Pearl Gourami Popeye, Help!

[Elguendy]

I got my pearl Gouramis about 3 months ago. It had one blind eye but it was managing very well in the tank. It is even slightly aggressive with other fish. About 6 weeks ago, I noticed that the bad eye is getting cloudier and starting to protrude. I immediately transferred the gourami to a hospital tank and started treating with erythromycin. The eye went out a little more and than stopped. The antibiotic did not affect it at all. On the other hand, the fish is as active as ever and its appetite did not change. What do you think it is? What do I do now ? Do I try more antibiotics or anti parasites??? Do I return it to the main tank?

Please help

Thanks

 

[sylvia]

Keep it isolated - did you finish the course of antibiotics? If so, try a different one. Not all strains of bacteria are affected by the same antibiotic. Keep the water quality excellent and make sure the gourami isn't stressed and is getting some live foods and veggies to keep its immune system in good stead. Fingers crossed, it'll recover.

 

[Elguendy]

Dear Sylvia
Thanks for you reply. I'm at a loss here and I appriciate your help.
I have already treated with Maracin I and II and finished both more than 4 weeks ago. Do you think the fish can survive a bacterial infection for more that 6 weeks if it is not bacterial, what else can it be?

 

[sylvia]

Pop-eye is caused by the accumulation of fluid behind the eye so your fish may not actualy still be infected but it could take a while for the eye to go back to normal. This can be caused by any sort of infection, really - but is almost always bacterial. If the antibiotics you used halted the progression of this infection, it's worth continuing with the treatment as it's working.

 

[Elguendy]

I continued treating my Gourami for the last 2 weeks. It has been isolated for over 2 months now and treated with Maracin, MaracinII, Maracin TC , anti-fungus from Jungle. I didn't see any change in its eye condition. The fish is still as active and otherwise healthy. Do you think it may be safe now to return it to the main tank

 

[sylvia]

If there has been absolutely no change then you can be pretty sure that the infection has gone or halted so moving it back would be ok. However, you'll have to isolate again at the first sign of anything going wrong and it would now be especialy important to not stress the fish, keep the temperature and water quality stable and do water changes frequently. It's up to you whether you think moving it back is worth it. You might find that, as soon as it goes back, the eye starts to swell again.