Weather loach - popeye treatment advice

[KLKelly]

Hey guys,

I'm new to loaches. I've got two three inch guys in a 20 gallon quarantine tank. They've been in there about a month. Just the two of them. I normally QT all my fish for thirty days.

The problem is one of them has developed a white bkuster under an eye today. It looks milky white and not fuzzy. They are kind of spazzy so I assume he injured himself on a tank ornament. I think he looks paler and breathing faster than the other one.



Any ideas what it is?

I have medigold antibacterial food, a variety of antibacterial meds(maracyn I, II, Plus). If it is more than just an injury that is. I also have a stocked medicine cabinet just in case (quickcure, prazi etc).

Tank summary: (before water change - just did 50%)
20 gallon
70F
1/4" layer of gravel from main tank
Aquaclear 30.
PH 7.0
Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite .10
Nitrate 8
GH3
KH3
I use Prime to dechlorinate and detox ammonia.

It was instantly cycled with media from my main tank that they will be going into. I keep getting cycle blips and keep putting in more cycled media in the filter. I'm doing lots of water changes (25%-40%) per day. It was great for two weeks and then started showing ammonia and nitrites the day before yesterday. (I am using city water from my moms in the QT tank- my well water has a PH of 8.2 which would make ammonia toxic quickly).

I've been feeding mazuri gel food until I get a blip when they are fed skinned peas.

I really love these guys.

You guys are the loach experts. What do you think is wrong and if treatment is recommended - what would it be?

Thanks.

Karrie

[KLKelly]

THere is white showing up under his other eye today.

I've done hours of searching online and i've found absolutely nothing.

I've started them on medigold antibacterial food.

Any ideas at all???

[shari2]

Hi and welcome to LOL. Sorry it took so long for someone to get back to you on this.

Are you sure it's a blister? It's white? Could it be the rim of the eye protruding? If so look into treating for pop eye.

The ammonia and nitrite issues are certainly a problem. Could be a cause for the rapid respiration. How's the other guy?

[KLKelly]

Shari - thanks for your reply! : )

I never thought it could be popeye until reading that article you linked. I'll start researching that now.

This sentence in the article describes it perfectly "You may see a large ring of white “skin” around the base of the eye. This tough tissue, that helps to hold the eye in its’ socket, is being stretched as the eye bulges. Your fish may show other symptoms such as being less active and not eating well."
The other guy is acting and looking well.

The blister doesn't look to be the eye itself but exactly like the rim under the eye is protruding and pushing the eye out a bit.

I am doing everything I can to keep the water as good as possible. Its a long story - but thankfully I've learned a lot on water quality over the past year. This will be the third time I've filled the filter up with cycled filter foam and bio balls from my main tank. I can't risk stealing any more so I'm hoping it will finally take and stay cycled for a few weeks.

Thanks again

Karrie

[KLKelly]

Almost surely popeye... the other eye is now affected and he's getting worse.

Day 2 of medigold antibacterial food.

I'm going to treat the tank - risking further water problems.

Would you guys treat with Maracyn Plus or a combo of maracynI and II?

Thanks.

Karrie

[shari2]

I'd go with the Maracyn Plus.

[KLKelly]

The first eye that was affected is remarkably improved today.

The second eye (affected a day later) is much much worse. I'm surprised if he survives if he will be able to see.

Appetite still not great.

Second Maracyn Plus treatment tomorrow. On top of this I'll have to worry about cycling if the Maracyn kills the cycle. I have no media I can steal.

I hope the one eye improving is a sign he'll make it through this!

Karrie

[Fear_The_Loach]

Dojos are also quite hardy, so don't give up on him. I saw a gold dojo at a local store who had a spin disorder. He looked like a shriveled-up noodle, but as it turns out, they'd had him for many months. He swims fine, eats fine, and everything.

So yeah, if you've got treatment for him, he'll probably do out alright.

[KLKelly]

Just thought I'd post an update - especially for someone who searches on loaches with popeye in the future.

Weather loaches are hardier than I thought - knock on wood. The first eye looks normal now. The second eye was much worse and I thought it would pop. At a minimum I thought he would be blind - it was cloudy all over on top of the swelling.

The eye itself didn't swell outward like the betta picture. The swelling seemed to come from the bottom and underneath.

The second eye is now 85% improved. Not sure if he has sight in it or not. I'll probably never know.

So far - I've had to do more water changes than I'd like because of a blip in the cycle. 50% every other day.
And treatment with Medigold medicated food and Maracyn Plus.

Thanks again for the advice. I'm sure starting treatment early is what gave this guy a shot. I hope he continues to improve.

Karrie

[shari2]

that's excellent news! Good job.

[KLKelly]

Update:
I can't tell the two loaches apart anymore. He is 100% and both have good colour. I attribute him making it through to the Maracyn Plus as there was little appetite initially so he wasn't eating much of the medigold - enough to help a bit maybe.

The improvement is really amazing.

He has an appetite and we will complete a few weeks on medigold just to be on the safe site.

They have another thirty days in QT before I even think of adding them to the main tank. I am debating when to start a round of prazi (they were in a LFS tank with goldfish and a handful of other weather loaches that looked emaciated).

I hope they continue to thrive!!!!

Karrie

[shari2]

That's terrific! All too often disease/health threads don't end so happily. So glad to hear they're well on their way.

Keep the water quality up, feed them well, and watch. If they aren't fattening up, do the Prazi after you're sure all the other meds are gone. the label on mine says 'do not use with any other drugs or disease treatments.'

If they seem to be doing fine, eating and growing I'd give it at least two weeks of normal routine before doing the Prazi, though I think you'd be wise to do it while they're in the qt given the circumstances.

Good Job!