# Congo tetra pop-eye problems..treatment?



## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

Have fungus on eye of female congo.

Normally fungus I leave it or water change and it goes away, but its on the eye and getting worse.

The fungus (or bacteria) is cottony and white. Tank is 72 gallon. Any suggestions on how to treat?

I'll get picture as soon as i can

Thanks

*Have now confirmed pop-eye with or without eye cloud.*


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

Doesn't look like a fungus now. Looks like a small pearl covering the eye of the female. Anyone know what this is or how to treat it?

The fish appears to be healthy otherwise...eating and swimming normally. Below are some pictures...one showing the healthy eye for comparison.


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

All I can think of is it damaged its eye =\ Salt and clean water for that. Don't want to feel bad, you havnt been getting any advice at all so far =0 I'm surprised somebody hasnt replied yet.


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

Its possible that it might have been an injury or at least started as one. I changed the water 50% last week...I will do so again this week.

How much salt would you recommend? ...I do not want to kill my plants.


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

Not too experienced in this case. I usually dose a teaspoon for 10 gallons which shouldnt really affect your plants.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

It could be just pop eye.

Take your picture and go see Roberto at Pet Habit on PineTree Way across from Henderson Centre.

Roberto is very very knowledgeable and will have some good advice and good medication for you.

You will be pleased to meet the gentleman regardless. Tell him Gordon sends you and you will probably get a discount 

Pretty sure Grant's amazing staff at IPU could help as well if you are closer to IPU.


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

I agree this might be a case of popeye, although it doesn't fit exactly. Some of the congos actually do definitively have popeye now as well as dropsy. The problem is these are all non-specific symptoms...any of these could be caused by a number of factors.

No anti-popeye medications have worked. I have tried several standard ones and environmental parameters in my tank are quite good...but there is obviously something wrong.

I'm somewhat skeptical of people working in pet stores (many have limited knowledge from my experience).

I will check out the ones you listed.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Roberto is the owner and he has his fair size of fish tanks at home as well. I trust store owners like Roberto, Grant and April more than anyone else. If they guess wrong on their own stock, it cost them big time ! 

IMHO, none of these things are exact science. I even have the same feeling when I go see my doctor. I remembered my daughter had seizures at around 3. Call ambulance to take her to emergency, tests, more stress and subsequently more seizures from the stresses. Specialist, professor, x-ray, spinal cord fluid test (still hurts me to think about it now  ) - the conclusion: not sure, seizures went away and never came back in 10 years - thank God.

If you love your fish like I love my daughters, I can share you pain. I have to say I will never love my fish anywhere remotely close to loving my daughters. My infected fish usually got taken out of their misery very fast to save the rest of its tanks mates from the same misfortune.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Almond leaves and epsom salt. I'm going to try that one day in the bath tub.


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

jobber604 said:


> Almond leaves and epsom salt. I'm going to try that one day in the bath tub.


Actually those are probably some of the few things I haven't yet tried. They are some of things I've noted from your PM's.

I've actually seen epsom being used on some other sites to treat popeye. Supposedly it helps draw excess fluid away from the eye and surrounding tissue. I'm not sure how the plants will react but the ones I have in the 72 are not too finicky...generally "low tech" plants. My personal experience with MgSO4 in my other tank that I get stunting growth of rotala sp. even at fairly low dosing.


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi there what is your ph at . I have seen this with discus some time when there is a ph crash it happens. How often do you change water and how much? Epson salts won't much for the eye. It's great for stomach problems and open wounds. How long has the fish had the eye problem. It only lasted a few days for me.


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

To be honest bonsai....I haven't tested the pH in long time. I used to have pH meter hooked up but probe is toast now. Tank is non-CO2, but I guess the pH could still crash somehow. Will test when I can.

Eye problems have been chronic and are popping up in formerly healthy fish. They persist for very long time. I've had one affected fish for almost 5 months. Fish discoloration and dropsy follow after the initial eye problem. Some just start off with a "classic" popeye appearance unlike the picture I have posted.

What did your pH drop to? Are you injecting CO2? And how did you correct it? Baking soda/ buffers?

