Pictus Catfish

[Matina]

I had a pictus catfish that I got the middle of January this year. I noticed yesterday that he was swimming around real calmly around the tank and not being spazzy like he usually is and he didn't stay hidden in his log. I also noticed yesterday afternoon that his right eye was like bug-eyed and cloudy. But other than that he seemed fine. I went to town yesterday evening and got back around 8pm, all the fish were fine. Pictus was still doing his thing. I looked at the fish around midnight and I noticed that Pictus' left eye was starting to look like the right, but not as bad. Any idea what this is or why it did it? Then before I went to bed around 1:30 this morning I noticed that Pictus was swimming around all over and bumping into the filters, the thermometer, heater, everything. Obviously he couldn't see. This morning around 11:30 I got up and he was dead. Any insight to what happened or what his issue was would be helpful. The other fish in the tank are all fine and doing well. I have a 55gal tank. The Nitrates and Nitrites are within ideal range. The only issue I have is ph and alkalinity is low and ammonia is slightly elevated (0.5ppm).

 

[Angela1108]

.5 is actually reaching a pretty unsafe level. I would do a 50% water change asap if you haven't already and monitor the parameters closely. It sounds like pop eye but that can be because of a lot of different things. First thing first get the water levels all set and go from there

Have you recently added anyone new to the tank


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[icydeath]

Something you can do to alleviate ammonia stress would be to do a water change as well as grabbing a bundle of a fast growing plant such as anacharis to act as an ammonia sponge

 

[kristilynn]

Sounds like popeye. I don't know natural cures, they make treatments that include popeye.

 

[Matina]

No I haven't added anyone new to the tank. Last water change was last week, and it was 50%.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Pictus are actually sensitive to poor water conditions. I learned this when I tried to do a fish in cycle with one, it died pretty quickly.

That being said, be diligent on those water changes and keeping parameters in check. Any signs of ammonia or nitrite and do a water change immediately.


Caleb

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