bmxer193

I think 2 or 3 of my mollies have popeye, its not bad yet. I have been doing big water changes and I was wondering if Epsom salt (Magnesium sulfate) really helps treat fish with popeye? i have heard that it helps drain the eyes of fluid (or something like that).

Im going to do another water change right now and ill test the water and post my results here.

COBettaCouple

Maracyn-Two is what you'd want to use to treat popeye along with the water changes. I wouldn't use epsom salt.

bmxer193

the epsom salt highered the water hardness to about 200. From what i can see their eyes have gotten any bigger,their eating and still very active but ill still do water changes every other day untill the popeye is gone.

Chief_waterchanger

Epsom salt is almost never a good thing to put in the water. It is used for rift cichlids when the keeper's water is EXTREMELY soft.

Epsom salt is made as an anti-inflammatory for humans. Fish do not swell up for the same reasons or in the same way that humans do, the product should not cross the species line.

bmxer193

opps, I added before you replied... I read in a few other places on the internet that it would work for fish. Ill have to do another water change to help remove i 2marro

susitna-flower

A little late here, but just wanted to add a note about Epsom salts. Popeye is a bacterial infection caused by poor water conditions. As CobettaCouple stated medication is indicated, and suggested what I would use.

The use of Epsom salts has been referred to in the treatment of Dropsy. This is basically kidney failure in fish, and results in the retention of water. The use of a small amount of Epsom salts in a quarantine situation with the one fish can be useful, it helps draw the water out of the fish, but the underlying problem of kidney failure has to also be addressed with antibiotics, and is very rarely successful.

Good Luck with the popeye! The water changes are very useful, if I were you I would do tests to determine just what the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are, to make sure your tank stays healthy in the future. Nitrates over 20 can cause the problems you are currently having, and others like fin rot etc..

bmxer193

My nitrates arent over 10 i just tested

0morrokh

Are you using any meds? You need to be treating with something for the internal infection. Epsom salt should be reserved for cases of extreme bloating.

susitna-flower

bmxer, did you do all your water tests? What were the results of ,
Ammonia?
Nitrite?
Nitrate?