Cloudy Eyes on Betta

[Fieryskys]

My betta had the same thing. Never went away but she lived a long and healthy life. It never seemed to bother her at all

 

[NickAu]

Has that fish got dragon genes?


Can you please answer the following questions.

How big is the tank?
Has it got a heater? What is it set to?
Has it got a filter?
How strong is the current?
Is it cycled?
How often do you change water?
How much water do you change?
Do you vacuum the substrate?
What additives or chemicals do you use? Eg De Chlorinator?
Do you use tap or bottled water? If bottled water please give us the brand.
Do you have a water test kit?
Can you tell us the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
When you clean the tank can you tell us exactly what you do.
What do you feed him? how much? how often?
Any tank mates? What sort how many?
How long have you had the Betta?
Has he got a history of illness?
Any plants or decorations? Please give details?

 

[YewBush]

I am really bad at identifying breeds, but if they are a dragon scale or part dragon scale, and if it seems like their eyes are starting to turn the same color as their scales, and if it seemed like it started from the edges of their eyes, it could be diamond eye. There are plenty of other things it could be, so you should probably check the water first. Only consider this possibility if the water is perfectly fine.

If they have diamond eye, they will start to rub their eyes on anything that is rough in the tank. This disease also makes them go blind, since it is caused by their scales growing over their eyes. If it is this, I don’t think you can cure it since diamond eye is an inherited disease.

 

[NickAu]

If its Diamond eye adding dry banana leaf to the tank can help, but yes eventually the fish will go blind and that's not a problem, A blind betta can have a full life with the right care.

 

[Krissy2]

I’m freaking out! I make it a point to admire my fish everyday, and today I noticed that one of my beautiful Bettas has cloudy eyes. I’m so confused! He was perfectly fine yesterday. He’s eating and swimming around like he always does, but this can’t be good.

I also noticed today that brown algae is everywhere! This also happened overnight. I’ve never seen anything like this. I cleaned the tank and changed 50% of the water. Once again, the water parameters look good to me. Note: I was not home last night to put my fish to “bed”, so I asked my boyfriend to do it. I noticed that some of my plants in another tank appeared to be burnt; they weren't like that yesterday either. Sigh. I’m willing to bet that he forgot and the lights were on for 15 hours +.

Could this have something to do with my poor little fish and the algae? I have Furan-2, kanaplex, and aquarium salt on standby, but I don’t want to use them unless I absolutely have to. What on earth do I do here? I appreciate any advice.

 

[kallililly1973]

Parameters look perfect to me as well. Could you try doing a lights out for a day or 2 to see if the algae subsides and his eyes clear up. Do you have a pic of your betta?

 

[Krissy2]

Darn. I didn’t take a picture of him and now his light is out. I hate to turn it back on just to take a picture. The joke’s on me... I took tons of him yesterday (just because he is pretty). I’ll take one tomorrow.

I managed to get a few pictures when I fed him this morning... I’ll try to get a few more later. He is still moving pretty quickly! It’s hard to tell, but both eyes look identical.

 

[e_watson09]

His eyes are concerning to me. That wouldn't be caused by the light being on. I'd probably hit it with a good antibacterial treatment and up your water changes for a bit.

 

[Krissy2]

I’m not sure what to use... any suggestions? I’d like to keep him in his tank (5 gallon fluval) if at all possible. I have a 2 gallon quarantine tank, but I don’t want to stress him out by moving him.

 

[e_watson09]

Do you have any other fish in the tank or other creatures (snails, shrimp, etc)

 

[Krissy2]

No other creatures in the tank, just a bunch of plants.

I think I just found out what is going on! I’ve had him for about two weeks or so and he surfed the glass for a few days and then stopped. I’m watching him now and he is doing it again. Call me crazy, but it looks like his eyes are on the glass as he is going back and forth! I turned his light out and he’s calm now. Hmnnn...

 

[rhyan]

I was shocked at the third picture his left eyes weirdly bulges out not the popeye look but something weird. My betta also like that his eyes becomes cloudy overnight after his popeye was pecked by my other betta who jumped out to the other side of the divider. Maybe it was just an injury is there any sharp object he could bump his eyes into?

