Jenna Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 I noticed yesterday that Feargal was swimming in one place rather than being the adventurous creature he usually is, but he was facing the other way so I didn't notice what the picture shows. He has a very prominent red left eye, and there are scales missing about 10mm behind the eye. the photo doesn't show much of the missing scales, but it looks like it may have been caused by an attack of some kind - the only tank-mate larger than a molly are a few adult bristlenoses and a common plec, about 25cm. Now poor Feargal is staying put, sheltering from any current in the shadow of the ship ornament - head down, tail up Is there anything I can do for him at this point? I have a tank I've been keeping the adolescent bristlenoses in which I could de-populate and make into a hospital tank. I just need to know what to treat him with and how much (22L tank), or if I should ease the suffering he has if there is no hope or too much pain any advice most welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 Abdominal dropsy (bacterial) usually associated with poor water quality. If you google it there is lots of info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 One eye and the missing scales suggests to me he may have injured the eye, rather than have a bacterial infection. A sudden fright may have had him get jammed in a tight spot somewhere, rather than have been attacked. I would separate him and keep him in excellent water conditions. As I do not use medications I can't advise you on this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 looks like what happens when a fish gets sucked up a filter outlet. gutted m8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted July 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 Yeah, he's not looking any better this morning - looks like hospital tank coming up. The water parameters are great in both tanks. I check the water quality every few days normally, and checked again the second I noticed the popeye so I could rule out bad water. The filter intake is pretty well protected for larger fish (though I do have some molly, platy and BN fry casualties) so it's not likely to have been a filter accident. I'll pop out and see what I can get him, but sadly it's not looking so good for Mr Feargal Sharkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 I would put him in the Hospital Tank And Treat him with Furan2, But to be perfectly honest with you, it's not looking good if it's Popeye, I've had a couple of Fish with this in the 10 or so years I've been keeping Fish, and neither of them survived If it's not Popeye (By the look of the Photo, I would say it is), I would pop him into the Hospital Tank and treat with something like Wonder Tonic, mainly as a prevention from it turning Fungused. Also add some Salt to your Tank. Good Luck Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 I've had fish with damaged eyes before, from injuries, not popeye. I have isolated fish and applied Meth Blue directly to the eye daily with small daily waterchanges. On other occasions I've simply isolated the fish and used no meds, just small daily waterchanges. Both methods worked well with the former being the quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 17, 2009 Report Share Posted July 17, 2009 I treated a wild Apisto with Furan2 when he had popeye (not saying yours is or isnt, its hard to say) and it worked wonders. Maybe it was a miracle? Who knows, but it fixed it real fast. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted July 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Sharky is still going. He is now in a hospital tank and seems to be acting better, though still looks about the same. He still has his moments of "hanging" in the water, nose down, tail up - but is regularly swimming horizontally and is far more active. I've treated the water with both wunder tonic and furan-2 and am making sure the parameters stay good. I've also reduced the temperature slightly. So far he seems to be responding well I'll keep updating and checking for suggestions, and hopefully Feargal will make it through. Any day underwater is a good day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted July 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Ok he's taken a significant turn for the worse I think. For the past few hours he's been swimming on one side at the very top of the tank and hasn't moved from the one spot. He's not happy. I need to know at what point do I know he's not going to get better (though I think I already do) and end this for him? Or do I keep trying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 To be honest with you I wouldn't have mixed the Furan 2 with the Wonder Tonic, I only ever use 1 medication at a time along with abit of Salt. I would say the outlook is not looking Good, He maybe hanging around the Top of the Tank because of lack of Oxygen, do you have an Air Stone in the Hospital Tank. What Temp do you have the Tank on? I usually turn the Temp up abit when treating with meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 I've heard that some meds do decrease the oxygen available so an airstone is a good idea, especially if you've also raised the temperature. Does wunder tonic have some meth blue in it? because furan-2 also has that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 This is the reason we shouldn't mix Meds, we don't know the full extent of whats in them. The Temp in Jennas Tank was turned down not up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted July 