Post by jocie1976 on Apr 22, 2015 1:19:01 GMT -5
Popeye, or exophthalmia, is swelling of one or both eyes of the aquarium fish. It is difficult to treat but easy to prevent. One or both eyes of the aquarium fish bulge outwards, hence the “popeye” name. The outer surface of the fish's eye may be white or cloudy. The swelling of the fish’s eye is caused by tissue fluid leaking into the region behind the eyeball. Pressure builds up as the amount of fluid increases, forcing the fish’s eyeball outward. Opportunistic bacterial infections commonly occur. The cloudiness of the fish’s eye is caused by damage to the cornea (the transparent layer of skin that covers the pupil).
Popeye in fish is most frequently caused by continual exposure to chronically poor (rather than acutely lethal) water conditions. Popeye is consequently most common in aquariums that are overcrowded or receive infrequent water changes. Not surprisingly, popeye is most often seen in aquariums where messy fish are kept in unhygienic conditions, typically goldfish and large cichlids.
While bilateral popeye is often simply a reaction to poor aquarium water conditions, unilateral popeye may be caused by physical damage to the fish. In either case, optimizing water quality in the aquarium will be required before the fish can recover, but unilateral popeye will also demand further considerations. Sources of physical damage to the fish’s eye can include rough handling, collisions between fish and solid objects, failed predation attempts and aggression between fish.
Popeye is difficult to treat in fish because it consists of three different sets of problems. First there is damage to the cornea. Next there is accumulation of fluid behind the fish’s eyeball, and finally there is an opportunistic bacterial infection.
Minor damage to the cornea can improve over time, uming the fish is provided with optimal water conditions and a balanced, vitamin-rich diet.
Swelling of the fish’s eye will diminish with time, uming the fish is healthy in other regards, and is provided with optimal water conditions and a healthy diet. Epsom salt helps to reduce swelling when used at a dose of 1 to 3 teaspoons per 5 gallons. While Epsom salt can be used in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums, fish are best treated this way in a quarantine tank rather than the main display aquarium.
Antibiotics and antibacterials similar to those used to treat fin rot are useful in preventing damage to the cornea from turning into full-blown popeye. But once popeye develops, different medications will be required. Use antibiotics formulated for use against internal and systemic infections, preferably administered in food rather than added to the water.
Given prompt treatment and good environmental conditions, popeye can get better with time. It takes weeks or months for the swelling to diminish, and damage to the cornea of the fish can be even slower to heal.
However, severe damage to the fish’s eye may never heal completely, even if the swelling itself goes down. In extreme cases, the fish’s eye may be so badly damaged it decays and falls off the fish. Blindness in one eye does not seem to incapacitate fish unduly, though carnivorous fish that hunt by sight may find the loss difficult to get used to. Keep such fish away from boisterous competitors, and use forceps to handfeed them if they have trouble feeding themselves.
Because popeye is usually caused by negative environmental aquarium factors, fish suffering from popeye will often be stressed or diseased in other ways, as well. While popeye itself isn’t likely to kill a fish, affected fish could die from other problems, such as septicemia and Hexamita infections.
(Google pictures used)
Popeye in fish is most frequently caused by continual exposure to chronically poor (rather than acutely lethal) water conditions. Popeye is consequently most common in aquariums that are overcrowded or receive infrequent water changes. Not surprisingly, popeye is most often seen in aquariums where messy fish are kept in unhygienic conditions, typically goldfish and large cichlids.
While bilateral popeye is often simply a reaction to poor aquarium water conditions, unilateral popeye may be caused by physical damage to the fish. In either case, optimizing water quality in the aquarium will be required before the fish can recover, but unilateral popeye will also demand further considerations. Sources of physical damage to the fish’s eye can include rough handling, collisions between fish and solid objects, failed predation attempts and aggression between fish.
Popeye is difficult to treat in fish because it consists of three different sets of problems. First there is damage to the cornea. Next there is accumulation of fluid behind the fish’s eyeball, and finally there is an opportunistic bacterial infection.
Minor damage to the cornea can improve over time, uming the fish is provided with optimal water conditions and a balanced, vitamin-rich diet.
Swelling of the fish’s eye will diminish with time, uming the fish is healthy in other regards, and is provided with optimal water conditions and a healthy diet. Epsom salt helps to reduce swelling when used at a dose of 1 to 3 teaspoons per 5 gallons. While Epsom salt can be used in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums, fish are best treated this way in a quarantine tank rather than the main display aquarium.
Antibiotics and antibacterials similar to those used to treat fin rot are useful in preventing damage to the cornea from turning into full-blown popeye. But once popeye develops, different medications will be required. Use antibiotics formulated for use against internal and systemic infections, preferably administered in food rather than added to the water.
Given prompt treatment and good environmental conditions, popeye can get better with time. It takes weeks or months for the swelling to diminish, and damage to the cornea of the fish can be even slower to heal.
However, severe damage to the fish’s eye may never heal completely, even if the swelling itself goes down. In extreme cases, the fish’s eye may be so badly damaged it decays and falls off the fish. Blindness in one eye does not seem to incapacitate fish unduly, though carnivorous fish that hunt by sight may find the loss difficult to get used to. Keep such fish away from boisterous competitors, and use forceps to handfeed them if they have trouble feeding themselves.
Because popeye is usually caused by negative environmental aquarium factors, fish suffering from popeye will often be stressed or diseased in other ways, as well. While popeye itself isn’t likely to kill a fish, affected fish could die from other problems, such as septicemia and Hexamita infections.
(Google pictures used)
