Pop Eye

Gilli · Jul 18, 2010

Ive been keeping fish for about 3 years now and every so often over the years I lose a couple to pop eye. Its always just one that gets it and my water stats are always fine. I test with an API liquid test kit and do a 30% water change/gravel vac weekly without fail. Tank is kept spotless with live plants and they are all fed on a wide range of both dried and frozen foods.

I know pop eye is not a disease in itself, but im at a loss to know why the odd fish gets it? Any ideas?

mattlee · Jul 18, 2010

what fish do you have? could there be a bully fish in there?
is it just 1 eye thats effected or 2? cause if its just 1 then look for fighting/bullying

mtv8dmarine · Jul 18, 2010

Usually pop eye isn't caused by bullying but, if you do have a bully fish and there are any open wounds they could get infected. Is it just one eye or both? If it's just one eye it could very well be trauma related and the fish perhaps scratched itself on something or maybe a bully. It's most often the water parameters...which you stated were good. Pop eye is usually a sign of something else. Ammonia and nitrite levels should be 0. Is it possible that one of the levels spike right before a cleaning? How consistent are your temperature levels for the fish you have? Significant enough fluctuations will lower the immune system of the fish too.

Gilli · Jul 18, 2010

I have a 250L community tank. Its not due to bullying. In the past I lost a Blue German ram which id had for 2 years for no reason. At the moment I have a female krib who has a mate neither of them fight, ive had them both about a year. She has it in both eyes. Ammonia and nitrite levels are both 0, temp is a constant 76. When she got it the first thing I did was test the water and have done so once a week since.They are in a mature tank of 2 years old.

Ive tried meds to no effect. The swelling is around her eyes, they burst and then swell again. She has been like this for about a month now, and apart from that seems fine. She is eating well, interacting well - infact at the moment she has a small brood of about a week old.