# HELP! Something seriously wrong with my bettas EYEBALL!!



## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

Ok so a day ago I noticed that my betta's eye had a white colored "film" over it. It doesn't seem to be swollen, it just looks like a cataract or something, and he doesn't seem to be able to see out of it. He is eating normally, swimming around actively, and just all around seems healthy. I just NEED to know what to do about his eye! If he is sick I need to know what sort of medicine to buy.

Here are some photos I took:


























As you can see, it is just his right eyeball, and it isn't really swollen, maybe just a teeny tiny bit. I am at a loss right now, I have no idea what is wrong. I change his water every week, and he has a filter in the tank. I use filtered tap water and dechlorinater as well, specially for betta fish. I keep his tank light on during the day and turn it off at night time, and I feed him tetra betta pellets, and occasionally bettamin flakes.

Please, if you know what is wrong, let me know what to do asap! THANK YOU!!


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

Somebody please help, I want to cure him as soon as possible ):


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## storrkopf (Mar 18, 2011)

I have the same problem, with the same kind of betha ...and i would like to know....!!!!


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## denaliwind (Feb 27, 2011)

Hey, can you fill out as many questions as possible? Thanks ^^

_Housing
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)? _


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## BlueHaven (Jul 17, 2010)

Well, I have got a lot to learn still, but I know clean water by frequent water changes always helps, along with warmer water temperatures in the low to mid 80s, and a bit of aquarium salt for 10 days will help anything.
But some medications you could use that I think are okay is Betta Revive, it helps all kinds of illnesses in bettas. Jungle has medicines that are good for bettas i've heard, and Indian Almond leaves. 

I hope he gets better soon!


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

_Housing
What size is your tank? 2 gallons
What temperature is your tank? not sure (yes I know this is bad, I AM buying a heater and a thermometer TODAY, but my guess is about room temp, so 68-70 degrees)
Does your tank have a filter? yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no, my bette hated the airstone I bought, it really distressed him
Is your tank heated? not yet, buying a heater today
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? I did buy two cory cats, but they died for unknown reasons, I think my betta killed them. I cleaned the tank well after they died.

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Betta pellets and occasional bettamin flakes
How often do you feed your betta fish? 3 pellets twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? once a week, but after reading I am switching to twice a week.
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 90%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? dechlorifyer tablet. Last week I tried petco crystal clear because the water was cloudy, it made the water very very clear, but I discontinued the use, I thought that may have hurt his eye but I am not sure. I just cleaned the tank yesterday.

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

I do not have a testing kit yet.
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? His eye is cloudy and almost opaque
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?He is acting normal as ever
When did you start noticing the symptoms? two days ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? not yet, I don't know what I am dealing with
Does your fish have any history of being ill? I got him only two weeks ago from walmart
How old is your fish (approximately)?I do not know how old he was when i bought him, but I have owned him two weeks.
_


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## denaliwind (Feb 27, 2011)

He must be freezing! D: If your room temp is about 68-70 then the water temp is about 5 degrees cooler, which means he's extremely vulnerable right now, his little immune system must be seriously week, or even if his water is at 70, that's still in the danger zone. Definitely get a heater, asap and get the water up to at least 78, that's where you need to start. I wouldn't advance with any treatment until his water has warmed up, I don't think he can handle any sort of treatment right now. And on a side note since you have a filter you could do 2 50% water changes per week, one just removing water, the second change including vacuuming his gravel, although someone may suggest differently (I personally don't have filters so only speak from what I've read, not personal experience). Cory cats need at least 10g, so in a 2g you can't have any other friends... maybe a snail, but anything more would be seriously over loading the tank.


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

I am about to go out and purchase a heater in a few minutes, thank you so much for your help, I know I probably seem like a terrible fish owner, but this is my first real time taking care of my own fish. I've always had hamsters and cats (still do) and they are very different.

I will keep you posted on how Zifoof is healing, I will warm the water today, when do you think I should start treating him? And what sort of medication should I pick up?


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## denaliwind (Feb 27, 2011)

We all have to start somewhere, I know I made a lot of mistakes when I first started out, and I probably still do make mistakes. XD Bettas are hardy fish and most of the time can bounce back pretty quickly. I would say give him a day to adjust and warm up, maybe even two days. You might as well pick up some aquarium salt, but I usually try and avoid medications unless a simple salt solution doesn't work. I don't want to jump the gun and suggest a treatment yet until he's been in warm water for a good day or two. Then we can see how he's faring and go from there. Ooh and for future reference, I think you should just use straight tap with conditioner, not filtered tap as it might be taking away minerals that are important to his well being. Good luck!


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

yeah, I suppose you are right, but I still feel bad haha, poor Zifoof and his incompetent owner xD

Well I just returned from petco, I bought a heater for a 2 gallon tank and a thermometer that goes on the outside of the tank. I don't think the thermometer is reading correctly, because my tank is plastic and not glass, because it was reading 80 and my house is only 68 degrees. And the heater I bought automatically goes of when the water is 78 degrees, and kicks on when the temp starts to drop, and it has been heating since I put it in. SO, I think the thermometer is useless.

