Infection / Eye Flukes / Cloudy Eye/ Other? What IS this?

[michaelg210]

Kung Fu Betta Disease pictures by michaelg210 - Photobucket

Please see pics, thought it was cloudy eye, have been treating with Kanamycen, but it does not seem to be getting any better.
In the photos it looks more like perhaps pop eye, but to the naked eye, his eyes are not simply cloudy, they look like the old blind master of Cain in David Caradine’s Kung Fu, (for those out there young enough to recall)
Cataracts? I really don’t know.
Any Advice?

10 Gallon Tank, AC 20 Filter, heated at 78 / Airstone & surface agitation from filter.
Tank Mate, 1 dwarf pleco
Betta eats ~ 4 – 5 pellets daily (2 feedings). Ocassionally substitute freeze dried bloodworms / brine shrimp. Food pre- soaked in either Seachem Nourish or Garlic Guard.
Tank Maintenance minimum 1x / week 25 – 30 % water change
Ammonia:0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5 – 10 ppm
pH: 8.3
Hardness: 10
Alkalinity: 6-7

 

[dkpate]

Is it both of his eyes? It could be internal parasites as well. I can't tell from the video, but is the eye popped out? He seems to still be able to see. If it is internal parasites, you should get an anti-parasitic food to feed him for a month.
The heat should also be 80-82*. Also, freeze dried bloats bettas.
What kind of test are you using?

 

[michaelg210]

Is it both of his eyes? It could be internal parasites as well. I can't tell from the video, but is the eye popped out? He seems to still be able to see. If it is internal parasites, you should get an anti-parasitic food to feed him for a month.
The heat should also be 80-82*. Also, freeze dried bloats bettas.
What kind of test are you using?

Yes, both, one is worse than the other. Not really popped out, but looks like something i.e. cataract hanging or peeling from the lens on both, but only noticeable from frontal view.

Slowly turning up heat.

Using API Freshwater Master test kit.... that is all i use.

How can I tell if internal parasites or just cloudy eye?

What is better than freeze dried,?(i do soak the food in either seachem nourish, or garlic juice first.

have read live food can contain risk of parasites, as far as freeze dried, wife will freak with anything in freezer.

 

[Saltypuppy]

Isn't that pH a little low for a betta? Poor water conditions can make a bettas eyes foggy...[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]it may be necessary to slightly adjust the PH which often times is very high. A PH of 7.0 (neutral) is best. But I do fine in anything from 6.5 to 7.5. If your tap water has a very high PH, do not add more than 2 drops of PH down per gallon.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]t may be necessary to slightly adjust the PH which often times is very high. A PH of 7.0 (neutral) is best. But I do fine in anything from 6.5 to 7.5. If your tap water has a very high PH, do not add more than 2 drops of PH down per gallon.[/FONT]

 

[dkpate]

Never use pH Down, it will cause swings, which is worse for the fish. If that's the pH, he will adapt to it.
Cloudy eye is usually caused by something else, so I would still get the anti-parasitic food. I know Jungle Labs makes one that is in pellets that you can still soak and would be super easy to feed a betta. He won't suffer with the pellets, so I would go that route.
I use Hikari frozen blood worms, and they are triple sterilized. They come in a bag that just looks like a red block, and not disgusting. The brine shrimp and krill and stuff is kinda gross looking, but she might be okay with the bw's.

 

[Saltypuppy]

Really? I just pulled that from a website. I don't use pH Down myself.

 

[dkpate]

Yeah, pH swings are worse.

 

[i3k]

Does the betta spend time near the heater? Heater burns on eyes maybe? Just throwing it out there!

 

[michaelg210]

Isn't that pH a little low for a betta? Poor water conditions can make a bettas eyes foggy...[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]it may be necessary to slightly adjust the PH which often times is very high. A PH of 7.0 (neutral) is best. But I do fine in anything from 6.5 to 7.5. If your tap water has a very high PH, do not add more than 2 drops of PH down per gallon.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]t may be necessary to slightly adjust the PH which often times is very high. A PH of 7.0 (neutral) is best. But I do fine in anything from 6.5 to 7.5. If your tap water has a very high PH, do not add more than 2 drops of PH down per gallon.[/FONT]

No, actually the PH is a little high. However, I do not alter buffer or use ph controlling products..... it is better to keep most fish in a higher or lower but consistent ph than to be altering ph with chemicles / buffers, both of which are unstable / unpredictable.

 

[michaelg210]

Thanks Darby:

Never use pH Down, it will cause swings, which is worse for the fish. If that's the pH, he will adapt to it.
Cloudy eye is usually caused by something else, so I would still get the anti-parasitic food. I know Jungle Labs makes one that is in pellets that you can still soak and would be super easy to feed a betta. He won't suffer with the pellets, so I would go that route.
I use Hikari frozen blood worms, and they are triple sterilized. They come in a bag that just looks like a red block, and not disgusting. The brine shrimp and krill and stuff is kinda gross looking, but she might be okay with the bw's.

I will check out the pellet anti parasitic from jungle labs, will have to check the internet and see what it's called, then the challenge of LFS in the area that actually has it... Never understood how one can go into a LFS with thousands of square footage of space and even more thousands of products but never have what you need??????

 

[dkpate]

I found my bottle of anti parasitic food at PetSmart.

 

[Khalix]

I actually had a similar issue with my betta not long ago and I treated with a bit of melafix and fed the anti bacterial food from Petsmart, as well. His eye looked exactly the same and he healed up within a few days. Hope you have the same luck. I know I freaked out when I peeked in that day!

 

[Khalix]

I just realized someone else said anti parasitic medicated food. I used the anti bacterial version by the same company(Jungle) at the advice of a coworker. Not sure if your situation is exactly the same, there always seems to be dffering factors, but it's what I had luck with. Both products are good to have on hand, though, for "oh crap!" moments.