The Evil Eye

[Little_Orca]

While my sister is at summer camp working as a counseler, I was put in charge of taking care of her fish. I clean and fead the fish, but when she comes home she cleans out the betta tank to do some help. She has a bad habit f not cleaning it and leaving the poor betta in filth until I can get to it (and since I am in college and not always able to get in there as often as I like).

When I was cleaning the tank today, Tye-Dye (her betta) jumped out and into the sink. As I picked him up and put him in a bowl to I could clean the feces out of hte gravel, I noticed his left eye was inflammed.

It is about two times it's normal size and appears to be filled with a fluid. Does anyone out there know of any medicine for him I can get or home remedies or even what has happened to his eye. I suspect it has to do with my sister's lack of tank care, but I am not all to sure.

 

[Kiarra]

Sounds like popeye, which is a bacterial type infection. Tetracycline or related antibiotics should do the trick.

 

[Synirr]

It does indeed sound like popeye. It is often due to dirty water, though I have had a fish get it for no apparent reason in the past. I had great success treating it with Maracyn

 

[Little_Orca]

Thanks. I will hop over to the LFS and pick some up

 

[Bloo]

I found this info quite useful from this website :

Only one eye bulging typically indicates that the problem has occured due to an injury to the eye somehow: the eye responds by swelling and retaining fluid buildup. Quarantining the fish and giving it clean water will help it to heal on its own with a little bit of time and isolation to reduce stress. Epson salt can help (1 tablespoon per five gallons; repeat with a half dose on day three as per WetWebMedia).

 

[platyfreek]

when i was a noob my tiger barbs usedto get it all the time. (accually it was the first disease i ever treated) maracyn works wonders.

 

[Alix]

yes. sounds like what happened to a friends betta. he used M an it worked an was gone in almost no time.