# Popeye?



## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

My Betta has popeye 

His filter broke and while I have been dutifully cleaning his tank every week (I'm getting a new filter either today or some time in the next week) I guess it wasn't enough.

I cleaned his tank (100% change, wiped everything out (With dry paper towels, no soap), took out all the gravel, cleaned the plants by rinsing them off and wiping off the little bits of algae), and relocated him to the fishbowl I got him in. It's a 3/4-1 gallon bowl, and I put a small plant in it for him to hide in (He's more comfortable with places to hide), because I did some research pre-coming here to ask you guys, and I read that keeping them in a smaller area for treatment is a good idea.

He normally lives in a 5-gallon tank by himself (I wish I could get him a companion of some sort, but I don't want him to hurt another fish or eat snails or something). I figured relocating him would make it easier to treat, because 100% changes are much easier in a small bowl, and I can treat his water most effectively that way.

I read I need ampicillin to treat it, and I know that our local fish store sells it because we've had fish get popeye before (Cichlids, they were a pain to keep though so we gave them away). 

His popeye isn't too bad yet, it just became noticeable which is why I know he has it, so I'm going out today to get ampicillin, new gravel, MAYBE a new filter (If I can find the one I need for my tank), and some fishy treat of some sort (Dried bloodworms or something). 

Can you give me a list of steps as to how I should treat the popeye? And if you use something else to treat it, can you tell me what it is? I really want him to get better, I've had him for just over 3 months, and I want to have him for a long time. Also, should I put his heater in the fishbowl, or will he be okay without it?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I have successfully treated popeye with Epsom salt 1tsp/gal along with 100% daily water change for 3 days and then increase the Epsom salt to 2tsp/gal(Not aquarium salt) along with the 100% daily water changes for another 7 days in QT-
I like to pre-mix my Epsom salt in a 1gal jug and add dried crushed oak leaf for the tannins-this helps with correct dosage and water changes too-if you don't have oak leaf-Indian almond leaf will work too
I like to float my QT in a heated tank to maintain water in in the 76-77F range for treatment.


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

Okay, so I went to the store and got what the guy there recommended me (And this is a strictly fish store, they sell EVERYTHING, and the people there actually have to know something to be able to work there).

While I was there I did get new gravel, some pellet Betta food (I've been feeding flake), and some dried Bloodworms.

He was more active the day before yesterday, which was the day after I changed his water again, but now he's hiding in the corner of his tank behind the heater. His tank is warm enough, but he's not active right now. And I tried to feed him the other day, and I tried to give him a couple bloodworms, and he won't eat. I tried feeding him this morning and he won't eat. The popeye is clearing up a little bit, but I'm worried because he won't eat and he hides in the plants or behind his heater all the time. What should I do? I stay on a schedule- he eats every day but Sunday, which is the day he doesn't get fed, and I feed him the same amount, so I'm worried.


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

Poor guy. Antibiotics can be very harsh on fish--what did the pet store employee give you?

Fish can go a long time without eating, but the fish not wanting to eat isn't a good sign--it means he is getting much sicker. Are both eyes affected? He may be having trouble seeing the food. If he won't eat frozen, try getting some live blackworms from the fish store--the wiggly motion they make stimulate even very ill fish to eat and he might be able to see the movement better if his vision is impaired.


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

It's Maracyn Two.

I have him in the 5 gallon because the guy at the store told me to treat him in there after I told him what was wrong.

I read through it and it does what I need, and it can be used for bettas, I'm doing the correct dosage, and I treat my water with AquaSafe. It's only one eye that's bad, and it hasn't gotten into his eye. It's fairly mild as far as popeye goes because I caught it early. I know he's fine in terms of seeing it because I fed him once when he was right below where the opening of the tank is to feed, and he tasted it but didn't want anything, and besides the popeye he looks normal to me.


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

At least he gave you a gram negative antibiotic.  Minocycline (the main ingredient) has a better chance of being effective than many other medications since a lot of popeye cases are caused by gram negative aeromonas bacteria. Hopefully it will work for you. 

This is a really great article on the responsible use of antibiotics and how they work: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa084 it may be helpful to you.


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

So what should I do in the meantime about him not eating? I have to go out shopping with my mom now, but if I can, when I get home I'll take some pictures of him.


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

I can't get a good picture because he's in a bad location for me to take them.


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

Okay, he's been more active lately, thank god. He was flaring and swimming around and he ate some this morning.


I just noticed that he has something hanging between his ventral fins. It looks almost like fish poo or something, but I can't tell what it is. He looks normal except for his eye and his water is clean, so what could it be?


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

Never mind about the stuff that's hanging, it's gone, but his head doesn't look so good (there are some gray-blue and almost black marks on it, and some white, and the texture looks odd, but I'm treating his tank with the correct does of Maracyn and other than the eye and his head he looks fine), and he's just kind of hanging at the top of the tank, but he's flared and everything and he eats, and he's blowing bubbles, and I'm just really concerned for him. His body and fins look fine, but I can't get him to flare so I can check his gills. 

He seems to be breathing fine, I'm just worried.

I got some pictures, but I can't get close enough to his head without it unfocusing, but you can kind of see it from the pictures I got. He's got enough water, his tank is 77 degrees (I heard between 76 and 78 is best for treatment, plus he's happier when it's that temperature, and the water is clean, but I don't know what to do.

Here's the pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157625475219521/

You can see the white above his eye in most of them.

And I noticed he has 2 teeny holes in his fins- like, smaller than the average circumference of a needle, and I feel like they've always been there, because his fins look no different than normal. I'm still really concerned about him though. 

Help please  I want what's best for him.

Do you think once I fix his filter and it's on all the time he'll be better? He's got plenty to do (Plants to hide in), and he has a 5 gallon tank all to himself.


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