# SBD and popeye ?, please help...



## freesia (Jan 26, 2012)

My Beta needs your help… I was away for 2 weeks, when I returned he looked ok. His regular tank is 10 gal, sponge filter, heater - temp. 78, live plants, water changes 25% every week except this last 2 weeks, Prime added. I noticed on second day of my return that our Beta is very unwell. His one eye is huge and pop. He also is floating on water surface on his side. I panicked. I put him in 1 gal QT and added KanaPlex. On next day there was no change, so I did 100% water change added 1 tsp./gallon Epson salt and KanaPlex. He can eat, but I don’t give him food because probably he was overfeed. He doesn’t move much, just floats on his side on surface. What should I do? How to measure proper dosage of kanaPlex for 1 gall? (Direction: 1 scoop for 5 gallons) Should I put Kanaplex daily because of 100% water changes? More Epson salt? Please help…


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hi Freesia and sorry about your betta.

For the most part, Kanaplex won't hurt your betta when it comes to popeye, although the medicine's effectiveness in treating his condition will depend on what caused it. If his popeye was caused by a bacterial infection then the Kanaplex should help but if it was caused by an injury or even external parasites, it will be ineffective. The Kanaplex should help for an internal bacterial infection he may have that is causing him to float. 

For dosing Kanaplex in a 1 gal, the best way to do it is to put a little less than half of a scoop in. I checked with Seachem and this is the instruction they gave to another person. Kanaplex is okay to be overdosed slightly so it's all right if it's not exact.

If you are doing 100% changes, then yes, redose the Kanaplex with each change. In a 1 gal, you can probably get away with only needing to do a 100% change every other day. 

If the swelling in his eye doesn't go down, you can up the dosage of epsom salt to 3 tsps per gallon.


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## freesia (Jan 26, 2012)

Thank you for replying. Today I already did 100% water change, added 1 tsp./gal Epson salt and Kanaplex. So tomorrow I will increase Epson salt to 3 tsp.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Okay. Good luck with him!


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## freesia (Jan 26, 2012)

Today my Betta is on day 6 of KanaPlex treatment and 3 tsp. Epson salt/gal. Today I received IAL by mail and added to his QT. He is floating on surface and doesn't eat. The eye swelling went down, but still is not back to normal. Seachem recommends treatment of Kanaplex max 3 dosages every other day. Should I stop Kanaplex and do only 3 tsp. Epson salt and IAL? or should I continue Kanaplex however doesn't look that antibiotic is helping. I will appreciate any recommendations…


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You can continue with the Kanaplex for at least another 2-3 dosages. It's one of the safer antibiotics if treatment beyond the recommended dosage is required. However, if it continues to have no noticeable effect after 2-3 more dosages, I would stop and give him some time in just epsom salt and IAL. After that, you may want to try giving him daily baths in methylene blue. Supposedly, this is a very effective treatment for ammonia poisoning, which might be what your guy is suffering from.

Beware when using methylene blue, as it stains everything it touches. To treat him using a high strength bath, you would mix up a solution of 1 tsp in 3 gallons of dechlorinated water. Place him in this mixture for 10 seconds twice a day for maybe 3 days.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Kanaplex is one of the harsher antibiotics on the kidneys so despite seachem's instructions I would not overdose.. based on personal experience I've seen my betta nose dive on a less than perfect dose.. and since bloating could be kidney related..

2 weeks on the Kanaplex is all I'd do, but it should be safe there. Dose every 2nd day as it says, or if you're doing 100% changes add a full dosage.

Can you show a picture of the SBD? I would keep his bottom bare and check to see what his poop look likes If there is a true infection my best luck with it has been the metro soaked pellets... if he is pine coning at all I would feed asap... otherwise I would do as suggested above and finish at least a full week on Kanaplex then continue epsom salt until the bloat subsides.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Fortunately, the little guy isn't bloating. Kanaplex is easily absorbed by the kidneys so it is effective in treating bacterial infections in the kidneys, a common cause of dropsy. But yes, it can also damage the kidneys with overuse. However, I've seen bettas who have been on Kanaplex for a month with no ill effects. As regards to dosing, it is one of the more forgiving but the dosage still needs to be within the ballpark. I believe Kanaplex is safe to use for extended periods of time at the correct dosage but I would never advise anyone to double the dosage or anything like that.


