Help! Mollie's Popeye Not Improving

I discovered 3 days ago that my black Mollie has Popeye in one eye. I keep my water parameters at zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and 10-20 nitrates. pH 7.4. None of the other fish in the display tank are having any problems (my profile is up to date - Mollies, Platies, and 9 False JuliI Corydoras. All Mollies and Platies are female, and the largest, oldest one tends to chase this (and other) black mollies around every so often. This particular black Mollie had a nipped dorsal fin a couple months ago, but recovered nicely in the quarantine tank and was put back into the display tank about 6 weeks ago. I suspect her eye was injured during one of the chases, maybe scraping against an ornament. I moved her into the QT tank as soon as I saw the Popeye, treated with Melafix and Pimafix, and aquarium salt (2 tbs for 10 gal). After no improvement in 24 hours, I started API Tetracycline and have given 3 days of treatments. I still don't see improvement. She is still eating and acting fairly normal, just obviously not good depth perception. There is conflicting information about how to treat this. Can anyone help?

 

Go get some Furan-2 immediately and give it a try.

 

Hi, you need to remove the salt from her quarantine and instead use Epsom salt to help reduce the fluid accumulation. How large in the quarantine tank? I'd put in 1/2 tsp epsom per 10 gallon and do a 50% water change very other day. If its an injury it should heal up on its own. Make sure to replace the epsom daily as it will be moved with the water changes.

You can also give her a daily epsom bath to help out that eye. Take out 1/2g heated tank water, put in 1/2 tbsp epsom and put her in there for 15 minutes, extend it to the 30 minutes if she looks good before putting her back into her tank.

Make sure to pre-dissolve the epsom before using.

 

Thank you for the suggestions, jojomo91 and CindiL! I called around and found a store with the Furan-2 and am about to go pick that up. The QT is 10 gallon. I do have Epsom salts and appreciate the instructions for using it - will try the bath as soon as I get home. I would think I should try the Epsom salt treatment first to see if it makes a positive difference quickly and if not, proceed to Furan-2? Is there a concern with having both Epsom salt and Furan-2 in the tank? Again, I am very grateful for the help and will let you know how it turns out.

 

I'd hold off on the Furan -2 unless it starts to look infected. You can buy it, its a good medicine to have on hand. For now, lots of water changes and the epsom baths to reduce swelling.

 

I did the Epsom salt bath at lunch time and there was no change in the swelling after 20-25 minutes. I put her back into the QT which I had completely changed to remove the aquarium salt and added the 1/2 tsp Epsom salt. I'm really careful about keeping water temperatures similar, but I think she was pretty stressed from being netted twice - she was freaking out at the glass cup I tried first, so I was as gentle as possible with the net but really thought she was going to die when I put her in the QT as she curled up against a corner and didn't move. 4-5 hours later, there is still no change in the eye that I can see. She is moving around, though. I'm afraid the transfers into the bath will do her in at this point. I will continue to keep the QT tank water pristine with water changes but feel a bit helpless, seeing no improvement in the eye swelling. I would sure appreciate any other thoughts you might have at this point.

Also, I thought I'd better confirm that the amount of Epsom salt in the bath is half a tablespoon in a half gallon of aquarium water. When she looked so bad, I wondered if I had misunderstood the "1/2g" as half gallon if you meant one to two gallons. (and I actually added 1 tbsp. to 1 gallon to give her more room).

A picture of her eye tonight...

 

That eye looks pretty bad. You understood right with the epsom 1tbsp to 1 gallon water. If you think the stress of the bath is not worth it then just hold off, its definitely something to be weighed (the benefits vs the stress).

We want to keep infection away. I'd go ahead and dose the Furan-2 because the eye has turned pink.

 

Thank you, CindiL, I did a 30-40% water change first thing this morning as there was no change in the eye from last night's photo, replaced the 1/3 of a half teaspoon Epsom salt, and dosed with the Furan-2. Per the Furan-2 instructions, also added supplemental bacteria. Crossing my fingers and will keep you posted.

 

Good call starting the Furan-2. I hope it helps.

 

I don't see any change in her eye tonight and just don't know what more I can do. She is still eating normally and swimming around, but that eye has got to be extremely uncomfortable. Unless there are any more suggestions, I guess I just keep doing daily water changes and finishing the Furan-2 treatment and hope it gets better. I sure appreciate having the help and support from you guys on this forum!




Taken tonight

 

Poor thing. How is the other eye looking?

Just keep with the water changes and keep epsom in the tank too, it really should heal up. If its just the one eye it makes me think that she must have injured it on something.

 

Poor thing. How is the other eye looking?

Just keep with the water changes and keep epsom in the tank too, it really should heal up. If its just the one eye it makes me think that she must have injured it on something.

The other eye looks very normal. I agree, I really do think she injured it, probably while getting chased by the bossiest Mollie in the tank.

Thank you for the support, CindiL. I'll keep updating, hopefully on progress!

 

I don't see any change in the eye tonight, but she is still eating enthusiastically and moving around well. I'll just keep up the daily water changes (keeping Epsom salt in the tank) and Furan-2 and hope for the best.

