Common Causes & Handling of Dragon Fish Eye Loss: Quick

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What Does "Dragon Fish Losing an Eye" Mean?

When we say a dragon fish is "losing an eye," it refers to a condition where the upper eyelid's fat protrudes, causing the eye to shift from its normal position and remain looking downward. This is due to the abundance of fat surrounding the dragon fish's eye sockets, which serve as a cushion during fights to prevent eye injuries. However, improper care can lead to an overgrowth of this fat, resulting in the eye popping out and the fish looking downward constantly.

This phenomenon can occur in any dragon fish variety, though it's more common in silver dragons and becomes more prevalent in red and golden dragons as they age. While losing an eye doesn't significantly harm the fish's health, it does detract from their appearance and alters their normal field of vision, impacting their daily life.

What Causes Dragon Fish to Lose an Eye?

1. Uneven Lighting: Inconsistent lighting in the aquarium can lead to the fish avoiding bright spots, resulting in them swimming sideways or lying on the glass. Over time, this can cause the eyes to droop.

2. Overfeeding: Beginners often overfeed their dragon fish, leading to excessive fat intake and obesity. This can cause an increase in fat around the eye sockets, contributing to the eye popping out.

3. Frequent Feeding of Submerged Food: Regularly feeding sinking food or bottomfeeding fish can make the dragon fish habitually look downward, which can lead to eye drooping.

4. High Aquarium Placement: An aquarium that is too high can create an empty upper visual field, causing the fish to look down when someone passes by, which can contribute to eye droop over time.

How to Address Dragon Fish Losing an Eye?

1. Switch to Floating Food: Replace sinking food with floating pellets or powder, and introduce small fish that swim at the surface to encourage the dragon fish to feed upwards. If feeding frozen food, tie it with a string and move it around at the water's surface to attract the fish's attention.

2. Adjust Lighting: Use soft, evenly distributed lighting to avoid stimulating the fish's eyes.

3. Control Fat Intake: Reduce the amount of protein and fat in their diet and consider adding astaxanthin. If possible, install a wavemaker in the tank to encourage exercise and maintain a healthy body shape.

4. Enclose the Tank: Cover the bottom and sides of the tank with black fabric, leaving only the water surface and the first 5 cm visible. Keep the tank at a moderate height to encourage the fish to look up more often.

5. Surgery: If these methods fail, and the fish's eyes cannot be corrected, surgery may be necessary to remove the excess fat. Postoperative care is crucial to prevent recurrence.

Understanding the common causes and treatment methods for dragon fish losing an eye can be incredibly helpful for any fish enthusiast. For more tips on fishkeeping, be sure to follow our "Beginner Fishkeeping" section, where we regularly update with useful content!

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