Any fish medical experts here?

[InTheAir]

Hi guys,
Bubbles, our fighter fish, got sick about a week ago.
We searched the symptoms and it seems to be "pop eye". I'm guessing it is the result of us neglecting his tank. He is an only fish, but his 50l tank has had a snail infestation from a plant I bought a year ago. We have knocked them back, then they regroup and breed again.
The local pet store gave us Melafix and aquarium salts to treat him with.

We removed him from his tank to a bowl, so we could deal with the snail problem.
He perked up heaps, but his eyes still have fluid around them and he is not eating well.
He was s little overweight, due to his mind control tactics of getting both my partner and I to feed him, thinking the other hasn't.

His tank is ready for him to go back into now and carbon is removed from filter.

Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks in advance,
Claire

 

[VictoriaVague]

For the infested tank are you able to get some assassin snails? I have 3 or 4 and they keep the parasite snail numbers right down.

 

[rifftastic]

Hello, I work in as petstore running the fish house. Popeye is an fungal infection behind the eye. If untreated it basically pushes the eye ball out (sorry to be gross)

Melafix is a great product for bacterial infections and will treat slight fungal infections but it won't treat popeye. The best treatment I found is Pimafix by the same company API, this is a fungal treatment..and works very quickly..
If the infection is severe you will need to treat multiple times I.e seven day treatment. Take out all carbon and do a water change first then salt and treat.

This should get rid of the popeye pretty quickly. And with regards to snails, cucumber, drop it in the tank and take out once its covered in snails. But its tricky to remove all snails unless you put in loach..but they grow too big for a 55l tank so I wouldn't bother.

Hope this helps.

 

[rifftastic]

Oh also don't feed him for a couple of days..overfeeding will cause this to happen again. Every other day is best to not allow your water quality to drop thus allowing stress which will cause infections

 

[waterfaller1]

The "fixes"-melafix, pimafix, bettafix, are not recommended by those who keep bettas. In fact they can do more harm than good.They have oils in them that can coat the labyrinth organ of a betta.
First, let's look at what caused the situation. And also I am concerned when you say he looks 'overweight'. Are you certain he is not pineconing=dropsy. Can you post a photo? Is it one eye or both that are popped out? Sometimes popeye is caused by a mechanical injury.
About carbon-it is not needed and really does nothing but clear water or remove something foreign that may have gotten in the tank. If there is an issue with that. After a week or so, the value is depleted and it is worthless.
Please answer these questions first:
How big is his tank?
What is the temperature and are you using a heater?
What are your readings for Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and PH?{using titration test kits not test strips}
What is the filtration used?
How often are water changes performed and what is your routine for this? What is the percentage of water removed? Do you insure the new water being used is the same PH and temp before making the change?
What additives do you use? How do you dechlorinate the water?
Any other tankmates? Any new added recently?
What type of food do you feed and how often?
Approximately how old is your betta?

ETA: I reread your post and see he is an only fish
Snails can be removed daily when you see them. If pond snails they will often begin climbing the glass during and after a water change. They are adding to the waste in the tank.
Does your tank have live plants?

 

[waterfaller1]

This is how I would treat a betta with popeye and or dropsy
Popeye
•Symptoms: One or both eyes will swell and bulge out. It in itself can also be a symptom of Dropsy.
•Treatment: Usually not fatal if treated, but your betta might lose an eye. Conservative: If the swelling is extreme then use Epsom Salt first. Perform 100% daily water changes. You may be able to treat the popeye with just Epsom and clean water. However, if the swelling goes down but the eyes remain cloudy/white, then switch to Aq.Salt at 1tsp/gal or use medications. Do not combine Aq.Salt with medications but you can continue to use ES during medical treatments. Medication: If ES or Aq.Salt do not do the trick or it is a serious case of popeye, then combine the ES with API Tetracycline, API Fungus Cure, API General Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR Mardel’s Maracyn.
Dropsy
•Symptoms: Your betta will have a bloated belly and raised scales. They will look like a pine cone. This is usually a fatal disease caused by an internal bacterial infection resulting in internal organ failure but many have had success bringing fish back when treated quickly.
Early Symptoms: Swollen eyes (important), Gray belly (important), Clamped fins, Lethargy. If your fish has swollen eyes and a gray belly, I suggest that you treat it for Dropsy.
•Treatment: If you spot the early signs of Dropsy then treat him/her with ES at 1-2tsp/gal and Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets while performing 100% daily water changes. It helps to increase the temperature to 84*F. If he/she has begun Pineconing then do the full course as described below:
Performing daily 100% water changes. Increase the temperature to 84*F. Add 1-2 tsp/gal Epsom Salt. Use API General Cure OR API Erythromycin OR Maracyn II and/or Maracyn for best results. Feed something containing Metronidazole, for example, Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets. If caught early, Dropsy is curable.

