2 weeks; tank was completely cycled before fish introduction
One Betta splendens
Artificial plants
A constant 80 F
Hydro I sponge filter
Not using a CO2 unit
No natural sunlight
Last water change: today; 3 quarts
Water changes once per week
Feedings once per day; freeze dried blood worms and New Life Spectrum Marine Fish Formula, but switching to HBH Betta Bites
Lighting is 8 watt fluorescent lamp for 12 hours per day
My fish has cloudy eyes causing temporary blindness and can’t see where it’s going or any food I try feeding it. The irises are as black as the pupils. Breathing is slightly faster than normal. Spends more time on the substrate than before. All symptoms onset started gradually after first 5 days from purchase. Fish vigorously ate blood worms on first day in the aquarium and explored the aquarium very actively.
pH: 7.4 (Wardley Junior pH freshwater test kit measures between 6.2 and 7.4) Ammonia: 0 ppm, Nitrite: 0 ppm, Nitrate: 0 ppm (Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate were tested with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals liquid test kits)
The last time I bought a fish was in the spring of 2006. In the store, the fish was not very active but he was only in a cup.
Please help me figure this out. I will try to answer all your questions.
If you are keeping your fish in a 5.5 gallon you need to be doing more than a 3 quart water change once a week. The water is probably dirty (and I question any test reading that reads perfect zeroes across the board) and this may well be the problem. Change at least 2 gallons twice a week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by plessans
My fish has cloudy eyes causing temporary blindness and can’t see where it’s going or any food I try feeding it. The irises are as black as the pupils. Breathing is slightly faster than normal. Spends more time on the substrate than before. All symptoms onset started gradually after first 5 days from purchase. Fish vigorously ate blood worms on first day in the aquarium and explored the aquarium very actively.
Okay, this needs some clarification. "Temporary" blindness. Is he able to see things sometimes and other times not? How do you know?
The cloudy eyes, does it come and go, or is it always there since it first showed up? I am assuming the black irises and pupils are what you were referring to before the cloudiness set in? Or did you mean something else by that?
Inspect the fecal matter if you can. Is it present? Color? No little worm looking things in it are there?
First of all, I would appreciate if you guys were a little more polite.
Cody, the 0 nitrates was a typo. That's my fault. Corrected Nitrates: 40-80 ppm. I also stated that I'm switching to special betta food.
Nataku, Also, when I say the tank has been set up 2 weeks it means it's been fully cycled for 2 weeks. It took me 6 weeks to get there. 2 gallons (36%) per week is too much in my opinion. I did 10-15% / week water changes on my 65 gallon coral reef tank for the 2.5 years it was up and running and it was fine. Please disregard the "temporary" in temporary blindness. I didn't know what I was talking about. When talking about the irises, shouldn't one be able to see the irises in any healthy fish and not have trouble differentiating between the irises and pupils? I haven't seen any feces yet.
Chicklet, the tank is cycled. It was a typo. Nitrates: 40-80ppm
Hmm. Well, I don't know much about Bettas yet so I can't help you.
But I think your tank still might be 'dirty'. I think generally you have to change water in a much higher quantity and much more often in a small tank than in a larger one. 65 gallon tank is much closer to a natural ecosystem than a tiny tank which, even if it is cycled, is still closer to a bucket of water, you know?
I don't have much experience with smaller tanks, but with that, I think it is much easier for the cycle to be broken, so you probably do have to be very careful about not changing too much water.
But, anyway, the only thing I have ever read about cloudy eyes has always been attributed to poor water quality or overcrowding, so I guess I'm not any help but here's a link that might help?
Is the eye just cloudy or does it appear to have a thick film over it? If it's the later it's defiantly water quality.
And I don't think the previous posts were rude. They were telling you what they thought was wrong, and that's no reason to get defensive. There's always room for improvement.
Okay, so I diagnosed that he had dropsy cuz his scales were poking out, his body was very bloated compared to when I first got him a little over 2 weeks ago, breathing fast, couldn't see, and wasn't eating at all. Yesterday was the first time he remained near the water surface for oxygen and when I woke this morning he was dead. I didn't even get a chance to give him anitbiotics. He started going blind about 1.5 weeks ago and the symptoms gradually started appearing and gradually worsened. My Ammonia in the tank was still 0 ppm, Nitrites 0 ppm, and Nitrates 40 ppm.
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