Why This Fish Had Surgery to Get a Glass Eye ... and Seems Much Happier Now
This rockfish now fits in better with the other fish in the tank.
— -- Cosmetic surgery and marine animals don't normally go together, but one fish had some work done to help him thrive at the Vancouver Aquarium.
The rockfish underwent special surgery to have a glass eye implanted.
After the fish had its original eye removed because of cataracts, the medical team was worried it might get attacked.
The head veterinarian at the Vancouver Aquarium, Dr. Martin Haulena, affixed a special taxidermy eye to the fish while the animal was put under anesthesia.
In a video of the procedure, Haulena said the surgery is more than just cosmetic.
"We do find when fish are blind from one eye and has no visible eye, other fish recognize that and will kind of attack from that side," said Haulena.
The fish seems to be adapting nicely, according to Haulena.
“The fish is doing really well," he said. "He is highly visible in the habitat and using his environment as would be expected.”