FishProfiles.com Message Forums

One of my goldfish is suffering a bit because he can't see.. Orandas have the head protrusion bigger when older but sometimes the cheeks grow too much, ending up in blocked vision. This is the case.

How often does this happens? I've seen lots of orandas that have perfectly cleared eyeballs. For the surgery, Im only removing the soft tissue over the gill plates that blocks the vision.

There are only three questions remaining:

1) Are there any veins or blood stream ONLY in the soft part of the cheekthat doesn't shows at sight? Is it safe?


2) What medication could I apply right at the sore (near the eye) to prevent infections or I just keep the temperature higher to make the recovery faster?


Im not very worried of the fish having blocked the eyes, but lately he stumbles frequently against the tank's objects, plants, etc... He doesn't even reacts a lot when I start feeding the tank as he used to. :#(

I don't know a whole lot about this, but to medicate the fish I would put him in a quarantine (of course, I know) and treat the tank with Melafix and Pimafix, to help heal this treatment as fast as possible...and I don't think I'd try this, unless you are really truly really truly sure of yourself...I'd put him in a tank by himself, with no decoration, or sharp edges to run into...that's just me...Heidi

*This might be best posted in the hospital ward. Mods, can you move it? hml

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

I know there is a section in the book 'Fancy Goldfish' by Johnson and Hess that speakes specifically of this surgery and how to do it - I'd encourage you to get a look at it - it's clearly written by folks with lots of experience with exactly this situation and the guy who wrote the surgery section is a fish-specialist vet as well....

If you can't get it anywhere let me know and perhaps when I'm at home (where the book is) I can type in some of his advice for you - but it has so much other good advice it's probably worth getting if you can find it!

Melissa

Last edited by melflisha at 03-Mar-2005 17:46

Sharpix - I replied to your last post on the issue, suggesting the same book mentioned above - Fancy Goldfish.

It's a dangerous procedure, unless you have studied up a bit and that book has a section explaining what tools you need, and what issues you can run into.

If you cannot get the book in Mexico (assuming your flag is set for your country of origin), my offer to make copies of that section and send them in the mail to you still stands. I don't have the ability to scan right now. But the book is worth its weight in gold as it covers so many other medical issues - some you may run into later.

The fish must be anesthesized so that it doesn't move and there is a timeline that must be met for the fish out of water. There are 3 bins of water, one with a stronger dose of clove oil, a reduced dose, and just clean water - all with bubblers going.

I hope you won't rush into it without getting everything you need up front. If you've already done so, then that is all well and good.

Here is one link on anesthesia, but I like the one better where they use three dishpans, rather than one bucket of anesthetic.

http://www.fishdoc.net/articles/details.php?articleId=15

I can't find the other link I provided.

Since I can't scan what you need, maybe we can find someone else with the book who can scan the necessary pagese on anesthetic and the particular surgery. You'll need a special type of scissors as a knife places greater risk of getting the eyeball. With scissors it is just less risk, but they are a special surgical scissor that is curved.

EDIT: Shame on me - you wrote back in your thread and I hadn't noticed it.

Here is your original link, with my original answer.

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Hospital/54156.html

Yes the clove oil will knock them out, but it has to be done correctly. There is a fine line between anesthesia and death. However, many fish can be revived with good clean water and lots of water flow, but there are techniques.

We need to get you that info if you do not have access to the book. Why even attempt it without that as reference when we have it.

A low dose of oil of cloves is even used to pull anchor worms off koi, much like you have your betta, but it takes the edge off.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 03-Mar-2005 18:06

Goldfish have better smell than vision ..I have had blind goldfish and they have had no problem finding food..I have a freind that only gets wen cover eye goldfishes ...The other thing the wen will shrink with time .If you have them in 76* - 68* water temp the wen will shrink faster.