My ram cichlid's eye fell out and the socket is growing. What to do?

Maintain pristine water quality and stable chemistry. If the fish is not a scaleless fish, you can use plain aquarium salt as a general tonic. It will reduce stress, increase gill function, treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) per 5 gallons of water in a cup or two of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess the condition of the injured fish. Partial water changes can be performed afterwards to reduce salinity. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock.

This could be caused an extreme exophthalmus that has rupture both eyes and could be secondary to an infection. Gas bubble disease can lead to eyes rupture as well. Eyes unfortunately do not regenerate but can heal depending on the type of injury (a picture of the lesions would be extremely helpful in your case). Begin by submitting a water sample for quality testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or a nominal fee. Clinical examination should always include a water quality check, even if you have done so already. Water testing should be performed with a quality test kit, measuring NH4, NO2 and NO3. High ammonia levels, PH imbalances may be responsible for these signs. Oxygen concentration and quality of the filters should be determined as well. If water quality is normal, antibiotic treatment is likely to be required. Please discuss these options with your local vet.

It may be a bacterial infection or trauma. Monitor for bullying since you have other fish. Most minor infections can be managed or resolved by maintaining pristine water quality. A bit of plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) can be used as a general tonic to aid in recovery, reduce stress and improve gill function. Dissolve 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water in a cup or two of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess the condition. If the condition is unchanged, consider a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can find one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

Thanks for reaching out. Not sure how when the lights were turned on, the fish responded when it had no eyes. Could the corneas be cloudy? This could be due to trauma from an aggressive fish, parasitic infestations, or infections. A veterinary visit would be recommended. If the one has no eyes, it needs to be humanly euthanized as can not find food and will starve to death or succumb to infection. Continue to test water quality and correct any problems. Good luck.

Separate him out to a separate tank or bowl. This will make treatment easier and may prevent spread to other fish. Pop eye is typically due to a bacterial infection. This can be due to poor water quality, stress or possibly introduced by new additions. You can use Melafix, Maracyn or Maracyn II to treat. Either can be purchased in most pet stores or online. Follow package directions. Keep the water in the hospital tank clean. Use treated or aged water for water changes. A protectant such as StressCoat can be added as well.

Thanks for reaching out about your Oscar and including photos, but difficult to see the HLLE lesions due to too dark. The eye looks terrible and systemic antibiotics are recommended at the least. A veterinary visit is highly recommended to clean the wound and provide other possible treatments. The water quality must be kept pristine (pH, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) to assist recovery. Antibiotics added to the water do not penetrate into the body, nor do fresh water fish drink, since osmotically water enters over mucous membranes (gills, mouth, skin) and antibiotics do not cross this barrier. HLLE causes can be multi-factorial including water quality, bacteria, parasites, carbon particles in activated charcoal (filters), low vitamin C, etc. Check and correct water quality, replace existing food if older than two months (vitamin C degrades quickly), see a veterinarian with fish experience. Good luck.

Separate him out into a hospital tank if possible. He could be injuring himself on tank furniture (plants, rocks, etc.). You can treat using a broad spectrum antibiotic such as Maracyn or Kanaplex. Find them in the aquarium section of the local Petco or fish store. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can also be used to aid healing. Dissolve 1 teaspoon per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 7-10 days then perform partial water changes to decrease salinity. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock.