Since that brief period in the QT, it's been years now and even though there is 120 gallons of space, the tang will purposefully chase the damsel at any given opportunity.

So while they may not look the same, who knows maybe in the past the tang had a bad experience with a psuedo and now hates them all...

 

[fatoldsun]

Yeah, I really hadn't considered the tang's juvenile years - I guess that was kind of insensitive of me, huh? Maybe I can offer some team building exercises or a leadership seminar. Might even help with the GSMC's attitude problem.