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 lol oops - I did mean that I raised the temp slightly, not lowered... not sure why my fingers typed the opposite of what my brain was telling them! There is an airstone in the hospital tank, turned down reasonably low so as not to freak sharky out but aerates the water well. The wunder tonic was treated last night so had lost a little of the colour already, and I did a partial water change this afternoon before I added only a partial dose of Furan 2 - I did notice that they both contained meth blue and didn't want to risk overdose. Anyway, Feargal is still doing exactly the same as I previously described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Always good to have a Hospital Tank of about 40 Ltrs, Most of the meds we use will be for around the 40 Ltr mark, like the Furan2 you used, alot easier than having to estimate the amount of Meds to pop into a Tank because its not the correct amount of Litres. I use an Old Tank that I was no longer using, marked on it with Permanant Marker the 40 Ltr Mark, in 10 Litre increments, so know I no exactly how much I have taken out when it comes time to do a Water Change and how much I need to put back into the Tank to make up the 40 Litres again. Are you using the Complete Course of Furan2?? I guess you will just have to wait untill the morning to see if Mr Fishy is going to be ok. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majik Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Epsom salt will also help reduce swelling 1T in your hospital tank would be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 How is he doing today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Popeye is normally caused by bacteria behind the eye producing gas and pushing the eye out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted July 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 How is he doing today? Thanks for asking! Feargal is still mostly the same as last night, though now he is breaking away from the surface now and again to swim briefly around the tank before he returns to the top. I'm just about to do a small water change and add some tonic salt now, but so far he does appear to be very slightly better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquila Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Happy to see he's feeling a bit better now... Maybe the med combo did him more harm then good. B/c he turned for the worse after you added the Furan didn't he? I would also guess its from an abrasion rather then bacteria. Thanks for asking! Feargal is still mostly the same as last night, though now he is breaking away from the surface now and again to swim briefly around the tank before he returns to the top. I'm just about to do a small water change and add some tonic salt now, but so far he does appear to be very slightly better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southerrrngirrl Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I have my fingers crossed for you. Rainbow Sharks are cool fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Are you still continuing to use the Furan2?? I would strongly advise you complete the Course. Hopefully that will sort out what ever the problem maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted July 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I am absolutely going to finish the course of Furan2 - as long as Feargal does lol. This morning, after the usual fitful sleep dreading what I'd wake to, I turned on the tank light to see Mr. Sharkey swimming around the tank. He seems to have completely stopped his futile-looking semi flop at the top of the tank and is swimming almost normally. I say almost because his swimming is jerky rather than smooth, but I assume he has lost vision in the popped eye which would tae getting used to. The eye itself is still bad, and the patch of missing scales is still there, but nothing seems to be any worse, and his behaviour is far better. Yay Sharky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Will keep my Fingers Crossed for you and Sharky Hope he pulls through I had a Keyhole that had Popeye, his eye had actually Burst, YUK, he lasted a few weeks after that then he Died Just hoping yours hasn't got Popeye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted July 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Well after 8 stressful days, Sharky is still with us, though not out of the woods yet. Behaviorally, he's doing great. I was sure he was lost when I put him into the hospital tank and he was swimming on one side at the surface for a couple of days - but now, he's swimming well around the tank (though he does prefer to stay in one place most of the time). I haven't noticed him eating, but have been feeding small amounts just in case, then vacuuming most if not all out again when I do partial water changes. *too much info coming up!!!* The eye is obviously dead and seems to be working its way out of the socket but his body appears to be healing up behind it as it happens, so hopefully that will all sort itself out ok. He's finished his furan 2 treatment for now but has developed a case of ich - poor stressed lil bugger - so I carried on with the partial water changes, added carbon back into the filter for a couple of days then removed it again, and now he's back on the wunder tonic for the ich. again, any advice welcome and I'll keep updating his status Thanks to all for the help so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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