 

[waterfaller1]

I would recommend you join this forum...lots of good people and info
Betta Fish and Betta Fish Care

The info above taken from:
Betta Fish Disease and Treatment

 

[Dani]

Just wanted to add, my friend treated her Betta that had pop eye with the Epsom baths and it worked quickly!

 

[GuineaPigster]

Hello,
I have treated many fish, and specialize in treatment of bettas and goldfish. I work around my town helping people for free in the summer.
First off, do you know the nitrogen cycle?? This is the building block of fishkeeping. After you read up on the Nitrogen Cycle, please go purchase and API Master Freshwater Test Kit. Then tell me your parameters.
Next, some people say that Melafix is harmful for Labryinth fish (gouramis, bettas) I also have no idea why the store would try and sell you Melafix to treat a betta's popeye.
I, too fell concerned about his ''weight problem'', because it sounds like that bulge might not be extra grams.
Please get back to us soon, and a picture would be appreciated if possible (head view and top view) Thanks!

 

[InTheAir]

Thanks guys. I am slightly confused now.
I doubt it is dropsy, as he is looking Ok, besides the eyes. He has been swimming over when he sees us, like normal. He is hardly eating though.

He was a little bit overweight before this, as he drops hints about the whereabouts of his food container to one of us, gets fed, then tries it on the other person, who usually thinks no one has feed the poor thing!

He has been with us for 2 years, I think he was fairly young when we got him.
His tank is 28c, we use test strips. Usually change 1/4 to half the tank every second week. But we have had some stress and completely forgot about it for a month.

We just did a full water change, after poisoning the snails (while bubbles was in a bowl). We are adding stability now.

Thanks for the links, Carole.

 

[InTheAir]

My boyfriend is going to go to aquarium shop to get more advice and suitable meds. I'll pass on this information to him (I have to work).

 

[waterfaller1]

Have him pick up some liquid test kits if possible. I recommend API kits. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and PH. If you do not want to get them all at once, start with nitrate. A master kit is nice too, but I think the kits are smaller. Increase your water changes to at least 50% per week. Not sure what 28c means, about 5 gallons? I recommend Prime to dechlor the water. Come up with a plan that he gets fed at X time and X time per day only. A few pellets each time only. If you miss a time that's ok.

 

[Stormcloud]

28c is the temperature Carole...we haven't used fahrenheit, pounds, inches, feet, miles, gallons in years. And then there is US gallons rather than Imperial gallons just to make the issue worse.

 

[GuineaPigster]

Have him pick up some liquid test kits if possible. I recommend API kits. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and PH. If you do not want to get them all at once, start with nitrate. A master kit is nice too, but I think the kits are smaller. Increase your water changes to at least 50% per week. Not sure what 28c means, about 5 gallons? I recommend Prime to dechlor the water. Come up with a plan that he gets fed at X time and X time per day only. A few pellets each time only. If you miss a time that's ok.

At the beginning she said 50 liters? That translates into about 13 gallons, @waterfaller1 .

 

[InTheAir]

Thanks for translating, Gerard!

 

[GuineaPigster]

Sorry, is his tank filtered (not Gerard, Bubbles!!!)?

 

[waterfaller1]

Duh ..thanks Gerard!

 

[InTheAir]

Ok I will just bulletpoint this, to reduce confusion:

* One fish, a bit over 2 years old. Betta.
* 50 litre tank
* 28degrees Celsius
* Filter (carbon removed for medication)
* symptoms: bulgy eyes, loss of appetite, not as energetic as normal.

Bf went to aquarium shop, armed with what we had googled and this thread and bettafix seemed to be the only suggested med they had.
The lady also sold him some espoms salts and recommended giving him a 10 minute Bath a day in a strongish mix of it....
I wish there were fish vets around here! I called almost every vet in the district to try to find one.

 

[waterfaller1]

My suggestion~Skip the 'fix', go with the epsom salt alone. Get/order some Indian Almond leaves or alder cones. The people who 'fight'{disclaimer:not condoning this practice by any means} bettas use Indian almond leaves to heal bettas who are torn and ragged from the fight.Organic are best. I ordered them from a mission.
Organic Premium Indian Almond Leaves Catappa Ayurvedic Grade USA Seller | eBay

 

[GuineaPigster]

My suggestion~Skip the 'fix', go with the epsom salt alone. Get/order some Indian Almond leaves or alder cones. The people who 'fight'{disclaimer:not condoning this practice by any means} bettas use Indian almond leaves to heal bettas who are torn and ragged from the fight.Organic are best. I ordered them from a mission.
Organic Premium Indian Almond Leaves Catappa Ayurvedic Grade USA Seller | eBay

EXCELLENT advice!!