But in any case, hopefully this heater will help little zifoof, I also picked up a bottle of "Betta Revive" which treats "Protozoan Diseases, Bacterial Diseases and Fungal Diseases". I have NOT put it in yet, I wanted to ask you if this sounds like the right thing to use. Obviously if it is, I will wait until he has had heat for a day or two.

Again, thank you SO much for your help, you are a lifesaver, and Zifoof says a big THANK YOU as well! haha


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

As long as you are willing to do whatever you can to fix the problem, you're an excellent fish owner.  Not knowing something doesn't make you a bad one.

I've heard mixed things about betta revive but have never actually used it, so I won't say anything about that. However, clean water and a bit of aquarium salt can do wonders for a fish. Good luck with him! Keep us posted on his condition!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

those plastic strip thermometers aren't worth the money you pay for them. >3> i've seen them get stuck on a temp before. go to walmart, and get one of the $2 glass thermometers. much more accurate.

and, don't beat yourself up. you did really good, and took good care of him. you just didn't have a heater. surprisingly, despite being tropical fish, most people don't know bettas need heaters, and many pet store employees will tell you they "adjust to the temperature of the water, and do fine at room temp!". .__o


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## c4talys7 (Sep 7, 2010)

That looks like pop eye. Let us know if it goes away!


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

OK one question I have is about aquarium salt. I had never heard of freshwater fish needing salt until very recently, so this is a very new concept to me. Is it just regular sea salt that you use on your food, or is it special salt from the pet store? I would have grabbed some earlier but did not see the post about getting it until I got home >_<

Also, an update on Zifoof, it's been a few hours since I installed the heater, he seems to be in a very "good mood", he is slightly more active than normal, I don't think it's fully heated the water yet, I stuck my pinky in just a bit andit felt a little cool, but I'm not sure if it should be a bit cool or not, since our bodies are 98 degrees and what not. But in any case, he seems a great deal happier. Of course, his eye is still looking bad, but I will add the medecine i got in a day or so.

Again, I can't thank you wonderful people enough, thank you for being so patient with a novice like me!


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## storrkopf (Mar 18, 2011)

*Hey, don't forgot me...*

I have the same problem with my betha 
_Nb: it's my first fish..._

_Housing__
What size is your tank? 23 litres, around 6 gallons _
_http://www.hagen.com/uk/aquatic/addinfo/fluval_edge_discover.cfm
What temperature is your tank? 79F_
_Does your tank have a filter? Yes_
_Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Non_
_Is your tank heated? Yes_
_What tank mates does your betta fish live with? No girlfriends, no friends lol_
_
__Food__
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? 3 differents kinds of food… mini bloodworms (1/3 par week), Betta Bio-Gold (pellets) and Niutrafin max (flakes) (3 times par week of each, random)_
_How often do you feed your betta fish? 2 times par day (8-10 pellets)…_

_Maintenance__
How often do you perform a water change? One par week (every Saturday or Friday)
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 25-50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Each times when I changed the water…I used _Nutrafin Cycle, Nutrafin Waste Control and Nutrafin Aqua Plus Tap Water Conditioner (around 5-10 ml each)_

__Water Parameters:__
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? 
I few minutes ago, i did a check up..there is no problem...__
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: around 7,5
Hardness:?
Alkalinity: ?

__Symptoms and Treatment__
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Notting only his left eye…
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Well, I don’t know…but, it looks down…_
_When did you start noticing the symptoms? 2 days ago.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Non, i don’t know what’s the problem…!!!!
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Mmm non…this is the first time, this is why I freek a little…!!!_
_How old is your fish (approximately)? Not sure, i bought in september..*.*_


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

I just took some new photos of Zifoof, not that he has changed much, but just as an update.

As you can see, he's been building bubblenests the last few days, I'm not sure what this means, or if it is just normal.


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

another update, since putting the heater in, zifoof is going bubblenest CRAZY! He has two nests going and they are getting very large. Is this a good thing?


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

He could also just be blind in that eye, but if it has happened suddenly, then that's probably not the case.

STORRKOPF: That is way too much food you are feeding you betta!! Most bettas only need up to 4 pellets a day, 2 in the morning and two at night, (or some flakes in the morning and pellets at night) and bloodworms are supposed to be the occasional treat. I would imagine that this is why he is lethargic. He's super full all the time! They eat like pigs, I know, but they don't need that much food and it can affect their swim bladder and immune system if all they're doing all day is trying to digest. A large person eating all day won't want to do much but take naps and eat more, and neither does your betta probably. Try fasting him for 2-3 days and then drastically reducing the amount of food, keep him warm and his water clean, and let us know how he's doing!

Good luck to both of you.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

And yes, generally speaking bubble nests are a good sign. It means your betta is feeling up to building a nest so they can mate, so the idea is that they're feeling strong and healthy. It's a good sign definitely.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

thats pop eye for sure! and by the looks he may go blind in that eye


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## denaliwind (Feb 27, 2011)

Yeah definitely popeye. 
I'm happy to see he's building a bubble nest! That's a good sign, must be enjoying that warm water. 

