black moore eye disease

Question
Hi Rachel,

I went out of town for a few days and when I got back last night  I noticed something weird on one of my black moors. I thought at first that his eye was torn, but after reading some of your responses I think it might be a disease. On the very center of the eye there is a reddish almost purple blotch. It looks as if the eye was torn, then it tried to heal itself as the redness pops out more than the actual eye. This fish was always picked on by the other 5 that I have. About 6 months ago I noticed that he had lost his balance. I thought he was dying, but now he just swims on his back. I live in a small town without a pet store, and wal-mart doesn't carry any treatments. Is there something you can suggest maybe from petsmart that I can get shipped to my home. Thanks.

Answer
It could be an injury or cut from a bully fish or it could be pop-eye or an eye disease/parasite. You can get an all-in-one treatment from pretty much anywhere. I would double check at wal-mart, as they should have something. But it would be just the same really to get it anywhere else, just do whatever is quickest if you treat it. On the other hand, is it in a hospital tank? If not, you really should get a small tank with filter and light to put it in. This not only gives it time to heal if it is an injury but it also prevents un-needed stress on the rest of your fish, unless they have signs too. I would treat it, due to the fact that it swims odd. I would also be ready for the worst case. The treatment you should treat it with is stressful on its own, thus the advanced injury/disease/parasite may just be too much for it. But nonetheless, I would treat it as it sounds as if it is pretty advanced in a disease or parasite. Also, one other problem you might deal with is if it survives where will you put it? If the other fish bully it, it will not last long if put back in the tank, so if it survives perhaps you should get it its own cute home? Well, I hope I have helped you. Let me know if you need more help or if something changes. I hope I have helped.