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## freesia (Jan 26, 2012)

I should provide more information. First thing in the morning 6 days ago, I noticed his eye, that was really huge and looked like could burst anytime and he couldn’t keep perfectly balance. He was slightly bent to left when swimming. He ate at that time. But mainly his eye scared me a lot. The water was not changed when I was away and some plants – like the cabomba were messy and decaying; it made me believe that he had bacterial infection. I quarantined him, and put Kanaplex in QT. On next day he was floating completely on his side on surface, stopped swimming and just laid on his side. Few times he tried to get to bottom of QT, but it looked like some invisible force pulls him up. So I thought that maybe he also was overfed and has problem with swim bladder. Also I didn’t notice poops.
I did 100% water change + Kanaplex + Epson salt (1tsp/gal.) Next day: 100% water change + Kanaplex + increased Epsom salt to 3 tsp/gal. as was suggested. 
Because his health deteriorated very fast, I thought maybe 100% water changes were too stressful to him. So I did every other day 100% water change, + Kanaplex + 3 tsp. Epsom salt. Before yesterday I received Indian Almond Leaves and put them to his QT. 

He floats on his left side on top of water. Moves a bit on his side, he is week and doesn’t eat at all. Practically there is no improvement in his health, beside that swollen eye that went down. He is bloated overall. Because of floating on surface, problem with balance, not to be able to move to bottom of QT and not pooping, I made assumption of swim bladder disease. I am novice, so forgive me my theories.
But If it is bacterial infection why doesn't Kanaplex work? I thought that Kanaplex is the best broad spectrum antibiotic available on market…
Anyway, I will do what you recommend, to keep him for second week on Kanaplex and 3 tsp. Epsom salt + IAL. Hopefully he will get better...
Attached pictures are made from top view.


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## freesia (Jan 26, 2012)

more pictures:
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/12150265964-1327600365-77933/


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Is that red streaking normal? Also the holes in his fins indicate either fin rot or ammonia burns.. It looks like there is white poo coming out from one of the photos or is that just a glitch in the photo?

If the infection is internal, it can be very very difficult to treat. Kanaplex is absorbed internally more readily than other antibiotics, but still not entirely effective the way feeding a medicine would be. However, he's obviously too stressed to eat right now, poor guy.

It's kind of a guessing game and we don't want to make him worse, but all that medication and the HUGE ammount of epsom salt is really hard on him if nothing else. I would never give that much epsom but that's another debate I don't want to get into others would.. I find it really stresses out my fish and it also drops ph a lot. I wouldn't surpass 1 TSP..Plus that and the IAL which also softens water may be leaving you with some REALLY acidic water which could also be stressing him out. If he hasn't eaten in 6 days there may not be anything to poop out.. I see his belly is a little bloated, but it may be infection and not food, or it could take more time to work. I would cut back to 1 TSP per gallon epsom (make sure it's pure 100% epsom with no other additives.. look at ingredients).. and make sure you're treating carefully with kanaplex by premixing 5 units and then adding only one to the bowl. If you don't want to cut back, I would at the very least find a way to test PH. Also make sure when you do a water change you acclimate him slowly, the salts and meds are predissolved, and the temp is identical.. ideally use 24-48hr aged water.


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## freesia (Jan 26, 2012)

The red streaking are normal and the white things on photos is a glitch. 
I cut back on epsom salt to 1 tsp./gallon today and I am following instructions exactly. 
Thanks a lot Callistra and Sakura8 but please don’t go away yet…


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Callistra is right that the most effective way to treat internal infections is via medicated food but thankfully, if the fish won't eat Kanaplex is the best antibiotic to give. 

I personally have not experienced problems combining 3 tsps of epsom salt with Kanaplex but every fish is different and some may be more sensitive than others. Regardless of the dosage, don't worry as long as he is not showing signs of distress. Right now, consistency is the best thing for him; sudden changes will throw him off. 

You're doing a great job, Freesia. I'm sure your guy knows and appreciates the care you're giving him.


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