Goldfish losing eyes

[Brian Bivens]

OK, so I am going to break the rules in asking this question, because right off the bat, I do not know the water perameters of my co-workers tank.

She has a 90 gallon tank with 17 goldfish in it, all are 2" or smaller. She has had 2 or 3 of the fish lose one or both eyes in a matter of a few days.

The fish that lost both eyes lost them while she was at work, and when she came home the fish was in the process of dying eyeless.

Is there a disease that causes the fish to lose their eyes (she said the eyes weren't noticibly bigger, or cloudy)

I do know the tank has been up and running for 6 months or so....

Any help, or advice. I will tell her to get the API liquid test kit, but I don't know goldfish at all:help:

 

[Flaringshutter]

Losing eyes is almost always due to aggression. What else is in the tank? What kind of tank decor? What type of goldfish?

 

[Brian Bivens]

What else is in the tank? Just fish, decor and snails
What kind of tank decor? Plastic plants and flowers
What type of goldfish? - comet, fantail, and regular feeder ones

She doesn't do water changes, (refuses to) after I let her know what the outcome will be. She just changes filter cartridges out (1 at a time) once a month

 

[wataugachicken]

well, it would be simple enough to tell her the fish are dying because of her refusal to follow your advice. i don't think you need a test kit when you have 17 stunted goldfish, 90g, and no water changes in 6 months. the answer presents itself.

 

[Blueiz]

Losing eyes is almost always due to aggression. What else is in the tank? What kind of tank decor? What type of goldfish?

Exactly..they will peck each others eyes out.. Regardless if the fish are small, that is a LOT of goldfish in that tank.

 

[DAVIDFBT]

Are the eyes completely out of their sockets, or are they just torn up looking?

 

[Flaringshutter]

Well you don't have any decor that could puncture eyes. In that case I'm sure it's aggression due to overcrowding, and complicated by no water changes. Nitrates build up in a hurry with that many goldfish, especially with a HOB filter.
I don't want to create a relationship hazard here, but as a responsible fishkeeper I think you need to take control here and help her find new homes for these fish. They are dying in her care and she refuses to understand and perform the basics of fishkeeping.

 

[Brian Bivens]

Thank you all for your help, I will definitely do everything I can to steer her the right way. In the end, I certainly cannot police her into doing what I think is right if she doesn't agree.

 

[Blueiz]

At least your trying to help her.. Thats all you can do.

 

[Flaringshutter]

Good deal Brian. Best of luck.