Popeye on goldfish from injury?

[sobersteve323]

Greetings!

I have a 7 year old goldfish that appears to have popeye in only one eye. I did a little research online and read that if it presents on only one side, it's generally from injury. Is there any way to help heal this?

Here is an abbreviated history of the last couple of weeks in my tank (I'll try to keep it short and simple!):

We have 2 comets and 1 black moor. All were healthy and doing fine until I bought some anacharis from a local fish store. Shortly afterwards, "popeye" stopped eating and began to act as if she was blind. Not only would food float past her face, but she wouldn't even react to my hand/gravel hose as I was cleaning the tank. This is when I think she injured her eye. I was vacuuming the gravel and she got "spooked" when I touched her and darted away and dove into the substrate like she didn't see it coming. Within a day her eye appeared to be swelling and shortly after that ich appeared on the other 2 fish. I've been treating the tank with API's ich medication the last few days and the ich appears to be clearing up but popeye's eye appears to be like a bagel now. The eye is still clear with no cloudiness which leads me to suspect it's a result of injuring herself on the gravel.

Is the ich outbreak related to the goldfish's popeye? Could ich cause a loss of appetite/"blindness" without clouding the eye? Does it seem that the popeye is a result from injury?

Also, I haven’t seen the fish eat for over a week. Is it time to say goodbye?

I've been following this forum for the last few months and I'm amazed at how helpful and knowledgeable everyone is here. Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice and please let me know if I should provide any other information.

Edit: I can also try to provide some photos when I get home.

[George9]

This might be popeye, it's probably easier with pics. But My fish had popeye from a bacterial infection. I quarantined him and treated with Maracyn Two. If your fish is already alone, than just treat the whole tank. But not yet! I want to look at the pictures first.

[sobersteve323]

Originally Posted by George9

This might be popeye, it's probably easier with pics. But My fish had popeye from a bacterial infection. I quarantined him and treated with Maracyn Two. If your fish is already alone, than just treat the whole tank. But not yet! I want to look at the pictures first.

Thanks for the reply. I didn't get a chance to post pics but I will try tonight. The fish is still hanging in there but she still wont eat and is pretty listless.

I've been using API Super Ick Cure Liquid and yesterday was the scheduled second dose but when I got home she was covered in ich again (the other 2 fish weren't but seemed itchy). Does anyone know if this brand works? The total treatment period is only 4 days (1 dose on day 1, wait 2 days then repeat). From what I've read that seems a little too short of a treatment time.

[George9]

I havent used that brand for ich. I found that quick cure for ich cured my ich in three days. It comes in a little bottle and is only like 4 bucks

[Mr. Limpet]

Originally Posted by George9

I havent used that brand for ich. I found that quick cure for ich cured my ich in three days. It comes in a little bottle and is only like 4 bucks

+1

Quick Cure has worked for me the 2 times my goldies got ick. I do normal dosing for 10 days to make sure the ick is dead. After 1st 3 days of dosing spots were gone, then I'd do daily or every other day PWC thru the rest of the treatment period. Walmart has QC for $2.50.

[Homedog98]

For the popeye, Maracyn and Maracyn two along with aquarium salt will clear it up, you really need to quarantine the fish if you can. It'll keep her from getting bullied. Even a bucket with some main tank gravel and tank water will do.

[sobersteve323]

Originally Posted by George9

I havent used that brand for ich. I found that quick cure for ich cured my ich in three days. It comes in a little bottle and is only like 4 bucks

I'll check it out if this doesn't clear the ick up by Thursday. Is there a brand name for quick cure? Or is that it?

[sobersteve323]

Originally Posted by Homedog98

For the popeye, Maracyn and Maracyn two along with aquarium salt will clear it up, you really need to quarantine the fish if you can. It'll keep her from getting bullied. Even a bucket with some main tank gravel and tank water will do.

Will this work even if the cause is from injury? Luckily the other fish have been leaving her alone or just sit at the bottom of the tank next to her.

[Homedog98]

Originally Posted by sobersteve323

Will this work even if the cause is from injury? Luckily the other fish have been leaving her alone or just sit at the bottom of the tank next to her.

Yup, it works best for popeye from injury.

[sobersteve323]

Originally Posted by Homedog98

Yup, it works best for popeye from injury.

Thanks, I'll go pick some up today. Is it sold at any pet store like petsmart?

Also, would it be safe to use for all 3 of my fish just in case? Or should I only be using it in a quarantine? And is it safe to use with API Super Ick Cure?

[Homedog98]

Originally Posted by sobersteve323

Thanks, I'll go pick some up today. Is it sold at any pet store like petsmart?

Yup! All 3 chemicals are sold there,

[sobersteve323]

Originally Posted by Homedog98

Yup! All 3 chemicals are sold there,

Would it be safe to use for all 3 of my fish just in case? Or should I only be using it in a quarantine? And is it safe to use with API Super Ick Cure?


Sorry for asking twice, hit submit before I was done typing and I don't think I used the edit button correctly...

[Homedog98]

Originally Posted by sobersteve323

Would it be safe to use for all 3 of my fish just in case? Or should I only be using it in a quarantine? And is it safe to use with API Super Ick Cure?

Sorry for asking twice, hit submit before I was done typing and I don't think I used the edit button correctly...

If you had a QT it'd be best, it'd be less stressful on the other fish, but it'll still work. Literally all you need for the QT is a bucket and some used gravel, but if you'd rather not, that's fine too. I'm not sure about the mixing meds, but a QT would help solve that issue. Lol... You can see which side my bread's buttered on.

[sobersteve323]

Originally Posted by Homedog98

If you had a QT it'd be best, it'd be less stressful on the other fish, but it'll still work. Literally all you need for the QT is a bucket and some used gravel, but if you'd rather not, that's fine too. I'm not sure about the mixing meds, but a QT would help solve that issue. Lol... You can see which side my bread's buttered on.

Ok. Only asking because right now the used gravel would come from a tank that has Super Ick Cure in it.

[Homedog98]

Originally Posted by sobersteve323

Ok. Only asking because right now the used gravel would come from a tank that has Super Ick Cure in it.

Just use the main tank gravel in the QT, with fresh, treated, tap water, and you should be ok.

[George9]

Even if the ick seems to be gone, still treat a couple days after to be sure. Just add gravel from your Main tank to the hospital tank just like homedog said. You probably be fine even without adding gravel. Good luck!

[sobersteve323]

I think I may try it without the gravel since I don't want to transfer any ich cysts into the QT tank. And just for clarification in the QT tank... treat for popeye or both ich and popeye? Sorry if I'm sounding anal but I know my fish is pretty weak and I just want to make sure this last shot isn't what does it in.

[Homedog98]

Originally Posted by sobersteve323

I think I may try it without the gravel since I don't want to transfer any ich cysts into the QT tank. And just for clarification in the QT tank... treat for popeye or both ich and popeye? Sorry if I'm sounding anal but I know my fish is pretty weak and I just want to make sure this last shot isn't what does it in.

Just treat for popeye in the QT, when he goes back in, the ich should be gone.

[sobersteve323]

So I'm not sure if I helped or made things worse. I prepared a quarantine bucket with an airstone in it and the maracyn. I had everything next to the tank and quickly netted the fish out. She was originally sitting at the bottom of the tank but now in the QT she's floating at the surface on her side gasping.

Any suggestions?

[Homedog98]

Did you dose too much Maracyn? Put her back in the main tank, and try a different bucket... It could be leaching chemicals.