help me popeye is killing my fish
- Thread starter otto44
- Start date
Sorry bout your fish.
Although the betta's a labyrinth fish, it needs clean water to survive. When it comes to fishkeeping, prevention's better than cure. When the fish falls sick, it's often too late. Keep medications handy, delays will worsen their condition.
Although the betta's a labyrinth fish, it needs clean water to survive. When it comes to fishkeeping, prevention's better than cure. When the fish falls sick, it's often too late. Keep medications handy, delays will worsen their condition.
A little salt in the water, 1 tablespoon/5 gallons also helps prevent it but clean water is the best preventative.
Popeye is a fairly common disease among fish, the syptoms are that the eyes are push almost out of the sockets by infection
Salt reduces the nitrite intake of fishes, thus prevents nitrite poisoning.
Ammonia build-up occurs in 24 - 48 hrs in a 1/2 gallon container (IBC's Flare).
Ammonia build-up occurs in 24 - 48 hrs in a 1/2 gallon container (IBC's Flare).
if you have no medications available for gram negative bacteria, or you don't have/ddon't want to add salt, you can try an interesting home remedy. Extract of ginger. Isolate the fish and add either additive free extract of ginger or else a slice of fresh ginger to the water. I favor a peeled slice, about coins sized and 1/2 cm thick. Ginger has long been used as a medicine because of its effects on gram-negative bacteria.
The Koreans have the habit of adding a slice of ginger onto bandages when dressing cuts & wounds. 
There are a couple causes of popeye, includining TB, and injury but if it effects more thaan 1 fish, and if it effects both eyes it is almost always a gram-necative bacterial infection. The clean water and salt, along with melafix if you so desire, don't hurt most fish, and are good recomendations for almost every tank at all times. For acute cases of popeye in a single fish it is best to use a hospital tank, for several fish at a time treat the whole tank, clean it, do a partial watyer change (30-50%), and treat with a broad spectrum antibiotic. Maracyn Plus, Binox, Tri-Sulfa are all known to work.
It is true that a good, clear description of symptoms, current water parameters, a mention if it is just one fish or more effected, and pics if possible, all help ensure a correct response.
It is true that a good, clear description of symptoms, current water parameters, a mention if it is just one fish or more effected, and pics if possible, all help ensure a correct response.
