Fish with no eyeballs question

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JONP

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 14, 2007
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texas
I have never posted on this forum previously, I spend most of my time on the African Cichlids forum. This question is in relation to my son's goldfish. He keeps a 5 inch Koi type goldfish I believe that is what it is. He also has a very round little fat goldfish with with large fins that woddles when it swims, not sure what type of goldfish it is. (that explains the description)

This morning he came downstairs and told me "Lucy" his little fat goldfish was missing her eyes. So I went upstairs and took a look and sure enough where her eyes were, there are hollowed out holes. It looks as though she had them sucked out.

Here are my questions:

1. Would his Koi fish have sucked the eyes out of her?
2. Is this a common problem that goldfish can get?
3. Is this related to water conditions? (7.5 PH, 70 degree temp., etc)
4. She can't see to eat so I'm sure I need to "put her to rest," how should I do that?

Any advise would be greatly helpful...thanks in advance.
 
it could have been the koi.

don't put 'her' down. i've heard of people that have had blind fish live 'happily' with no eyes. you might need to hand feed it for a while, but it should find the food by smelling it
 
Blind cave fish get around fine without eyes. I think fish use their lateral line more than their eyes for finding out where things are. I think hand-feeding her would be the best option.
 
she can definitely live happily without eyes. But I would give her her own little tank, or one with VERY calm tankmates. She wll have to be babied for the rest of her life, but she can definitely live long and prosper (st lol)
 
I don't know. Blind cave fish naturally live like that. I don't think a goldfish would be too happy living in darkness....

Same thing happened to my albino pangasius - I fed it to my oscar. Sorry to the people who disagree with with feeder fish. But that's life.
 
i have a lionhead goldfish with little-no vision at all, and he does pretty good n my tank with much larger goldies. he has one eye totally missing and scaled over, and the other dont look too good either.

remember this, goldfish spend ALOT of time picking through the gravel and spitting it out looking for food. if they cant get much at the top or mid-water, their going to spend that much more time sucking up gravel and the bits of food that go with it on the bottom. which is totally normal goldfish behavior anyway.

so if she'll eat, who cares about missing eyes. like a human, the fish will learn the adapt. their smarter than most us us think.....
 
I have two climbing perch who lost there eyes to a combtail and they are still alive 3 years later, yes they are somewhat babied (no aggressive tank mates) but they adapted and are fine. Although I do use them as the first fish in an aquarium after the feeder fish cycle it.
 
SO, she won't eat and don't know if she can't find her food or if she just isn't interestedd or what? People say to hand feed her but how?
 
I've had fancy goldfish before and always seemed to have one that was missing its eye or eyes. The lived just fine and acted like nothing was wrong. Everything should be okay. The Doctor.
 
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