Red wag platy

As if anyhting couldn't get worse, my molly has popeye now! Any advice? I read the article. I wish I had money for a quarentine tank. It would probably make things so much easier. I don't know how it could've happened. I don't think it's water quality because my tank is stocked w/ 1 inch to spare, ammonia is 0, and pH is normal, but of course I don't have money for nitrate/nitrite test kits either. Need money!!! Anyway, please help me cure my fish. I don't know how some of you keep your tanks so healthy.

Butterfly

Sorry it's taken me so long to get here. Any time you have a problem in your tank(even when the parameters are good) a large water change is a first good measure. see if that helps. Do you have any kind of container you could heat and filter for a few days so you could do frequent water changes?
Carol

Red wag platy

Nope, but I'm confused. Why would I need a container w/ a heater and filter?

SereneReyn

i suspect that Butterfly means you could use a container as your 'quarantine tank'.

anyway, i agree that until money issues get better, frequent water changes are your best hope of prolonging your fish's life. even if you think your water parameters are fine, the fresh water will help.

hopefully someone will come along and help with medicinal advice, and you can begin using that for some real results. good luck!

Butterfly

You could use that container to quarantine your fish and make large water changes easier and less stressful on your fish. So many times we think of putting a fish by it's self and assume it has to have a tank but a bucket or tub works just as well.
Your water parameters may be fine right now but at some point recently they may not have been for a short time and it affected your fish. The water changes will go a long way to helping your fish.
Thanks Serene sometimes I think faster than I type and leave things out. Glad somebody could read my mind

Carol

susitna-flower

If you are changing water, at least 50% each day and not having healing in this fish I would suggest starting medication. Melafix is NOT to be used if you have a gourami in the tank, but it would be my choice to start with, if you could separate the gourami, OR the one with popeye. It could be used for 3-5 days as directed, then if you still don't see any improvement, going to a stronger medication might be indicated.....

My choice for medications if you keep all the fish together would be either Maracyn-Two or Maracyn-Plus. Neither of these should require using a quarantine tank, but just remember any time you use any medication in your tank you can expect some disruption of the nitrogen cycle, because if you kill the bad bacteria causing problems for your fish, you can also be killing the good bacteria necessary to your cycle.

Red wag platy

A couple questions. So I should remove 50 % each day? Wow that's alot, but I guess it's worth it if my fish are healthy. Next, should I remove the activated carbon when using medication? Can i do water changes while treating w/ meds.?

Butterfly

If you are going to medicate you need to remove the carbon because it will remove your meds. The Water changes depend on which meds you choose, they will tell you whether or not to do water changes.
Carol

susitna-flower

It's not a lot in a 10 gallon tank...the thing is that to heal that eye, if it is possible with just clean water....it has to be REALLY clean! You usually see popeye in tanks with poor water quality, and the best thing then is to deal first with the water, then if that doesn't work, medicate.

COBettaCouple

For treating popeye, I would start with at least a 50% water change and you'll want to use either Maracyn-Two or Triple Sulfa to treat it with. Vita-Chem, Garlic Guard and Fish Protector all could help, but it's an infection that you're dealing with so she'll need an antibiotic. The triple sulfa is stronger and allows for more water changing as part of the treatment.

Red wag platy

Well I couldn't find triple sulfa at any of my fish stores so I think I'll try Maracyn 2, but i looked at an old box of mine and said not to do water changes while treating. Also, will this get rid of the fungus caused by pop eye?

COBettaCouple

Hmm.. if he's developed fungus after getting the popeye, there's a chance it's columnaris and not a true fungus. You'd want an antibiotic that treats both gram positive and gram negative infections. Triple Sulfa is one, but I believe Maracyn Plus could also work well as Furan-2. Or you can use Maracyn and Marcyn-Two together.

Red wag platy

Well the white stuff is gone now, but I guess that doesn't mean it's still not there. Anyways, I know my stores have maracyn plus, but triple sulfa is cheaper so I'll look into that.

COBettaCouple

We had much better results with triple sulfa ourselves, although that can vary from fish to fish.

susitna-flower

I don't think medication alone is going to take care of this, if the problem started because of poor water quality, THAT has to be delt with first...then medicate, then continue doing the water changes to improve the health of this tank.

Red wag platy

Am i able to do water changes while medicating?

susitna-flower

As CoBettaCouple instructed START with water changes....since you have been posting about this for three days now, if you haven't changed 50% of your water AT LEAST three times, I would say you aren't going to be very successful in treating this fish.

As for changing water while you are medicating, if you have the water quality improves sufficiently before you start the medications, then just follow the directions on the packaging of the meds. you use.

The only reasion I said anything about it again today, is that by your posts it doesn't sound like you have started doing anything, and I am concerned for your fish.

Red wag platy

I've been doing my water changes. I just got finished one a couple of minutes ago.

Red wag platy

His eye is starting to look a bit worse. I've been doing my water changes. What should I do?

angelfish220

Is he still in the main tank or did you set up a quaritine container?

COBettaCouple

Have you started the Triple Sulfa? Prime added daily (1 drop per gallon) can help with the water chemistry for now, but the meds are really important to stop the popeye bacteria.

Red wag platy

Okay thanks. I'll try and get the meds today.