# Infection / Eye Flukes / Cloudy Eye/ Other? What IS this?



## michaelg210 (Sep 16, 2010)

http://s1013.photobucket.com/albums/af259/michaelg210/Kung%20Fu%20Betta%20Disease/ 
Please see pics, thought it was cloudy eye, have been treating with Kanamycen, but it does not seem to be getting any better.
In the photos it looks more like perhaps pop eye, but to the naked eye, his eyes are not simply cloudy, they look like the old blind master of Cain in David Caradine’s Kung Fu, (for those out there young enough to recall)
Cataracts? I really don’t know. 
Any Advice?
10 Gallon Tank, AC 20 Filter, heated at 78 / Airstone & surface agitation from filter. 
Tank Mate, 1 dwarf pleco
Betta eats ~ 4 – 5 pellets daily (2 feedings). Ocassionally substitute freeze dried bloodworms / brine shrimp. Food pre- soaked in either Seachem Nourish or Garlic Guard. 
Tank Maintenance minimum 1x / week 25 – 30 % water change
Ammonia:0 
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5 – 10 ppm
pH: 8.3
Hardness: 10
Alkalinity: 6-7


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

It's hard to tell from the picture, but is the discoloration inside the eye, or is it on the lens of the eye? Typically, popeye will create a uniform film over the surface of the lens of the entire eye, so I don't think it's that. I've never seen cloudy eye--but I assume it's a patchy cloudiness on the surface of the lens. Is it possible this was caused by trauma, such as scraping the eye on the glass or something else in the tank? I have seen this happen with glass-surfing bettas, fish that neurotically swim back and forth against the glass. Are both eyes the same?


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## michaelg210 (Sep 16, 2010)

Adastra said:


> It's hard to tell from the picture, but is the discoloration inside the eye, or is it on the lens of the eye? Typically, popeye will create a uniform film over the surface of the lens of the entire eye, so I don't think it's that. I've never seen cloudy eye--but I assume it's a patchy cloudiness on the surface of the lens. Is it possible this was caused by trauma, such as scraping the eye on the glass or something else in the tank? I have seen this happen with glass-surfing bettas, fish that neurotically swim back and forth against the glass. Are both eyes the same?


possible on the scraping the eye, he sometimes swims against the glass.... one eye is worse then the other. to me it looks almost like a cataract / lens / film over the pupil.... white cloudiness is, it appears, directly around the pupil, best i can tell... problem with the pics is that the flash drastically reduces the cloudiness and make it look more translucent.... i really don't know what to make of it....

he also seems to have a slight white-ish film on the body, don't know exactly either, not ICH or velvet, almost looks like mineral deposit for lack of a better way to explain it.... his swimming is rapid, back and forth sometimes, (though he has always been active), other times more calm. 

Not sure but the light seems to bother him more.... also, though water perameters are good, he seems to go to the surface more often than usual for air, but that could be stress rather than the effects of the whatever he has...... again, i am a novice but have read, read, read everything i can on fish disease, and best guess would be eye flukes perhaps? But even in the pics, no evidence of any type of worm or parasite in the eye, so again, i am stumped.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Several thing can cause cloudy eyes-most common cause is injury and water quality, others are internal parasites, flukes, cataracts, dietary/vitamin A related, and drop in pH.

Are one or both eyes bulging from the socket

In the 10g with the pleco and Betta I would increase the water changes to at the very least 50% weekly if not more due to the pleco-not sure what a dwarf pleco is-but the smallest I have seen get at least 5 inch and too big for a 10gal tank IMO/E -especially since they are poop machines/high bioload-the cloudy eyes and behavior change may be water quality related more from DOC's....how long has the tank been set up with the two fish?

The white-ish film may be an increase in slim coat and a reaction to an irritant-water quality or parasite related.


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## michaelg210 (Sep 16, 2010)

Oldfishlady said:


> Several thing can cause cloudy eyes-most common cause is injury and water quality, others are internal parasites, flukes, cataracts, dietary/vitamin A related, and drop in pH.
> 
> Are one or both eyes bulging from the socket
> 
> ...


not sure about the bulging, one more than the other........more like a bubble or cataract surrounding the eye(s), but that is more noticeable from a frontal view. From the side just a deep whitish film. 

i can increase water changes, thanks. The dwarf pleco is supposed to stay at about 3 to 3.5 inches max, but yes, poop machine. However, the ammonia is not spiking......either way, will work on the water quality.

what are DOC's?


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

Dissolved organic compounds--it's the carbon substances beneficial bacteria attach to, feed off of, and dissolve over time. All the mulm in your substrate and the gunk on your filter pad eventually dissolve into these compounds if left alone--this is why it's important to do gravel cleanings and rinse your filter media. You usually hear it mentioned more in saltwater discussions since it's the reason saltwater tanks use protein skimmers along with or instead of regular filters. 

I would start making some kind of long term plan for the pleco, whether that includes upgrading to a larger tank or rehoming it through a local aquarium society, craigslist, or whatever means you can. Personally, I would not keep any type of dwarf pleco in something smaller than 30 gallons because they produce so much waste and they can be territorial--they like having their own space in the tank.

As for the fish's eye problems, hopefully clean water will help him bounce back. If it were my fish, I would probably put him into a hospital container with some methylene blue and AQ salt since we're not exactly sure of the cause. I would not recommend using any salt or other meds in the tank with the pleco, since they are sensitive to salt. Methylene blue is very gentle, and will help deter secondary infections, but I am not sure whether it will address the cause of his problem directly.


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