 

[Krissy2]

It is very strange! It appears to be pointed... I’m still scratching my head over this one. There is absolutely nothing sharp in his tank. This is what his home looks like.

 

[rhyan]

It is very strange! It appears to be pointed... I’m still scratching my head over this one. There is absolutely nothing sharp in his tank. This is what his home looks like.

Yeah your right even if I zoom in I can't see any sharp edges, maybe just do a frequent water change will help it since my tank also reaches a Nitrate up to 20ppm before WC but my bettas eyes doesn't bulges like that. Maybe observe it from the meantime since I'm also not sure what causes it and maybe people here are might help you soon.

 

[oliviawilliam2017]

my betta has recently (within the last month) developed a cloudy eye and it hasn’t changed much. the other one is beginning to go to, and i’m not sure what it is. she’s very active still, she get excited when i come up to her tank and overall she’s very vibrant and healthy. if anyone thinks this is an infection let me know. i’m wondering also if this could be tank rubs? it’s a vertical line almost so i’m wondering if she didn’t damage her eye by swimming against the glass or something. or, maybe it’s cataracts. i’m not sure. anyway here’s the photos.

this one is from a few weeks ago

and these last 3 are from today

she’s in a blackwater tank and has been for a while, it’s 11 gallons, heated to about 79, has a hob filter. ph is 6.4. ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are all 0 (i don’t have nitrate in this aquarium because it’s acidic). i do 10% water changes weekly.

 

[GingerV513]

How old is she? I doubt it’s injury if it’s happening to both eyes

 

[oliviawilliam2017]

How old is she? I doubt it’s injury if it’s happening to both eyes

i’ve had her for a little over a year and bought her from petco (unfortunate i know). so i’m going to assume she’s about a year and a half.

 

[Pandurs]

My goodness she's a cutie. My girl had the same issue and I thought it was cataracts or popeye. After digging through the depths of google I found a blog post/article that said that low pH could cause cloudy eyes. I'm by no means an expert, so I implore you to do more thorough research, but when I raised the pH in her tank, the cloudiness went away. I personally used baking soda, but there might be a better alternative that won't ruin any plants that you may have. Like I said, I'm not an expert, this is just what has worked for me.

Good luck to you and your baby girl ❤

 

[oliviawilliam2017]

My goodness she's a cutie. My girl had the same issue and I thought it was cataracts or popeye. After digging through the depths of google I found a blog post/article that said that low pH could cause cloudy eyes. I'm by no means an expert, so I implore you to do more thorough research, but when I raised the pH in her tank, the cloudiness went away. I personally used baking soda, but there might be a better alternative that won't ruin any plants that you may have. Like I said, I'm not an expert, this is just what has worked for me.

Good luck to you and your baby girl ❤

thank you!!! i’ve seen that before, but she’s been in blackwater for almost her whole life and has never had this issue. but i’m going to stay focused on watching her water parameters daily to see if maybe something is fluctuating. i’m also going to do small water changes daily and add stress coat. maybe this is simply just a water quality issue, who knows. but i’m trying not to panic yet! thanks for your advice.

 

[RichTino]

Most likely she scrapped her cornea against either the plants or the glass. If it happened to both eyes its most likely something in the tank .. My betta had the same thing happened less than 24 hrs of putting him back into his tank after I had mated him .. His eye got cloudy and then it got swollen ( popeye I guess ) .. I did panic for two days and was tempted to dip him in Epsom salt but then I left him alone. In a week his swollen eye was down and it was cloudy for another week until it disappeared ..
He is back to normal now.
I really think that she scraped her eyes to something, but don't be alarmed. I could be wrong and then again if I am right I think its best you just leave it for a while and see if it will go away by itself ... I would say at least 2 weeks the most ..

 

[oliviawilliam2017]

Most likely she scrapped her cornea against either the plants or the glass. If it happened to both eyes its most likely something in the tank .. My betta had the same thing happened less than 24 hrs of putting him back into his tank after I had mated him .. His eye got cloudy and then it got swollen ( popeye I guess ) .. I did panic for two days and was tempted to dip him in Epsom salt but then I left him alone. In a week his swollen eye was down and it was cloudy for another week until it disappeared ..
He is back to normal now.
I really think that she scraped her eyes to something, but don't be alarmed. I could be wrong and then again if I am right I think its best you just leave it for a while and see if it will go away by itself ... I would say at least 2 weeks the most ..

that was a thought that crossed my mind so thanks for saying that because i could not find any information on this!

