What causes dark eyes?

[NickK]

What are some of the things that cause bright red eyes to turn black/dark?

Nick

[discus_nw]

Intestinal worm infestation can.

[NickK]

Discus_nw,
Funny you mention that. Based on 3 hours of Simply Archive research, I'm pretty sure there are worms present. Everyone has become skittish, and there are some dark eyes. The poop is red (from the colorbits), but I think I see yellow in some of the poop. I have both Prazi and Flube, but which treatment should I do? I really think something internal is bothering the fish, but I don't know what to use. I've never used either.

Thanks,
Nick

[discus_nw]

Any discus I had with tapeworms never had their eyes turn brown/black. They always stayed red. Nemotodes would be my guess, so I'd use the flubendazole.

[NickK]

Thanks! How long should I treat for internal worms? I just added 1/4 tsp per 20 gal. What is the recommended schedule?

Nick

PS - One more question - If this is internal worms, will the discus pass anything? Should I be looking for something?

[Tristanyyz]

Hey maybe my Blue Diamond has worms too, I have been treating him with Metro, now three times...and he is still sick...and has been for 3 weeks now...

[discus_nw]

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=7647

[Tristanyyz]

Thanks for the thread...read it already...

As my Blue Diamond doesnt seem to be getting worse...I think i will let him have a rest from meds now...and see if he gets better on his own...

[Willie]

Blue Diamonds are notorious for having red eyes turn amber. If you're talking about Blue Diamonds, there's probably nothing wrong with the fish. However, this does not occur with other strains.

Willie

[Tristanyyz]

U know Willie, he has always had amber eyes, can you be more specific?

He is very light in colour right now, almost white blue, but he is eating like a pig...his tummy is always full...he is pooping now, but I thought he might be suffering from a blockage earlier...he hides alot behind his sponge filter, but when he is out, he swims normally...do you think he is Healthy?

[Willie]

If a fish eats like a pig, its usually healthy. It may be skittish, but its healthy.

Willie

[discus_nw]

;D, actually the thread was for Nick regarding length of treatment. Every other day for 10 treatments. :)

[NickK]

Thanks! I've read conflicting advice. When I add the Flube, do I add full treatment, or just what needs replaced?

Also, If there are internal worms, will the discus pass them? I would like to know if they did have them.


Nick

[Carol_Roberts]

Repeat full dose every other day after waterchange

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

This is just my personal opinion, but I think you waste your time and money putting medication in the water for an internal problem, plus stress the fish.
The medication should be in the food.
Dennis

[NickK]

This morning the tanks are really cloudy. Does flubendazole do this?

Nick

[flogger426]

nick,

it's hereditary - some discus have dark eyes. as long as body color is normal and the fish are eating the fish is probably fine. i think you are wasting your time and money as well as jeopardizing your fish by adding meds. if the fish aren't eating, body color is dark, feces white stringy etc. then i would say you have a some type of problem.


john

[discus_nw]

Heredity does not cause red eyes to turn brown/black. One of the first things to look at when buying healthy discus from a tank is the eyes. Many tanks contain 2-3" discus of all color varieties showing dark eyes. This is from internal parasite infestation.

I have read once by a member who is authorative on wild Heckles state that a wild Heckle can be stressed to the point that it's eyes turn brown and never go back to red. Just a hearsay story. Don't quote me on that.

Some medications will cross the membrane of the gills into the bloodstream of the fish, however, in the food would be better, as Dennis stated.

Prazi, flubendazole, erythromycin, an kanamyacin are some I can think of that will work in the water.

The cloudiness you are seeing can be caused by the flubedazole. It's a bacteria bloom. Wipe the sides down well before the next water change and treatment.

[NickK]

Thanks, discus_nw! The blue diamond's eyes were bright red a couple of weeks ago, and they started hiding in the corner and were very skittish. I knew something was going on, but I couldn't diagnose it. The other discus were also bothered, and the pigeon strains were showing heavy peppering. Hence, I feel this is something other than genetics.

How will I know if the Flubendazole kills the internal worms?

My tanks have had these white thread-like worms swimming around in the tanks, and I have repeatedly posted here to identify them. Everyone says they are planaria, and are a result of bad water quality. Well, my tanks stay extremely clean. Based on my research, these are not planaria. I have contacted a nematology department at a state university, and they will identify the worms if I send them in.

I called the water department, and they said the water comes from a river, but goes through heavy treatment. However, he said some nematodes can be very resistant to chorination, and some can be parasitic and hurt the discus. He is very interested in this project.

Since these worms were in my tanks BEFORE I received the discus, they either came from my water supply or from the Cycle or Start-Zyme I used to jumpstart the tanks.

I'm curious if the Flube treatment is killing these worms. The worms all survived treatments of Metro, Formalin, and Salt.

I'm not positive if these worms have anything to do with the health of the fish, but I would like to ID them and eradicate them. They are unsightly.

Nick

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Nick
I have no idea whether you have planaria or some other type of worm.
But the statement about your water quality being bad if you have planaria is BS. planaria need clean water to survive, it can mean you are over feeding which will cause a great population increase in planaria.
Dennis

Over feeding and discus slime cause those critters to bloom. They are harmless. Get a Bristlenose to eat the excess food and clean out the slime on the glass will eradicate the worm for good. Any eggs felt from the gill worms will be eaten by them too. I've never seen one single worm in my tank with all these years. I have at lease 2 bristlenoses in each tank including the breeders.
Jimmy.

[NickK]

Since the discus are eating well, can I add some Flubendazole to the food? If so, how much? Instead of "X mg per Y grams", can you use the English system? How many Tsp / Tbs? I already have frozen beefheart.

Thanks,
Nick

PS - I am already in day 5 of the Flubendazole in the water treatment.

[TKD-MAN]

:) Hi Jimmy, what is a Bristlenoses?
I have worms too :'(
When my fish eats them they get sick. :puke:
They get pale in color and timid. Food consumption is small.