ram popeye fry question

[gingerbeer01]

I have a problem. Of my four rams 3 have double pop-eye - too both eyes. From what I have read there is buckleys chance of saving.

Problem is that I have 1 stud ram who has bred with both females and he is unafected - and has been looking after babies while others have gone wrong in main tank. I suspect water quality was an issue as only have enough rain water for breeder tanks until recently - so while water is good now I think quality was poor and sparked outbreak (bloody Brisbane town water).

The question is - I have babies from these fish. Should I destroy the fry??

Some stuff I read says that I should and points to the dreaded TB. If it is TB what should I do about the other fish in the tank.

Thanks,
STeve

[fishgeek]

bilateral exopthalmus(protrusion of the eye from it's socket)

is more commonly suggested to point to systemic(whole body) disease than in unilateral cases
exopthalmus is uncomfortable because of the stretch of teh supporting tissue around the eye


there are many reasons
including odema(fluids accummulating) in the retrobulbar(area behind the eye) tissue
gas accumulation in the same area..as seen in gas bubble disease
and infectious agents of almost all forms, fungi,viral,bacterial,etc
growths of a cancerous nature


as you suggest the water may not have been as good, fry are generally more susceptble to nitrates than adult fish
are you seeing any respiratory signs?

regular small partial water changes fro young fry are important , and god clean water is imperative to aiding recovery of almost any fish ailment

if multiple small fish are inolved topical teatment as i sometimes do is unlikley to be feasile

is there a chance that the eye's look big because of malnutrition?
low levels of vitamin A can cause eye issue's

andrew

[gingerbeer01]

Thanks for the reply Andrew.

Tee adult fish have the problem, the fry are only 2 weeks freeswimming so can;t see aqny problems - and tehy have always had and will have good water. It is my community tank taht suffers as rain water (the good stuff) goes to breeders and fry first. Hecne my 6 footer has only had tap water until late nad then got some of the good stuff as I had enough.

If it is a growth due to viral/bacterial causes - and poor water let it get a head start - then I don't have to worry - I surmise

If it is a inherita problem than I should be concerned - so what are the odds. I want to use the offspring to set up my breeding program as I chose the 4 rams to get a mix of genetics and then to select from there.

I am worried whether I should get rid of the fry anyway and start again. My remaining healthy Ram rather than being put back into the community is in a spare breeder.

[gingerbeer01]

Thanks for the reply Andrew.

Tee adult fish have the problem, the fry are only 2 weeks freeswimming so can;t see aqny problems - and tehy have always had and will have good water. It is my community tank taht suffers as rain water (the good stuff) goes to breeders and fry first. Hecne my 6 footer has only had tap water until late nad then got some of the good stuff as I had enough.

If it is a growth due to viral/bacterial causes - and poor water let it get a head start - then I don't have to worry - I surmise

If it is a inherita problem than I should be concerned - so what are the odds. I want to use the offspring to set up my breeding program as I chose the 4 rams to get a mix of genetics and then to select from there.

I am worried whether I should get rid of the fry anyway and start again. My remaining healthy Ram rather than being put back into the community is in a spare breeder.

[fishgeek]

not likely to be inherited as a problem in general

looks like i got the wrong end of the stick again
no fry affected
just the 2? breeding adults? or only 1

gas more likely in large eyed marine fish after capture and transport, changes in air pressure/sea pressure etc

systemic disease that you are worried about(mycobacteriosis) is usually slow and insidious
the bacteria are often associated with the substrate
if granuloma's have formed then you are not going to rid you tank of it only by killing the fish(in fact i wouldn't consider it for as a hobbyist)

the fact that 2 eye's have shown signs t the same time make granuloma or cancerous growths less likely

i would assume som systemic infectioud disorder with a faster progression than tb

these are just my assumptions/thoughts on what i think i understand is going on in your tank
if you have medicated food/ or are willig to treat the infected fish with ab's
i would also try and find some corticosteroid ointment to symptomatically relieve the swelling/stretch issue's around the eye