Popeye & Pale Odessa Barb

[zuzupc]

Tank size: 30 gallon
pH: 6.5
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10-20
kH: n/a
gH: n/a
tank temp: 72 F

Fish Symptoms: For about 8 days now, 1 Odessa Barb is showing symptoms - popeye in one eye, pale (no red stripe, scales are dull not shiny, black spots are faded). Still swimming and eating, but hangs out at the surface/upper area of tank while the school sticks to the middle/bottom. He's a little gaspy, but it's less pronounced than before I started treatment Nobody else is gaspy.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 25% every 7-14 days (I have a fluctuating work schedule; usually 7-10 days, 14 at the longest). I also lightly vacuum gravel when doing the water change.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Currently treating for bacterial infection via API, about to do the final water change and put the AC back in. I use prime for water conditioning.

Tank inhabitants:

6 Odessa Barbs
4 Cherry Barbs
(barbs all school together w/o issue aside from usual barb nippy nonsense)
5 Corys
1 Bristlenose Pleco

Recent additions to your tank: none, though I've only had the Odessas for about 8 weeks. They're from a small, local fish store run by a reputable gentleman who specializes in fish and planted aquariums.

Exposure to chemicals: none

It's an established tank with an internal filter rated for a 40-60 gallon, pump positioned to create internal current. I have a bubble bar spanning the back width of the tank for aeration. Couple of low light amazon swords, otherwise fake plants. Plenty of hiding places and rounded gravel for the corys. I've got a few bettas in 5 and 10 gallons so I'm familiar with getting accessories that are less likely to cause injury.

None of the other fish are showing any signs of illness or injury. Aside from the symptoms described above, the sick barb is eating and swimming. I'm wondering if I should set up my 2.5gal as a temporary hospital tank. I hate separating him from the others, but while he hasn't gotten worse in the past week I don't see any obvious improvement either and he's not schooling with them anyway.

All equipment used for the tank is specific for fish use. I'm not new to tropical fish (I've maintained tropical and African cichlids in the past) and have nursed many a betta back to health. This is the first time in the 4 yrs I've had this setup and a water change & temp increase hasn't resolved

I think that's everything... any advice is appreciated. I'd like to save the little guy and have the will and means to set up a hospital tank with heat, filtration and everything if that's what's best. I assume this is just an injury from another barb pecking him that got infected but don't want to risk the community. Let me know if you need any other information!

 

[Colin_T]

Can you post a picture and maybe a short 20 second video of the sick fish?

What is in the medication you are currently using?

How much medication are you adding and how big is the tank (length x width x height)?

 

[zuzupc]

Can you post a picture and maybe a short 20 second video of the sick fish?

What is in the medication you are currently using?

How much medication are you adding and how big is the tank (length x width x height)?

As ridiculous as it sounds, I worked until after 11pm yesterday and was back at work this morning so I didn't get a chance to do a video. My roommate set him up in a hospital tank tho with tank water and heat so we can keep a closer eye on him I'll try to get a video tonight if I get home at a reasonable time.

I did take a close look at him while in the hospital tank and he's still eating, but appears to search for food blindly until he lucks upon it, which may be why he's sticking to the surface. His color is still washed out, and one eye appears injured/bruised while the other is cloudy and protruding. He's not hiding and moving around the small tank without issue. No better, but not any worse.

I do not know the tank dimensions from memory, but it's a 30gal bow front. Just using the API powder treatment for bacterial infections. This particular one said 1 packet per 10gal every 48hrs (two doses) 25% water change, then re-add the activated carbon. Doesn't seem to be bothering any of the fish, just made the tank look like a lagoon.

 

[zuzupc]

Roomie texted me some pics. Said he's got some color in his tail now, he was completely bland the last few days. Still moving around fine. Doesn't look great but does look a tiny bit more colorful than before.

Water discoloration is from the API treatment in the main tank. Until I get a filter set up (hopefully tomorrow), his water is changed daily with community tank water. Taking care of sick fish is very difficult working 80hr weeks >>

 

[Colin_T]

If the medication you used is an anti-biotic, you will need to keep treating for at least a week and probably 2 weeks.
You need to treat for at least 3 days after the eye has healed and is back to normal. However, if there is no improvement after 3 or 4 days of treatment, then stop using that medication and try something else.

