bala shark with red swollen eye

[sardesign]

i came back from the store today to find my bala shark with a red swollen eye. The eye is not really any larger than the other but it's fairy red around the perimeter of the eye lid [mostly along the top]. Does anyone have any suggestions would it could be. Since I have not noticed it this morning or the previous days, I would imagine it may be just damaged from swimming into a rock or driftwood. My water parameters check out pretty good:

ammonia = 0
nitrite = 0
nitrate = 10
ph = 6.6-6.8
co2 = +/-25 ppm

Before I run out to buy another tank to put him in, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sardesign]

no body?

 

[chaibill]

may have hit it on something how big is the bala and the tank these get to 3 feet i believe

 

[jm1212]

balas will only reach 18 or so inches...a 100 gallon is wide?

any chance that the clowns scared him? balas are very skittish, especially when they are alone. clowns tend to be more biosterous.

 

[Zebulon]

Wow I thought balas maxed at about 10 inches.
I also have read they prefer to be in groups of 3-5, unlike other sharks which are to be kept solo.

With slight (and infrequent, single fish) redness issues I wait a day and see if the redness subsides before I freak. Some fish show bump and nip injuries more readily than others... like a person who bruises easily. Might not be anything to worry about, see if it subsides in a day. Give him a little water change if it suits you better.

 

[sardesign]

thanks for the replies... sadly the bala died shortly after my post. it looks like he got an infection from his injury and couldn't fight it.

 

[chaibill]

maybe pop eye