help needed A>S>A>P

[snotirl]

My silver mollies left eyes is swollen up and it looks like it is goin to explode i needed a answer quick!!

 

[MaryPa]

your first tank is only good for an isolation tank it`s way too small.The poor loache will get to about 17"if in a 55 gal or larger.A 5 gal is only good for about 5 guppies,or your neons.Your catfish also needs a 40 or 55 gal tank.Large breed of fish needs large tank,you need to notice the size at adult age before you buy a fish.Your tanks are over stocked.For (small) fish the rule is one inch of fish per gallon of water.

 

[val]

That sounds like pop eye to me. You need to get some medicine like Maracyn-Two, Tetracycline tablets, or TriSulfa with Coppersafe or Maracide.

Hope that helps,
Valerie

 

[H2O]

The medication will only help the problem. Not the cause. Which seems to be overcrowding.

 

[Mogo]

Val

Just a quick question, why would you recommend using Coppersafe or Maracide? Kind of seems like you'd be putting in unnecessary meds, as these are for parasitic/protazoan infections. Popeye is caused by bacteria.

My recommendation would be to perform 10-15% water changes over the next couple of weeks, as popeye is most commonly caused by poor water conditions and tanks carrying a high organic load (probably stemming from the overcrowding in your tank). Often popeye will resolve itself with improved water quality granted it is caught early enough. You may want to use antibiotics, Maracyn Two would be a better choice, as it is specific for gram negative bacteria, which is what is affecting your fish. Tetracycline would work as well, but it turns your water brownish and creates a nasty foam on the surface.

I hope your fish gets better soon, and keep us posted on the condition.

 

[snotirl]

so the mollies eyes can get better?!?!

 

[Mogo]

Yup. The eye will get better, but as Goby Guy said, the med's will rectify the eye infection, but not the cause of it. If the conditions in the aquarium are not improved, the popeye will probably reoccur along with a multitude of other infections/conditions.

 

[snotirl]

get the mollie spread the disease should i seprate him and can he die and whats the normal name for the cure that i would say in the pet shop??!?!?

 

[Mogo]

Minocycline, Tetracycline, Tetracycline Hydrochloride, Oxytetracycline. Any of these will do the trick. Don't know what brands you have where you live, so just check the ingredients on the package.

 

[snotirl]

ok will do but how long will the mollie live his both eyes r swollen

 

[Mogo]

I would first be more concerned about the fish losing an eye. The swelling is caused by a fluid build up behind or within the eye. If enough fluid gets in, the eye will literally pop out of the orbit. Hence, why it has been named popeye. I'm not sure about the mortality rate, but what can happen if it is not treated, is that the bacteria can spread and become systemic (within the fishes body) where the bacteria can invade and damage vital organs, usually resulting in death.

As for your question about contagiousness. Well, not really. Fish kept in proper well maintained conditions can usually ward off most diseases, as most bacteria that reside in our tanks are opportunistic, they attack fish that are unhealthy and immunosurpressed or injured. So, the bottom line here is, if your aquarium conditions are of poor quality, all your fish are at risk and you are likely to see other fish develop the same condition or any number of other ones.

Hope that helps Start by testing all the regulars (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH) and make sure the levels are okay. Check your organic load. Do a good deep gravel clean (probably do about 25% of your gravel a day, make sure you are not exceeding 15% of your water while doing this) and after this make sure to do 10-15% water changes daily for the next little while (1-2 weeks until things are back to normal). Treat with antibiotics, usually 5-10 days, follow the package instructions.

 

[val]

I was just reading what the medicine packet said. I know I may not be an expert of fish problems, but I always try to help. Maybe I was wrong this time, but you can pin that on the good people of Maracyn.

Valerie

 

[Mogo]

Not a problem Val, we're all here to help each other The Mardel Laboratories info packet can be a little misleading I find. Here's a good example. The Maracide contains Malachite Green and nowhere on the package or package insert do they mention that repeated use of it can cause sterility in fish. Ughhh!!! They also tell you to use a lot of their products in conjuction with one another. Like if your fish has a bacterial infection, also use Coppersafe along with an antibiotic. Doesn't make sense to me why you would treat fish for something they don't have. Seems like putting fish under undue chemical stress. Maybe they feel this will allow for error in misdiagnosis, or they just want to make more money , I don't know.

 

[Lipreader]

Please let us know how your baby is doing and what you did to cure the popeye. I read somewhere that when they lose their eye, they can still survive, they are just blind. Is that true for all case of popeye?

 

[snotirl]

well i put him down! both of his eyes went swollen and i couldnt find a cure and even if i did he would be complete blind so i thought the best thing was to put him down