Popeye Or Something Else?

[peter212693]

Hi all,
 
Noticed tonight one of my rummynose tetras isnt looking great. Nothing has changed in my tank other than dosing seachem excel recently. The fish seems fine just looks like his eye is escaping
 
What do you think:
 

 
 
Anything I can do? Water is fine; Amm - 0, Nitrite - 0 and Nitrate - 30
 
Thanks

 

[fm1978]

It could well be popeye, yes. I can't see perfectly from the photos but is his eye a little cloudy as well?

If so, and it's only one eye (unilateral popeye), it's possibly been caused by some physical damage. Could he have bumped into something, been bumped into or been "attacked"?

It is possible to treat it, however, it can be pretty difficult because there can be a few complications. There's the physical damage to the cornea (cloudyness), tissue damage (swelling) and possible bacterial infection due to the initial damage in the first place.

If you can quarantine him and provide him with bang on water conditions, an improved diet, antibiotics/anti-bacterials and maybe even a dose or epsom salts, he could very well get better!

Good luck!

 

[peter212693]

Thanks,
 
Its only one eye and he seems healthy apart from the eye. I dont have a quarantine tank or the facility for one
 
My tank stays bang on 0 - amm, 0 - nitrite and 30-40 - nitrate.
 
Will he recover in the display tank?

 

[fm1978]

He could if given the improved diet (high in vitamins etc) and the water is as pristine as possible. What you won't be able to do is dose the epsom salts. You may not even be able to medicate.

Only time will tell and it could take many weeks. Keep a close eye (pun sort of intended) on him!

 

[BerryAttack]

take your carbon out of the water, depending on the size of the tank you can leave him in there and treat him with the other fish... that won't stress him out by removing him and putting in solo tank.
 
depending on what you have in the tank, you can add some salts, and treat for pop eye meds.