 

[RichTino]

that was a thought that crossed my mind so thanks for saying that because i could not find any information on this!

No problem .. I dealt with that twice and killed my double tail grizzle male betta cause I had used epsom salt to treat it when it turned into popeye ..
I cried cause I so loved him .. He was never agressive towards any other fish even the female I had ..
I lived and learned ..
I lost a lot of bettas to dropsy !!

 

[oliviawilliam2017]

No problem .. I dealt with that twice and killed my double tail grizzle male betta cause I had used epsom salt to treat it when it turned into popeye ..
I cried cause I so loved him .. He was never agressive towards any other fish even the female I had ..
I lived and learned ..
I lost a lot of bettas to dropsy !!

fish can be so difficult to keep. i love this hobby so much but it’s so overwhelming and stressful at times because of how easily things can go downhill. i’m sorry for your loss

 

[RichTino]

fish can be so difficult to keep. i love this hobby so much but it’s so overwhelming and stressful at times because of how easily things can go downhill. i’m sorry for your loss

I know .. I mostly love bettas and Koi fishes .. Koi fishes are easy to maintain at young and harder to maintain as they get older .. As for bettas they are harder to maintain as fry and become more easy to maintain as they grow into adulthood.

I don't see it as a hobby for me its a passion right now for me ... Lol Sorry but I love fish keeping .. I love other animals too but fish are just wonderful to look at, keep as pets with simple needs and they are sometimes intelligent ..

 

[oliviawilliam2017]

I know .. I mostly love bettas and Koi fishes .. Koi fishes are easy to maintain at young and harder to maintain as they get older .. As for bettas they are harder to maintain as fry and become more easy to maintain as they grow into adulthood.

I don't see it as a hobby for me its a passion right now for me ... Lol Sorry but I love fish keeping .. I love other animals too but fish are just wonderful to look at, keep as pets with simple needs and they are sometimes intelligent ..

you’re right. my bettas recognize me when it’s wonderful. they’re amazing animals but are so often neglected and mistreated and it’s sad. i try to give my animals the best shot at life they can get. i’m glad you enjoy it so much.

 

[NBettas83]

I've been following this thread and I'm sorry I can't help much, but I wanted to say your Betta is so pretty and cute!

 

[RichTino]

you’re right. my bettas recognize me when it’s wonderful. they’re amazing animals but are so often neglected and mistreated and it’s sad. i try to give my animals the best shot at life they can get. i’m glad you enjoy it so much.

Yes. I do enjoy having bettas and not because of their beauty but because of their intelligence .. People often forget that bettas really are smart fishes. Also I do hate when people treat them like their some gold fish in a bowl .. Bettas are now endangered species and they are the national fish of Thailand ..

 

[oliviawilliam2017]

Yes. I do enjoy having bettas and not because of their beauty but because of their intelligence .. People often forget that bettas really are smart fishes. Also I do hate when people treat them like their some gold fish in a bowl .. Bettas are now endangered species and they are the national fish of Thailand ..

oh really i didn’t know they were endangered. does that have to do with the fact that wild bettas are taken and sold?

I've been following this thread and I'm sorry I can't help much, but I wanted to say your Betta is so pretty and cute!

ohh thank you so much!!! she is very beautiful. i’ll show you her transformation.
this one is about 1 year ago

and this is a few days ago. she’s very large and colorful.

 

[RichTino]

oh really i didn’t know they were endangered. does that have to do with the fact that wild bettas are taken and sold?

Sorry for the late reply .. Yes it has to do with that and because they are sold like they are gold fishes .. Sellers in the Eastern world usually don' take well care of the bettas they sell and having them in a small capsule or jarring them to sell .. They go through a lot of stress and other health conditions too .. Nonetheless they are the most toughest fishes I have seen .. They really are ... Also the fact that their life span is cut down in the wild due to predators, and them fighting for territory in the wild .. Many factors play a big role in their life span in the wild .. Thus why they are now on the endangered list.