Severe pop-eye: beware - image is not pretty

nickiwit

nickiwit

Premium Member
This started as cloudy eye and then progressed to pop-eye. I removed the fish from the display and placed in a 72 bowfront quarantine. It has been almost 2 months. I have tried the following treatments (obviously not all at once): Maracyn2, Epson Salt, and Melafix. I also tried to remove some of the build up with a hypodermic needle with no success. In fact I think it worsened after the needle. The fish is still in good spirits and is eating well. Water quality is not an issue. Please let me know if you have any advise.

62379infected_eye.jpg
 
Wow thats a pretty bad infection!

You mentioned Melafix, I use it all the time and so far 100% success, but I have never had to try and fix something that bad.

You may want to try my recipe I use a full dose of Melafix as per instructions and a half dose of Pimafix. Every fish so far within 7 days has recovered very well with this treatment. Its been used on salt and freshwater fish. I also make certain the water quality is very good in the QT tanks (I have 3 ). The cool thing about both those products it won't supress the bio filter.

Some stores say it dosn't work, but from experience they just don't follow up on the treatment. They do 1 dose or 2 then let it sit there. The active ingredients seem to evaperate fairly quickly so it's important to continue treatment as per instructions.

If its a bacteria infection I feel comfortable suggesting this treatment, if it's something else that's the cause, then this treatment may not work for you.
 
I can't see much in the pic .. too dark on my screen.

Eye problems are normally bacterial in nature and can clear up on their own if they are not too bad ... based on your description it sounds like your beyond that. A double dose of Marcyn2 (twice the mfg recommendation) will often clear up a bulging eye - however Marcyn2 (minocycline) is not considered a very potent antibiotic and use of Kanacyn or Nitrofurazone would be more effective. Antibiotic treatments should be performed in a QT.

Using the needle to relieve pressure was not the best idea and chances are it will exacerbate the problem. Further .. use of epson salts is an old FW trick that is unlikely to help. Primafix, Melafix are herbal remedies that are also unlikely to help with a severe bacterial issue.

Hope this helps
 
Kevin,

True they (Melafix and Pimafix) are both Herbal in nature, but the active ingredients are very well known to have anti-bacterial properties. The widespread use of antibiotics in holding facilities has hindered our ability to cure using them. Resistant strains are a major problem and is very common. Of course improper use at low dosage is probably the biggest cause of the resistance, but thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s something we canââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t change. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m the kind that will try something that is natural first (if available) then move on if I see no results. So far I have had great success with Melafix and Pimafix, in my hospital tanks and have not had to resort to anything stronger. The fish act a bit odd at first but nothing that I would call stress. They also end up eating a lot faster which I believe builds their immune system up. When all we had were antibiotics, believe me that was a pain to use, and far from effective on all counts.

But to each his own medicine.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

Since I tried Maracyn2 (mfg suggested dosage, not double mfg suggested dosage) and it only worsened, I believe I need something stronger and do not want to try the double dosage.

Also, it only worsened when I used Melafix. I did do a full dosage for 1 week.

You suggested Kanacyn or Nitrofurazone. I need a very strong antibiotic. Has anyone used BiFuran+? It is a disease treatment for bacterial and protozoan diseases. It seems pretty stong and contains Nitrofuazone and Furazolidone.

It can be used as a bath, dip, or oral. Since the infected fish is in a 72 gallon QT, I prefer the bath and treat the whole tank so I don't put the fish through the stress of catching him for a dip. And oral, in my opinion, would only be for internal diseases. Do you have any advise as to which method (bath, dip, or oral) would be more affective in this situation?
 
I've started treatment with Bifuran+. First treatment was yesterday and I just added the second today. It appears to be reducing in size. I should be able to tell better tomorrow.

If this doesn't work then I'll try Penicillin. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your help and interest.
 
I wonder if you could get it surgically removed by a vet... I've heard some success stories with Vet surgery on fish that is very affordable.

They actually numb the fish with a tranquilizer that allows the surgery to take place in a very thin layer of water.

The success rates are really high, and I know you love you trigger otherwise you would't bother sharing.

Anyways, I really hope your fish responds well to the new meds you are trying.

If anything, it won't allow the popeye to spread nor will infection kick in.

Good luck...
 
The medicine looks like it is slowly reducing the swelling although the eye still has a long way to go. The fish is hanging in there. He is still eating.
 
stress? really? maybe i should sell my clown then? dang i really like him but i cant have this going on in my 300...

i have been treating with penicillin and melafix.. i dont see a change yet.. i am hopeing that it will get better by the end of the weekend....
 
My popeye was with a Carpenter's Wrasse, I left it untreated and it passed but he was never the same because of the stress. They had him jumping out of the water all the time and his color was alway bad until he died three months later. There was no question the popeye was caused by stress and it never passed to any other fish.

Fahz
 
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