Female Betta with popeye!

[Amehzes]

Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5
What temperature is your tank? 80
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Hikari Betta Pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? Once a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Once a week or so
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Conditioner

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Eyes look swollen
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? It hasnt
When did you start noticing the symptoms? I sort of noticed it maybe a week ago, but it really stood out a couple days ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? More water changes
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Sort of. Shes jumped out of the tank before, and shes always had this rough patch on her scales that never goes away. But other than that shes been fine.
How old is your fish (approximately)?


Recently I noticed my female's eyes looked a little weird, and when she looked at me I noticed that they were swollen, I think. She has a lighter color ring around both eyes, so if they arent swollen, they appear to be. Its not really swollen like some pictures on the internet, just a bit, so its hard to judge.

Is this popeye? If it is, how do I treat it?

[Oldfishlady]

I would start a 10 day Epsom salt(Not aquarium salt) treatment on her.
This has been successful for me with popeye.

Put her in a small QT container that can be floated in the heated tank (attached to the side so it doesn't sink)
Get a clean 1gal jug and fill with dechlorinated water of like temp and add 1tsp/gal Epsom salt(Not aquarium salt) use this water for 100% daily water changes for 2 days-then increase the Epsom salt 2tsp/gal and continue the 100% daily water changes with this water for 7 more days-pre mixing the treatment water will help make water changes and correct dosage easier


Maintain water temp in the 76-78F range

You can also add tannins to the Epsom salt treatment water from either-naturally dried and fallen from the tree Oak leaf (10-12 crushed/gal) or Indian almond leaf or blackwater extract or decaf green tea-let one of these steep in the treatment water for at least 1 hour before use-the longer it steeps the more tannins released the dark the water the more the Betta will like it...shake well before use

Make sure the pre-mix treatment water is within a couple of degree in temp between the QT water-so not to cause temp shock problems.

Covering the top of the QT container with plastic veggie wrap will also help by keeping the air above the water warm and humid for the labyrinth organ.

Good luck and keep us posted....

[Amehzes]

I will try that, thanks! Shes always been a little bug-eyed looking, but it looks weird now. If I cant get to the salt right away, is there anything else I can be doing?

[turtle10]

After she is better, make sure you maintain the water changes. Once a week on a 2.5 is not enough.

[Amehzes]

Even with a filter?

[turtle10]

Even with a filter, especially since you tank isn't cycled. The filter doesn't really take the bad chemicals out unless it is cycled. I recommend water changes at least three times a week. Two 50% (one with gravel cleaned), and one 100%.

[Oldfishlady]

I have found that on a 2.5gal filtered tank-water changes of 50% twice weekly....1-50% water only and 1-50% to include the substrate cleaning by vacuum or stir and dip method will maintain water quality...provided that you don't overfeed and uneaten food is removed after feeding......

On 2.5gal without a filter or rooted live plants-water changes of 1-50% and 1-100% will maintain water quality....

You really want to try and avoid 100% water changes with filtered tanks and/or tanks with rooted live plants...