There are a variety of common diseases that seems to infect betta fish, the main one being a condition called Popeye. This disease can affect your bettas quality of life and treatment should be started promptly when you notice any symptoms. Popeye can heal; however, the eye will not look how it did before the infection.
Many medications on the market are tailored towards treating the bacterial pathogens that cause Popeye, and some can help aid in the prevention or effective treatment of such disease.
This is a complete article that will inform you on the main causes, symptoms, treatment, and even tips to avoid this disease from arising in the first place!
Table of contents
Popeye in Bettas Explained
Popeye (scientifically known as exophthalmia) is described as a condition that causes a fish’s eye to swell and bulge out. When compared to the healthy eye, the infected one can appear double the size. The name is an explanatory term for when the eye looks like it has popped out of the socket. Although this is not generally fatal, and your betta can recover quickly with the right treatment. Some forms are fatal and those are cases where the deadly fish tuberculosis disease has caused swelling and infection or one or both eyes. Popeye is generally caused by a build-up of pressure behind the eye that causes the socket to become infected and swell.
Symptoms of Popeye in Bettas
- Redness around the eye
- Building/extended eye
- Lethargy
- Inactiveness
- Poor vision
- Clamped fins
- Bottom sitting
- Cloudy eyes
There may also be additional symptoms linked to specific diseases that can cause Popeye as a symptom. Popeye can appear quite suddenly and often without outward symptoms, in which case the betta may have physically damaged the eye, or the condition is caused by an internal bacterial infection.
5 Main Causes of Popeye in Bettas
1. Bacterial infections
Bettas may develop a bacterial infection introduced by new fish or invertebrates that have been added to the tank. This causes a nasty bacterium to accumulate and cause damage to the eye.
2. Fungal infections
The transmission is the same as bacterial infections, but a fungal infection is usually more worrisome. This can be accompanied by white fluffy growths along the betta’s body.
3. Physical damage
Your betta can damage their eye if they swim into a hard object, get stuck in the filter or if another fish attacks them (hence why you should never house two male bettas together!). The eye will swell as a result.
4. Dirty conditions
Dirty tank conditions are a breeding ground for all sorts of pathogens. If you do not keep up with tank maintenance and water changes, your betta can easily develop an infection of the eye.
5. Fish tuberculosis & other fatal diseases
Fish TB is a serious and often fatal disease that not many fish can recover from. In the late stages of fish TB, the eye may bulge, and redness can occur by the site. Late stages of fish TB are incurable, and euthanasia is, therefore, the kindest option.
In rare cases, Popeye can be caused by a tumor or growth near the eye, which is will push the eye further out the socket as the tumor or growth becomes larger.
How to Effectively Treat Popeye
Treatment should only be done once you have discovered the root cause as to why your betta has developed Popeye. If it is a sudden occurrence with no previous symptoms, it is most likely related to poor water quality which resulted in a bacterial infection. Once you have discovered the main cause of the condition, treatment should be administered promptly.
Medications
Treatment should be done as soon as you notice symptoms of Popeye. There are many effective medications for the successful treatment of this condition and these medications include:
- Seachem Kanaplex (for fungal and bacterial infections)
- Seachem Neoplex (Antibiotic for external infections)
- API Melafix (WARNING: the ‘fix’ formulas coat the gills which can make your betta struggle to breathe normally, add in extra aeration when using this medication)
- Seachem Paraguard (fungal, bacterial infections, and lesions)
- UV sterilizer (fish TB)
- Methylene blue
- Nutrafin Betta Enviro-Clean (water maintenance)
- Seachem Metroplex (bacterial and protozoans)
Water maintenance
Stick to doing weekly water changes to keep the water clean and fresh. Never place dirty hands inside of the water column and make sure you quarantine all new fish before you put them into the main tank.
Removal of damaging items
If the Popeye was caused by bumping into a decoration, consider removing it from the aquarium and any other hard or potentially hazardous items from the tank. Bettas should only have live plants or silicone items in the tank.
Prevention Methods
Prevention is always better than treatment. There are many ways to prevent Popeye infections from occurring, and here are a few:
- Do regular water renewals. An average-sized betta tank (5-10 gallons) should have a 20% water change conducted.
- Incorporate lots of live plants in the tank.
- Feed your betta a diet rich in protein and low in plants.
- Use a natural aquarium tonic to prevent the growth of certain pathogens.
- Keep the temperature between 77°F to 82°F using a pre-set heater.
- Do not mix medications as this will make them less effective.
- Do not keep sharp or pointed objects in the tank.
- Only keep your betta with other small peaceful fish.
- Quarantine new fish or invertebrates (snails & shrimp) for 6 weeks before you place them with your betta. Thus minimizing the risk of transmitting diseases from fish to fish.
- Wash new tank supplies and items thoroughly before using them in the tank.
- Use separate equipment for each tank to avoid spreading pathogens from different tanks, washing in between does not always work.
Conclusion
Popeye does not have to be a daunting condition and if you determine that your betta may have Popeye, do not panic! Calmly assess the current tank conditions and notice any other symptoms your betta may have. Then you can set up a hospital/treatment tank and begin dosing medication for the next few weeks. There is a high cure rate for Popeye and if your betta is otherwise healthy, they should fight right through the issue.
Featured Image Credit: BankZa, Shutterstock
