1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
One of my betta's eyes is swollen up and cloudy. I noticed this approximately 1.5 weeks ago, his eye was huge (at least 2x the size of the other) and he seemed to have difficulty seeing his food-- however, his appetite was fine as long as I dropped food right on his head. Throughout this whole ordeal, he has also been swimming around just fine and blowing small swathes of bubble nests.
I removed the carbon then tried to treat initially with Maracyn Oxy (non-antibiotic treatment), which did nothing visible for him for 2 days. After I changed the water about 40%, I switched over to Maracyn Two. After 2 days, his eye began to shrink. I discontinued treatment at 5 days because his eye seemed approximately normal, and the water was getting very cloudy, as well as some weird white stuff (I pray only algae) growing on the filter (no media/carbon). The water started clearing on the 2nd day without medication, when I noticed his eye was getting bigger again. I started the second 5-day cycle yesterday, with the recommended 2 packets of Maracyn Two, and gave the second dose (1 packet) just now. His eye doesn't seem to have improved since yesterday.
I'm terrified I rendered the bacteria resistant after 2 days of discontinuation. Please don't let my betta's face explode. He's already had a history of weird behavior, such as eating his own tail (approximately 3x in 6 months).
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
According to the API liquid test kit and color codes, the best I can tell--
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm
Temperature: 82 degrees F
pH: 6.8
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
5 gallons, approximately 6 months
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
Mini Might filter, 45gph, with a water bottle baffle. Currently running a little sluggish. Bought straight from Amazon, here.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
Currently, 1 fish is in the tank. Previously, 3 corycats also inhabited it and a few ghost shrimp, but he murdered everybody.
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
The last water change was 2 days ago, approximately 45% because I had thought the medication cycle was over. The last gravel vacuum was also 2 days ago. Normally, I vacuum the gravel about once every 2 weeks and change the water once every 1-2 weeks, approximately 15% at a time.
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
He's been with me for 6 months. Not new!
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
No, but my other tank was recently wiped out overnight by what appeared to be a fungal infection or a fuzzy white strain of columnaris (I neglected the water conditions 1 week while my sister was here and it went to Hell-- never again). I washed my hands a lot and used hot water to clean all the equipment I used transferring over, but God knows if something moved over.
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Betta fish pellets and freeze-dried blood worms. He used to be more heavy on the freeze-dried blood worms but there was a weird protein slick problem on the surface, so he's been on mostly pellets for the past 2-3 weeks.
Things I haven't tried:
Salt baths, though I do have aquarium salt.
One of my betta's eyes is swollen up and cloudy. I noticed this approximately 1.5 weeks ago, his eye was huge (at least 2x the size of the other) and he seemed to have difficulty seeing his food-- however, his appetite was fine as long as I dropped food right on his head. Throughout this whole ordeal, he has also been swimming around just fine and blowing small swathes of bubble nests.
I removed the carbon then tried to treat initially with Maracyn Oxy (non-antibiotic treatment), which did nothing visible for him for 2 days. After I changed the water about 40%, I switched over to Maracyn Two. After 2 days, his eye began to shrink. I discontinued treatment at 5 days because his eye seemed approximately normal, and the water was getting very cloudy, as well as some weird white stuff (I pray only algae) growing on the filter (no media/carbon). The water started clearing on the 2nd day without medication, when I noticed his eye was getting bigger again. I started the second 5-day cycle yesterday, with the recommended 2 packets of Maracyn Two, and gave the second dose (1 packet) just now. His eye doesn't seem to have improved since yesterday.
I'm terrified I rendered the bacteria resistant after 2 days of discontinuation. Please don't let my betta's face explode. He's already had a history of weird behavior, such as eating his own tail (approximately 3x in 6 months).
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.
According to the API liquid test kit and color codes, the best I can tell--
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm
Temperature: 82 degrees F
pH: 6.8
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
5 gallons, approximately 6 months
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
Mini Might filter, 45gph, with a water bottle baffle. Currently running a little sluggish. Bought straight from Amazon, here.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
Currently, 1 fish is in the tank. Previously, 3 corycats also inhabited it and a few ghost shrimp, but he murdered everybody.
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
The last water change was 2 days ago, approximately 45% because I had thought the medication cycle was over. The last gravel vacuum was also 2 days ago. Normally, I vacuum the gravel about once every 2 weeks and change the water once every 1-2 weeks, approximately 15% at a time.
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
He's been with me for 6 months. Not new!
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
No, but my other tank was recently wiped out overnight by what appeared to be a fungal infection or a fuzzy white strain of columnaris (I neglected the water conditions 1 week while my sister was here and it went to Hell-- never again). I washed my hands a lot and used hot water to clean all the equipment I used transferring over, but God knows if something moved over.
9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?
Betta fish pellets and freeze-dried blood worms. He used to be more heavy on the freeze-dried blood worms but there was a weird protein slick problem on the surface, so he's been on mostly pellets for the past 2-3 weeks.
Things I haven't tried:
Salt baths, though I do have aquarium salt.
I've ordered some Maracyn on the way, but I reckon a 90% water change is in order first-- the water is horribly cloudy right now. Parameters are still OK though.