The best way to use anti-biotics is to use a bare tank with no gravel in. Have aeration and a heater in the tank. Treat the tank and 24 hours later, wipe the inside of the glass down and change all the water. You can use water from the other aquarium to refill the hospital tank. Then treat it again. Basically use full strength medication and change the water every 24 hours before retreating the tank. Do this until the problem has cured, but as mentioned above, if there is no improvement after 4 days, try a different medication.

--------------------------
The fish in the picture appears to be blind in the left eye and has a white film over the right eye. It has very red gills and throat and the scales around the belly are sticking out a bit. I would say it is a very bad bacterial infection. If you want to continue treatment then do but monitor the water quality in the small container. Any fish food and waster will cause ammonia levels to rise rapidly and that will make the fish sicker. Only feed the fish a little bit about 4 hours before you change the water. That way the ammonia from the food will be removed by the water change.

Medications reduce the oxygen levels in the water so make sure there is some aeration so the fish doesn't suffocate.

--------------------------
If you are using anti-biotics, they will kill the filter bacteria so monitor the main tank as well as the hospital tank for ammonia and nitrite levels. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate in the main tank if you get any ammonia or nitrite levels.

Don't bother putting a biological filter on the hospital tank if using anti-biotics. Just change all the water daily and have lots of aeration, but not too much so the fish is blown around the tank.

 

[zuzupc]

If the medication you used is an anti-biotic, you will need to keep treating for at least a week and probably 2 weeks.
You need to treat for at least 3 days after the eye has healed and is back to normal. However, if there is no improvement after 3 or 4 days of treatment, then stop using that medication and try something else.

The best way to use anti-biotics is to use a bare tank with no gravel in. Have aeration and a heater in the tank. Treat the tank and 24 hours later, wipe the inside of the glass down and change all the water. You can use water from the other aquarium to refill the hospital tank. Then treat it again. Basically use full strength medication and change the water every 24 hours before retreating the tank. Do this until the problem has cured, but as mentioned above, if there is no improvement after 4 days, try a different medication.

--------------------------
The fish in the picture appears to be blind in the left eye and has a white film over the right eye. It has very red gills and throat and the scales around the belly are sticking out a bit. I would say it is a very bad bacterial infection. If you want to continue treatment then do but monitor the water quality in the small container. Any fish food and waster will cause ammonia levels to rise rapidly and that will make the fish sicker. Only feed the fish a little bit about 4 hours before you change the water. That way the ammonia from the food will be removed by the water change.

Medications reduce the oxygen levels in the water so make sure there is some aeration so the fish doesn't suffocate.

--------------------------
If you are using anti-biotics, they will kill the filter bacteria so monitor the main tank as well as the hospital tank for ammonia and nitrite levels. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate in the main tank if you get any ammonia or nitrite levels.

Don't bother putting a biological filter on the hospital tank if using anti-biotics. Just change all the water daily and have lots of aeration, but not too much so the fish is blown around the tank.

Thanks very much for the recs. When doing 100% water changes, I worry about stressing the guy by moving him...is it okay to do like a 90-95% change every 24hrs and wiping down so I dont have to move him out? Like I can scoop him in a mug them do the change around him. I have his tank and the community tank at the same temp so I can siphon water directly into the hospital tank. Thanks for the tip of feeding pre-water change that's a good idea.

And yep, tonight is the big 50% change, vacuum and putting carbon back in the filter night on the community tank. My fishies are gonna be upset! I am. monitoring both tanks for ammonia and nitrite levels once or twice a day as my schedule permits.

I will have to hopefully get to a pet store and pick up an additional pump for aeration so they may take until tomorrow or Tuesday, but I'll aerate the water manually as I can until then.

As far as antibiotics go, all I seem to be able to find are the pre-packaged 10gal ones. Right now we're trying the tetracycline and we're on day 1. I'll monitor him and update.

 

[Colin_T]

Yes it's fine to do a 95% water change and leave him in the bottom, then top up with water from the other tank.

Tetracycline is pretty strong and treats lots of different bacterial infections. If it's going to work you should notice an improvement within 48 hours.

 

[zuzupc]

Yes it's fine to do a 95% water change and leave him in the bottom, then top up with water from the other tank.

Tetracycline is pretty strong and treats lots of different bacterial infections. If it's going to work you should notice an improvement within 48 hours.

Okay, awesome! I really hope we see him perk up. Roomie has nicknamed him One-Eyed Willie xD We gotta save Willie! The fact that he's got some color today is definitely a difference he was a pale dull grey the past week, so here's hoping!

Thank you very much for the recommendations, I really appreciate it