Eye infection targeting only angelfish, anthias, and rabbitfish?

FLP · Nov 3, 2022

Hello all, I manage the saltwater section at a LFS here and have been having some issues with eye infections that seem to be targeting only specific species of fish and I am wondering if anyone here may have experienced anything like this. Rabbitfish, anthias, and angelfish seem to be the only species that have been getting some sort of eye infection or parasite. Our QT tanks have many species of fish in them at any given time and the tanks have been treated with copper (except the tank with anthias) and Prazi. At first it seems like a typical eye injury from a scratch or something and after a couple days both eyes seem to get cloudy. There is no "popeye" and after about a month the fish seem to just go blind. The water quality is always good as I am the only person allowed to touch the tanks and I have been maintaining reef aquaria for over a decade. If anyone has any ideas it would be super helpful. I don't have any pictures to post at the moment but will try to get some posted soon. I have successfully handled most common eye issues in the past.
Thank You!
-Tyler, FLP

vetteguy53081 · Nov 3, 2022

FLP said:
Hello all, I manage the saltwater section at a LFS here and have been having some issues with eye infections that seem to be targeting only specific species of fish and I am wondering if anyone here may have experienced anything like this. Rabbitfish, anthias, and angelfish seem to be the only species that have been getting some sort of eye infection or parasite. Our QT tanks have many species of fish in them at any given time and the tanks have been treated with copper (except the tank with anthias) and Prazi. At first it seems like a typical eye injury from a scratch or something and after a couple days both eyes seem to get cloudy. There is no "popeye" and after about a month the fish seem to just go blind. The water quality is always good as I am the only person allowed to touch the tanks and I have been maintaining reef aquaria for over a decade. If anyone has any ideas it would be super helpful. I don't have any pictures to post at the moment but will try to get some posted soon. I have successfully handled most common eye issues in the past.
Thank You!
-Tyler, FLP

If both eyes, you have a bacterial issue going on as its past injury which unless you have a tank with sharp objects injuring eveyone
Flukes are a cause but again there would be other symptoms than just eye.
Treatment will be challenging especially if you have shared system for filters as I did with my LFS
Treatment best is : Seachem Kanaplex or Maracyn 2. My preference: Kanaplex

Jay Hemdal · Nov 3, 2022

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

There are multiple causes for cloudy eyes in fish - due to the clear sclera , this shows very readily.

Assuming the cases are related (they might not be) one common cause of cloudy eyes in those species are Neobenedenia flukes. These live on the outside of the eye (and on the fish’s body). There is also a rarer internal eye fluke, but those cause more internal cloudiness - like cataracts.
When Neo gets into a LFS it can be tough to control….prazi doesn’t work well for me. It is super easy to diagnose though - just give the affected fish a 5 minute FW dip and you’ll see the flukes drop off.
Jay

MnFish1 · Nov 3, 2022

I was going to suggest flukes

FLP · Nov 7, 2022

Thank you all for your help, I will dose some kanaplex and oxygenate the water more. Everyone at Reef2Reef have been a great help over the years. In a decade this was the first time I needed to post as you have covered any other issues we have had.
-Ty
FLP

Bucs20fan · Nov 7, 2022

FLP said:
Thank you all for your help, I will dose some kanaplex and oxygenate the water more. Everyone at Reef2Reef have been a great help over the years. In a decade this was the first time I needed to post as you have covered any other issues we have had.
-Ty
FLP

not to be rude, but you are aware that if it is flukes, especially neo flukes, kanaplex will not help right?