 

Just a quick update that there is no change in the eye that I can see. I plan to continue with the daily water changes/Epsom salt and another round of Furan-2 unless anyone has another suggestion. She still eats just fine and swims normally.

 

I think that's a good idea though I was hoping you'd see a little bit of healing going on.

 

A couple photos from tonight, in case someone notices something I'm missing.

 

I think I'd give him some separate epsom salt dips, once a day. 1/2 tbsp epsom to 1/2g tank water. Put him in for 15 minutes and if he's doing good then for 30 minutes.

 

Because she got really stressed the first time I removed her, placed her into a bath, and then moved her back into the quarantine tank (as gently as I could possibly do it), I really don't want to put her through this every day as I'm afraid the stress outweighs the benefits. I saw no change at all in her eye after the first time I put her in the bath. I am changing water 50% daily and before removing the 50%, I add another 1/2 tsp Epsom salt (to the 1/2 tsp already there) and leave her in it for 15-20 minutes before removing the 50% and replacing the water. I'm continuing the Furan-2. Her eye doesn't look worse; it is no smaller but might be a tad less hazy than it was a few days ago although I can't get a photo that would show that.

Thanks so much for the support, encouragement, and suggestions!

 

Ok, that's understandable. Her eye should heal with how well you're taking care of it, she might be blind in it afterwards though.

 

I can't believe how long this is going on, but it doesn't seem to be getting worse. It might be a tiny bit less inflamed looking. I'm still putting an extra 1/2 tsp Epsom salt in for 20-30 min, then doing 50% water change -- every day. Also, just finished 2nd 4-day treatment of Furan-2. Not sure if I should keep going on the Furan-2 or give her a break from it and just keep going with the Epsom salt. She still acts fine and is eating normally. I feel bad when she looks next door into the display tank, and I hate that she is trapped in this little 10-gallon tank, but I just don't see another option. I sure do appreciate the support and encouragement!

 

I have to admit, I've never seen an eye look like this. You can probably stop the Furan-2. We just wanted to prevent an infection.

Its possible this is how her eye may remain, I don't know. Does it look like swelling to you still? I wish I had the answers here but as long as its not an infection and she's eating and swimming well like you said then that may be all you can do for now.

Its up to you when you want to move her back. How long has she been in the epsom now? A week should be enough though.

 

She has been in the Epsom since Feb. 1 - ten days. It seems to be a swelling rather than a growth just because at certain angles, you can see a lighter portion, like the dark skin has been stretched. I think I'll start getting the Epsom out with a few water changes over the weekend and see how she does without salt or medication. My main worry with moving her back to the display tank is that she might get picked on. But I'll probably have to at least give her a chance at life in the larger tank and move her back if the other fish start picking at her. Thanks again, I realize this has been a difficult problem to advise on, but being able to get another opinion is very helpful. I'll update if there are changes.

 

This Molly does seem to be improving very slowly. I don't know that her eye will every be close to normal, but it seems to be less "angry". I've kept her in the quarantine tank because she seemed to have an upper lip injury - probably due to her compromised eyesight. I continue 50% water changes daily to keep the water pristine (no medication or salt), and the lip looks okay now. My plan is to get to a point where her eye seems to be stabilized in whatever condition it will be in, and then to move her back to the spacious display tank. I always welcome comments or suggestions!

 

As long as its not infected and she's swimming alright and eating alright, this may just be how her eye is now.

Do you think she's blind in that eye? or just compromised? Will she be able to get enough food in the main tank?

 

I do think she is blind in that eye as she doesn't react to food until she sees it with her good eye. When I am near the tank, she will never "show me" her bad eye, I think, because she stays in a position such that she can see me. I am concerned about her being able to compete for food in the display tank. I essentially target feed her frozen food pieces by dropping them in one at a time when she is positioned to see them. She eventually finds the flake food floating around, and she can find a piece of veggie wafer in the cory "sand box". But I worry she won't be able to find the food quickly enough with other fish around. I probably just need to give it a shot, keep a close eye on her, and move her back to the 10-gallon if she isn't getting much to eat.

Thank you for sticking with me through this journey!

 

You're welcome. Targeting the food drop seems like a good move!

 

Update: She is still in the QT tank because I'm easily able to do daily 50% water changes and am seeing progress. Her eye swelling is slowly, slowly getting smaller. I still target feed her and she still eats and swims normally. Good photos are really difficult due to the black fish and the fact that my only glimpses of her bad eye are when she whips around quickly, to get her good eye back to my side. Hopefully you can see the progress I'm seeing. I captured one photo of her good eye (right eye) as a comparison.

 

It does look like its very slowly going down, that's good news.

 

Update: The Black Mollie with popeye has been back "home" with her friends in the display tank for about 3 months. The blind eye swelling never went completely down, but she seemed stable and was eating/acting normally, so I had to weigh the risk of putting her back into the main tank against her apparent loneliness and confinement in the 10 gallon QT. I was nervous that she might have trouble competing for food in the main tank because of her lack of depth perception, but she has done fine. She quickly became part of the "Black Mollie Pack" again and acts very normal. CindiL, thank you again for all of your support through a long ordeal!