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Does anyone know the stages or cycle of this disease. My roomates dovii had his eye bulging a couple of days ago and then it clouded up. Yesterday it appeared to be seperating from its body and today it has open sores all over it. The eye is mangled and huge and appears to have open sore cracks all over and around the eye. The water now ok, probably the cause, but what to do now and will the eye ever recover or is it lost. The fish is completely blind on its right side. Help!

The fish needs excellent water quality for starters, but the eye has probably infected if it is that bad. There is a chance it can pop out, but fish can easily live with one eye. They may hide for a few days, but then go about life as normal. They don't care what they look like.

Before adding meds, the ammonia and nitrite need to be zero and nitrates should be low - like around 20ppm or lower. So, test these. Water changes should not alter temp more than 1.0-1.5 in order to prevent temp stress.

Not knowing what else is in the tank is a challenge. I am partial to nitrofurans for antibiotics because they don't make a mess of the tank like Maracyn, Maracyn-2, Sulfa, and tetracycline, and because they are more readily absorbed. Furacyn is safe for even scaleless fish at full strength. Others with nitrofurans include Fungus Clear Tank Buddies and Furan-2. The latter is probably the strongest of the bunch.

Now, you mention sores. Are the sores on the body? There is a chance that this fish has developed piscine TB. Popeye is just one of the symptoms. Other symptoms include open sores on the body, hole(s) in the gill plate, and eventually a bent spine in latter stages. Not all symptoms need be present. Older fish are usually susceptible.

Piscine TB is zoonotic, meaning that it can be transmitted to humans. It is NOT the stereotypical lung TB, but rather it comes in the forms of sores that will not heal - on the skin, or in the throat (if you get tank water in your throat from starting a siphon, for example). Most healthy people will not develop symptoms, even if they have an open wound on the hand when putting it in the tank. Rather, it requires you to be immune deficient in some way. However, it is advised that when fish TB is suspected, you do not place your hands in the water if there are cuts. There are long gloves that can be purchased at hospital supply places or online at fish stores. Watch the siphoning.

Another good med you may try is Kanacyn, if you can find it.

If the fish is feeding, then you can skip the above meds and feed him exclusively the Jungle Anti-Bacteria medicated food, if you are in the US. It can be found at Petsmart and maybe at other stores now. IT was only recently distributed and for the longest time, only Petsmart carried it. It too has nitrofurans. Oral food is always best in such cases than water meds.

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441806679&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030134&bmUID=1111330621431

I would also put in some freshwater aquarium salt. If there are no scaleless fish, I would pre-dissolve 1 Tbsp per 5 gallons and dribble it in throughout the day. The rock type (Doc Wellfish) can be dissolved more quickly in hot, conditioned tap water (up to an hour). This will perk him up a little because electrolytes go out of balance with infections and openings. It will prevent osmotic shock, as well. If you have scaleless fish, use half the dose and put it in over two days.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 20-Mar-2005 09:00