4 inch or so vlamingi tang with one eye popped

[Dakotamay]

Hi all,
Last Sunday we got a nice little vlamingi. He was perfectly healthy and happy in the stores tank. On the way home he flipped out in the bag and we could hear him from inside the cooler splashing about. I didn't think much of it at the time. We acclimated him and that afternoon he ate pellets and frozen.
Monday morning he was hiding in the back corner of our tank. Behind live rock. He hasn't moved from there since and hasn't eaten. I've tried to use the turkey baster and put food right in front of him. No go. I noticed a couple of days ago that his one eye. The one he keeps towards the back of the tank in the darker side. Is popped out and is huge. The other eye is normal. He responds when you go near that corner and watches you and what not. Just he won't eat and he won't come out of that corner. I'm starting to get concerned for him.
Any suggestions how to alleviate this guys eye? Treatment?

I'll also mention. No one else in the tank is sick. Everyone else is eating fine. All water params are normal and I've just done my normal 25g weekly water change yesterday. We have a 180g tank. 50g sump. Skimmer, carbon reactor. I think that's about it.  Oh yes, 80lbs of live rocks and 260lbs of base eco rock that has been curing I guess you'd say since January 1st. So that rock is now about 2 and a bit months old.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can offer me suggestions.  I googled vlamingi with popeye and read some people use epsom salts to treat the swelling. I don't know if that makes much sense. Given epsoms are mainly magnesium. Which is also contained in the tank to begin with.

[beertech]

It's pretty common,
Can be caused by physical injury, stress, or poor water conditions.
In your case I think probably stress and or injury.
It shouldn't be life threatening, but will take a few weeks to go away.
I had a clown that had this problem and it seemed like forever for it to clear up.

The best thing would be to remove him and place him in his own tank in a quiet corner of the house. This will allow him to adjust to tank life and maybe start eating. This will also give you time to observe for any other issues like parasites etc..
Then you will be able to treat any diseases that may appear without affecting the main display.

The only hard thing is to keep monitoring this QT tank for Ammonia and keep up on the water changes until it's stable.

It sounds like a lot of work but if you want to keep the fish alive it's worth the effort.

Gord

[Dakotamay]

Hi Gord,
Thanks for the info. I have a QT tank set up. Thing is it's only a small 25g cube. Not nearly big enough to house this guy even temporarily. Although, wouldn't be any worse than the tiny corner he's kept himself in for a week now. He literally hasn't left it.
You mentioned get used to tank life. Sorry for forgetting to mention. He was in a tank from a tiny gapher til that 110g was tore down.  He was taken to Forty Fathoms to be sold for the guy. Jim had him there with no issues for about 3 weeks before we decided to buy him. I checked on him each time I was up there in that time to make sure he looked healthy and was eating. He was indeed with no issues.
Since the 25g is all I have available would that suffice for a short time? I really don't think so.

[beertech]

I guess it depends on how many and what type of other fish are in your tank.
If you think he can hide in his corner and not be bothered, he may be ok.
I don't think this is something that requires medication, so it may be best to let him chill where he is.

If you do end up needing to treat him for anything, then the small QT tank will be fine for the duration of the treatment.
I'm currently treating a 9" Naso Tang in a 20 gal bin. 

It could also just be caused by a rapid rise in salinity.
How long did he acclimate for, and what was the difference between the old and new water?
Do you know what salinity Jim had him in?
Some retailers keep the fish only tanks at much lower levels to help with parasites.

If this is the case, you could lower your display to 1.023-1.024 within a day with no ill effects on the other inhabitants. Then slowly over a few days, raise it back up to 1.026.
Generally, fish can handle rapidly lowering the salinity, but need more time to adjust to rising levels.

[Dakotamay]

That's a great thought too Gord. The vlamingi was for sure in 1.025. Jim keeps his tanks at this. I know as I've seen it personally on the Refractometer.

The good news is. While I was outside hanging some laundry out. The vlamingi left his corner and went to the large cave in the center of the tank. He's now in there and when I fed some pellets a few minutes ago. He did come out just enough to grab a couple. So, first he's ate in a week. Things are looking up for him. I'm glad because I was sooo worried about him.

I'll be doing the nightly fronzen feed around 7:30ish. I'll post back if he comes out for that. I guess I decided to post when he decided to come out and try to integrate to the tank. Figures. Lol.

[Dakotamay]

Just an update. He didn't come out to eat frozen. At least he ate a couple pellets earlier. Something in his belly. See how tomorrow goes.