Betta tank help please

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aquariumn00b

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
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Edwardsville
I have a beautiful blue betta that has contracted popeye. It's a long story but when I found the betta she was not in the best condition. She currently lives in a small goldfish glass bowl w/ a small marina i25 filter. I have been treating her with Mardel Maracyn off and on for about two weeks. The left eye seems to have the signs of the popeye but it could be she lost the eye to popeye and has gone blind. She seems to be fine but that little bowl gets dirty fast. I have a 10 gallon that I recently set up to house a unfriendly chinese algae eater. I have a piece of driftwood, rocks and a small plant in the tank. The tanks is set up for live plants. I want to know if transferring the betta to the 10 gallon is a good idea. Will the algae eater contract popeye if the betta still has it?
 
I found this on the web. It looks like isolation is the best. and lots of water changes and antibiotics, hopefully someone else chimes in for ya! best.

Popeye also known as exophthalmial. This condition is caused by a wide range of factors including, bacterial infections, parasite infrestations, poor water quality, and internal metabolic system disorders.

SYMPTOMS
One or both eyes protrude form the head in an unusual shape. I refer to fish other then gold fish some of which have been bred for this appearance. The eye lens can be cloudy white looking as well. In some cases the eye will look normal it just protrudes to much, also a white ring is sometimes noticed that circles the eye where it meets the head but the eye other wise looks ok.

OCCURRENCE OF THE SYMPTOMS
The disease usually only affects one or two fish in an aquarium, and is rarely markedly infectious however that being said. Prevention is the best part of treatment. I would move any effected fish to its own treatment tank. ( why take chances )

Sometimes the condition will persist for a short time and then may disappear without treatment other then good clean water. It is very rare that a fish will die as a direct result of this disease. If uniform numbers of fish in a tank become infected they you can suspect water qualtiy has been poor and or a infectious agent is present.

Popeye can be caused by a Build up of fluid in or behind the eyes or by the presence of . bacteria and parasitic eye flukes.

TREATMENT- RECOMMENDED
Treatment with a broad spectrum antibotic, and water changes are the prefered method as the problem is of a bacterial nature. There is not much other then that treatment that offers much hope for improvement. I suggest the fish be isolated and give extra clean water and varied diet. Medicated food could be tried, but no studies have been done to show the effectiveness of any of the methods listed.
 
you also have to be careful about putting bettas in with aggressive fish... as they can be aggressive themselves... as yours has popeye and is possibly blind she may be a target for the more aggressive fish...
 
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