Thanks


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Test for PH *AND* your KH levels. Low KH could indicate PH swings.

Cheers,
Chris


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

I'd say ph crash or ammonia. If your gh and ph fall then your filter cannot get rid of ammonia. Hence the white eye. If you have tried every medicine like you say...I'd say you could also be killing your filter off.
Bonsai is right ph crash causes the white eye. If your getting Popeyes then you aren't keying your tank clean enough. If you have alot of substrate and dead spots etc you can get anaerobic spots also. 
I'd do a good vacuuming and wc and add one tablespoon per 10 gallons. If you have a planted tank and these problems have been going on for quite some time I'd pull the plants..keep in a separate container for a few days with lights and air and do a very good cleaning. 
Stress brings on problems. Maybe you need more water circulation also.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.275129,-122.835551


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

It is possible antibiotics could have killed at least some of the filter bacteria. Although the tank is quite heavily planted....I'm not sure ammonia would be that much of an issue. 

The tank is kept very clean in terms of water changes. 50% volume every 2 weeks. Substrate is a mix of fluorite and silica sand. Fluorite is separated from sand via barrier though. I generally do not vacuum the sand except superficially because the syphon tends to suck it up.

I have heard of anaerobic pockets forming in sand. Could be the case, but how would you prevent that? Constant disturbance? Like turning over sand?

I run 2 canisters filter one XP3 and one Eheim Ecco. Flow should not be a problem.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Are you running co2 and leaving it on at night?


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

Here is an udate to the eye problems. Euthanized a few fish. Recently new case appeared in one female with possilby another male exhibiting symptoms.

*Issues Addressed:*

*-2 months ago I found pH had crashed to 4 (measured with PinPoint pH probe). *
Solution: added Kent pH Stable and increased pH to 6.75 with kH at 3. pH has stabilized.
*-Ammonia has tested consistently at undetectable levels*
*-Did more frequent water changes early on to correct pH problem. Rate now at once per week @ 50% tank volume.*
*-Added new bulb to UV sterilizer and its been running constant.*

*Things I haven't ruled out:*

1) Silica Sand from Lordco Autoparts. Possible anaerobic pockets or something else in sand.

2) Plastic tupperware containers used to separated Fluorite substrate from sand.Supposedly BPA free. Possible toxicity to leaching of chemicals.

3) gH

4) pathogens

Note: I used to have pure Fluorite and previous to that pure gravel. Never ever had any problems with popeye and have kept other congo tetras for many years without disease issues. I don't think age of the fish is playing a role here as every case is usually some form of eye issue always evolving into popeye. Some have gotten dropsy too.

*Going to try adjusting gH: *

Should I increase the gH using both Calcium Chloride and Epsom salt (both of which I have)? And to what levels/ratios? What should final gH be?
Alternatively I can use Seachem Equilibrium. Again what would the dosing recommendations be?


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Woow, I admire your patience for the 9 month problem. pH of 4 sounds crazy, I would recommend cross-check the calibration with a liquid test kit.

Not sure if the 50% WC change will be helpful at this stage. I would try 30% weekly or twice a week - less stressful. If they have been stressed for months, I am not sure how long it will take them to recover.

I would also make sure the filters are regularly maintained.

Also not sure it is a good idea of putting a coarse media under a fine media in a FW environment. In SW, that's how we create an anaerobic zone - I think that theory might have gone by the way side. I took that down in my SW years ago.


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

gklaw said:


> Woow, I admire your patience for the 9 month problem. pH of 4 sounds crazy, I would recommend cross-check the calibration with a liquid test kit.


I don't have a liquid test kit, but the pH probe was brand new 2 months ago and calibrated when bought. I've never seen a pH of 4 either. Even in other setups with un-buffered CO2 injection it would never go below 5.5.



gklaw said:


> Also not sure it is a good idea of putting a coarse media under a fine media in a FW environment. In SW, that's how we create an anaerobic zone - I think that theory might have gone by the way side. I took that down in my SW years ago.


The Fluorite is not mixed with sand. It is separated by plastic containers. However, most of the tank is sand.

Any recommendations for gH (as above)?


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