Fish Eye Disorders - Symptoms and Treatments

Let's talk about fish eye disorders-symptoms and treatments.

Fish can experience various eye disorders caused by infections, diseases, and sometimes injuries. These include gas bubbles, pop eye, cataracts, cloudy eye, and eye flukes. These disorders are fairly common in many different pet fish.

It is important to always be on the lookout for changes in fish or any pet. Animals can't really tell their owners when something is wrong, especially an animal like a fish that can't even make a noise for a human to hear. Abnormal changes in an animal's behavior or appearance typically means illness. This is the same for fish. If fish stop eating, begin acting lethargic, have trouble swimming or have any sudden appearance changes, they are probably suffering from some type of illness.

Fish with eye disorders usually have symptoms including swollen eyes, ulceration, eyes popping out, blood in eyes, mucus covering eyes, and other abnormalities on or around the eye.

Injury can also cause eye problems. These injuries would be most likely when the fish is being transported. Any sign of blood in a fish's eye would be caused by injury or some infections. It is also important to know that sometimes parasites can even get in a fish's eye, so try to look closely at an eye to determine what the disorder is.

Pop eye can usually be treated with some clean water and some antibiotics. For cloudy eye or cataracts, usually can't be completely cured. However, a well balanced diet and clean water can help the condition.

Treatment for gas bubble disease can be recommended by a vet. Gas bubble disease involves the small gas bubbles that are found inside the cornea of a fish.

Eye flukes is an example of a parasitic infection in the eye. This is more common with wild fish than it is with aquarium fish. An fish with eye flukes will have enlarged eyes that are cloudy and sometimes develop cataracts. The parasite that looks like a tiny worm can sometime be seen in the fish's eye. There is no cure for eye flukes.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.