Common Arowana Eye Problems

1 Common Arowana Eye Problems

Healthy eyes: arowana eyes come in colors, but most pupils are black, giving a bright, lively look. Red arowana often have yellow eyes that read close to red. Black, alert eyes are a mark of good bloodline.

1) Drop-eye. Caused by poor lighting (high water level, badly placed lamps) that over-stimulates the eyes; wild arowana have a slope to retreat to, but tanks don’t, so strong light hits them directly. Adjust tank and nearby lighting, add side lighting for even, gentle light, and give the fish security.

2) Popeye (exophthalmia). Eyes bulge severely, sometimes with a white haze, and can even drop out. Often linked to overfeeding high-protein food that builds eye fat, or to water that is too hard or high-pressure. Fix by balancing feeding and exercise to burn fat, or by softening the water and lowering osmotic pressure. Popeye rarely kills quickly and a fish can live even after losing an eye; it often comes with dropsy from dirty, organic-rich water – manage the water well.

3) Cloudy eye. Common and usually water-related; dirty or aging water infects the eye. Early on a white film appears; without treatment the eyeball clouds and swells with white cotton-like growth, risking blindness. Treat with medication once water and feeding are under control.