Hi! I have a betta who I think has pop eye. Iām hoping someone can help me figure out how to help him. He was a healthy happy little guy who one day needed his tank cleaned. I did a 50% change and cleaned it. Ever since then he stopped doing all the things. He wonāt follow my finger, he wonāt eat, he doesnāt swim a lot. I thought maybe it was shock from the cleaning so I gave him a couple days. When he didnāt perk up I tried doing Melafix and pimafix. Once I did that he started coming out more but still not eating. He comes up sometimes and looks like heās going to eat but then spits it out. Now I have noticed his one eye is swollen and cloudy. I went and got aquarium salt to do a little salt bath but Iām not sure how often to do that or that is what he needs. Iām worried about him, any help would be appreciated! Attached is a picture of his eyes. Top picture is his left eye, bottom is his right eye.
Help for Betta
- Thread starter Swusch
- Start date
The April FOTM Contest Poll is open!
š Click to vote! š
Heās in a 3 gallon tank. Iām sorry, Iām not sure what cycled means. He has a filter. I put betta water that you can buy in a bottle in the tank. We have had him 2 months so it was my first time cleaning his tank.
Cycling a tank makes it safe for fish, read about it here, pay special attention to "Fish-In Cycling": https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycle-your-tank-a-complete-guide-for-beginners.475055/
The eye affliction is most likely from irritation from ammonia in the tank
Get a good test kit, such as the API Freshwater Master test kit...as well as a good water conditioner, either Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water conditioner...you don't need to be buying water
Follow the directions in the cycling link above, and post any questions here
The eye affliction is most likely from irritation from ammonia in the tank
Get a good test kit, such as the API Freshwater Master test kit...as well as a good water conditioner, either Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water conditioner...you don't need to be buying water
Follow the directions in the cycling link above, and post any questions here
Thank you! I will read up on that. The lady at the store said to have it filter for an hour and it would be safe. So I think it is cycled but I havenāt read that article yet.
I do have Top Fin Betta Water Conditioner for my next tank cleaning so I donāt have to buy water again. She just suggested it to make sure the water was the right numbers.
I just tested his tank (I have api test strips 5 in 1) I will Google those numbers to make sure they are okay.
I appreciate you!
Running a filter for an hour does nothing but aerate the water... The lady at the store either wanted to make a quick sale or literally knew nothing about what she was saying
You are very welcome
#1 rule in fishkeeping: Never trust the advice of pet store employees...they are there to make $, not give good advice...the majority of the time, they have no clue, anyway
The Top Fin stuff is fine for now, but get one of the others when you run out of it
Get that liquid test kit I mentioned above, the paper strips can be unreliable & inaccurate, especially if aged.
For now, do a large water change, match the tap temp as closely as you can to the tank temp, and dose the Top Fin per the directions...you don't need ANY other chemicals
Lastly, bettas need at minimum a 5 gallon tank to be comfortable, but use what you have for now
Don't get discouraged, MANY of us have started out in the hobby just as you have...good luck
shoot. We originally went to the store to just buy the tank and decorations because I thought it had to filter for a couple days but she assured me, for bettas, an hour is all it needs. I should have researched first, that is fail on my part. I did get two bettas that day, because one looked like he was dying and I felt awful for him. She let me have him for free. He didnāt make it but he was at least out of his gross cup. I tested the water just now, his Nitrates are low. Is that the ammonia you spoke of?
The numbers you need to look at are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. But 5 in 1 tests don't test for ammonia, and that's the first thing to show up in an uncycled tank.
The tests need to be -
Ammonia zero
Nitrite zero
Nitrate below 20 ppm.
After 2 months, the tank should now be cycled, but the betta will have had ammonia and nitrite in the water for some time during those 2 months.
However, if you wash the filter media in tap water or replace the filter media regularly, the tank could still be uncycled. Unless you are on a well, water providers add chlorine or chloramine to kill bacteria so washing media in tap water will kill any bacteria which have managed to grow. And for the first months, the good bacteria grow in the filter media, so throwing media away throws away the good bacteria as well.
The tests need to be -
Ammonia zero
Nitrite zero
Nitrate below 20 ppm.
After 2 months, the tank should now be cycled, but the betta will have had ammonia and nitrite in the water for some time during those 2 months.
However, if you wash the filter media in tap water or replace the filter media regularly, the tank could still be uncycled. Unless you are on a well, water providers add chlorine or chloramine to kill bacteria so washing media in tap water will kill any bacteria which have managed to grow. And for the first months, the good bacteria grow in the filter media, so throwing media away throws away the good bacteria as well.
Don't beat yourself up over it, just follow the directions here, we'll help you sort through it...go get that test kit
I tested the water just now, his Nitrates are low. Is that the ammonia you spoke of?
Yeah donāt worry about it, we have all made countless numbers if mistakes just listen to the experienced members and you will b fine
I tested the water just now, his Nitrates are low. Is that the ammonia you spoke of?
Ok! I will run to the store in a little bit to get the water test kit. Iāll also check and see if they have any 5 gallon tanks on sale! The lady told me 1 gallon was fine but I wanted him to have more room so I thought doing 3 gallon was good.
I did the change the filter once already and I clean it in tap water
Iām so glad I found this page, Iāve been failing this poor fish.
I did the same thing with my betta... The tank ran for 2-3 days before I put my betta in and I did research but I did sooooooo many things wrong. Youre not failing, youre learning what not to doOk! I will run to the store in a little bit to get the water test kit. Iāll also check and see if they have any 5 gallon tanks on sale! The lady told me 1 gallon was fine but I wanted him to have more room so I thought doing 3 gallon was good.
I did the change the filter once already and I clean it in tap water
DO NOT mess with your filter, or do any more cleaning, until we get your tank (this one or a new one) cycledOk! I will run to the store in a little bit to get the water test kit. Iāll also check and see if they have any 5 gallon tanks on sale! The lady told me 1 gallon was fine but I wanted him to have more room so I thought doing 3 gallon was good.
I did the change the filter once already and I clean it in tap water
We are wanting to grow "beneficial bacteria" (BB)...any cleaning, ESPECIALLY of the filter where the BB will colonize first, will wipe them out, and we start all over again
I would recommend getting a filter where you can put actual media in that isnt the cartridges. In fact... Since you will only have a betta in there and its a small tank, a cheap sponge filter would work great!
Last edited:
Most reactions
-
269 -
240 -
154 -
143 -
136 -
135 -
111 -
110 -
95 -
92 -
86 -
84 -
78 -
68 -
61