I recommend contacting OldFishLady via private message here on this forum asking her how she would treat popeye. Maybe a salt bath with epsom salt (so many types of salt!), but I don't really know for sure.


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

denaliwind said:


> I recommend contacting OldFishLady


*
-giggles- *we all send people to her hehe


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

Yeah I was very happy to see he was being happy and active, to me (total novice) this is a sign he is FEELING healthy and content, despite his eye trouble. I will definitely contact her, and will also ask about the medicine I got, thank you guys!! I will keep you posted!


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## Abby (Jan 13, 2011)

i had Dastan with popeye and no idea on medicating him so i just upped his water changes and a week later hes fine.
(i posted an update thread a little while ago)


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## Shannon McBurger (Mar 19, 2011)

*Fungus*

it looks like some sort of fungus, though i may not have had a betta, it looks exactly like my japenese moor's fungus, he got fungus on his eye, then it shrunk more and more every day untill it was gone, but he lived for a while after that, all you need is some fungal treatment and it'll get better.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Without going through the 3 pages.....sorry if this was already said.....

One eye clouded is usually injury related that can get infected if not already....and with the added corydoras in a 2gal tank without proper water changes I suspect high nitrate too(sorry they died).....little on the cool side...but thats been addressed......

Since he is acting and eating his normal self....I would start by making daily water changes 50% for several days, get your water temp up to 76F and then stay on a every other day 50% for a week...then 50% twice weekly thereafter.....

Once you get the water cleaned up and at the proper temp...his eye should clear up...if not I would do-10 day treatment of Epsom salt 1tsp/gal for 2 days then increase the Epsom salt 2tsp/gal on day 3-10..along with 100% water changes while in QT.....


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## storrkopf (Mar 18, 2011)

Thanks everybody, when i read yeasterday all the others posters.. i knew that i feed it to much...i begin reducing his food...
Today, i gave it only 6 pellets in the morning and see that he didn't eat much half of them and i'm not going to feed it until tomorrow....i will feed it like you told me...4 pellers, two in the morning and two in the night...
I see that i have a green water problem...i'"m thinking this is why his mood is down...and his have this sickesss  too much food= lot of bad bacteria 
thanks again...
p-s: I'm happy for Zifoof, hope that my "Jo"will be happy as you're...


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

STORRKOPF - fast him for a few days! They can live for over a week or longer with no food, it'll be good for him to digest it and get it all out. It can be good for them if they are sick, the body can focus on healing instead of using energy for digestion. My fish Brutus is a little fatty and would eat forever if I let him. 

I have an unfiltered 2.5 gallon and I do 100% water changes every three days, I think you said your tank is filtered but I'd still be doing a 100% water change once a week. In a smaller tank like that, ammonia builds up quickly from not only the fishes urine and feces, but the natural ammonia they naturally secrete from their gills 24/7. 

If your water is anywhere close to green it's totally filthy. Just keep his water super clean, fast him for 2 - 3 days, and maybe add aquarium salt for a few days. Aquarium salt naturally helps recover from diseases and helps them destress and is found in most pet stores and all fish stores. Do not use table salt! Epsom salt can be used to treat fish issues also, but I have never used it and can't speak to it...OldFishLady can though, and it looks like she posted her response and she can always help!

I hope this info helps and good luck with your guy!


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## storrkopf (Mar 18, 2011)

Thanks, yesterday i changed his water and today i did it again ...
I will fast him for a few days and until there, i will chaged 50% of his water during 3 days...and i will see if some thing change...

p-s: novice question, every time, i changed his water did i need to put conditionners again (Nutrafin cycle, waste control, plus..) or only one time par week ...thanks


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Always use dechlorinator with any new water you add to the fish.....the chlorine and chloramines can be harmful....the cycle and waste control products are not always needed.....less chemical additives the better IMO/E.......the only chemical needed with any new water will be the dechlorinator.....


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## Zifoof (Mar 18, 2011)

Well it's now been about 24 hours since I put the heater in Zifoofs tank, I went and got a good termometer to put in the tank, and it's reading 78 degrees. His eye actually seems LESS cloudy and swollen today than it did yesterday! I changed his water thursday night, and plan to do it again tomorrow afternoon. I have to leave for work soon (I've got two jobs, so it's sometimes difficult to do daily changes..) but tomorrow I am going to buy a testing kit and see what the ammonia/nitrate levels are, I think thats a good plan of action.

As always, I'll keep you guys posted!


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

I agree with OFL Storrkopf - I only use dechlorinator that conditions the water. Since one of my fish is still recovering from a jump and the other is recovering from ammonia burn from a petstore, I use 1/3 of the recommended dose aquarium salt in two water changes a month, but that'll be done soon and is just my personal choice of treatment. 

The stickies in the care threads have lots of good information here. So does the "betta diseases" sticky, so you can diagnose the issue and treat it properly. It has pictures! Check it out.


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## storrkopf (Mar 18, 2011)

Thanks  and i have good news...
"Jo" has already begin losing his popeye...the inflamation is less stronger than before...but not worry i will continue the traitement like you said...too reduce the bad things i did with the food :S 

Thanks Thanks again...


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

That is fantastic news! Great.


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