Here are the main causes, symptoms, and proven methods to treat Popeye disease in fish. It is painful and dangerous for the life of a fish. In this disease, the eyes of the fish get affected.

How to Help a Fish with Popeye Disease? You can help a fish with Popeye disease by cleaning the tank, using aquarium salt, removing sharp objects, adjust water temperature and pH, and remove the plants. A fish with Popeye is easily recognized because of the bulging appearance of its eyes.

How to Help a Fish with Popeye Disease?

Popeye is a disease that no one wants in their fish. Sometimes one eye gets bulge and swells. The eyes get a protrusion from the socket area.

A specific fluid buildup inside the eye area of the fish, and it starts bulging out. It has an accumulating power within the eyes, and sometimes it stores itself behind the eye. In some fish, the ailment extends to a hazardous and toxic level, and few have immunity to it.

Causes of Popeye Disease in Fish

There are multiple reasons which cause Popeye in fish. The reasons are moderate to severe, and fish almost becomes abnormal in strict conditions. Few factors cause this disease in fish, and they are lethal. 

The instigating factors comprise injury, infection, internal illness. Other factors are dirty water, change of water, and overfeeding.

Injury

Injury-related to fish means any other casual injury which occurs in other living organisms. Physical harm makes them abnormal all of a sudden, and fish feels restless. Behavioral changes occur in them, and the eye gets swollen.

The bulging increases day by day after the injury, and any particular thing inside the water tank leads to this issue. The fish swim all day and night, and sometimes they bump into these harmful things.

The accident leads to inflammation of the skin, and mostly the eye becomes swollen. These are prone to injury and have a high risk of accidents. 

Infection

Many opportunistic bacteria generate different infections in fish. The immune system gets weak, and the fish loses its immunity to cope with the internal issue.

It causes irritation and pain to the tiny creature. Restless and inflammation around the eyes are some of the symptoms which appear on their skins.

Internal illness 

The internal ailments inside the body of a fish ultimately reach Popeye. The blockage of fluid ducts inside their body and other lethal problems like kidney failure generates extra fluid inside the body.

The bilateral Popeye is due to an increase in body fluid, and it is one of the usual Popeye. The occurrence of the diseases due to internal issues is not a sudden condition, and it takes time. You should know the causes of TB in fish.

Dirty water

Overcrowded water tanks mean plenty of fishes in one place. The water gets different toxic materials from the waste material of the fish.

Regular exposure to the dirty water of the aquarium causes various diseases in fish. Popeye is one of them, and it is an ailment as compared to other issues. 

Water change

A sudden water change creates a lot of problems in fish. They have less capacity to tolerate instant change. Some fish even dies due to this shock. The freshwater contains different bacteria and toxic substances.

All of them collectively affect the health of the tiny creatures. Popeye begins affecting such fish more frequently because the immunity loses in such situations. 

Overfeeding

Over and inappropriate feed to the fish develops different issues in them. There are a pattern and routine for this intake in them.

Most people provide food in extra amount, and this causes Popeye in fish. Excessive food increases the fluid quantity in their body, and hence the issue becomes dangerous.

Symptoms of Popeye Disease

The symptoms of these diseases are apparent and visible on the body of fish. The eyes of fish get the inflammation which makes them so bulging.

The redness around the eyes turns in to brown to black color. They start looking uncomfortable and horrible to some extent. The first reaction of fish after getting this disease is inappropriate swimming. You can learn their movement, and immediate isolation must be the first action.

How to Treat Popeye Disease in Fish?

Multiple ways help in the treatment of Popeye in fish, and they are efficient. Aquarium salt is one of the best ways to treat this disease in the tiny creature. It is available in commercial packaging, and you can buy it online as well. 

Moreover, there is a proper method to treat them by using this salt. It is also known as Epsom salt or aquarium salt. Whenever you feel like the fish is not behaving well, find out the cause of the issue.

Mostly the fish represent the swelling and bulging of the eye area and skin. Isolate the fish immediately in another tank with fresh water and all other facilities. Keep the fish there and allow the comfort zone for a few hours. 

Take two to three grams of salt, put it inside the aquarium, and mix the salt inside the quarantine tank. Keep the fish in this saltwater for a specific duration. 

Do not exceed the period from fifteen to twenty minutes. The fish feels fine during this time and gets healthy. Never leave the fish in this salty tank for hours; it is not best for their skin and health. They start eating and inhaling the salt, and it causes ulcers on their gills. 

The internal infections by opportunistic bacteria require proper medication. There are many antifungal and antibiotic medicines available for the fish. The method for giving it is a bit different than a human.

Feed the antibiotic by triturating the material and mix it with the feed. Apply the process only on those fish that are suffering from Popeye. Use a quarantine tank for the process, and treat the internal ailment instantly.

These are specific in design for the treatment of issues like bulging and inflammation in such animals. They are instant and long-lasting effects, and they enhance the immunity inside the body of fish. 

Removal of sharp objects is another way of treating the fish’s physical injuries. The bumping on these things leads to blood and shed scenarios, and it moves to malfunction of the immune system.

Replace the toxic objects with new and harmless things, or take them out permanently. It keeps them safe from future injury and harm.

Some fish inside the water tank is known as bullying fish that attack the casual species. They attack the sensitive areas like the eyes and area around the eyes. Maintain a safe distance from such fish in the aquarium. Separation of healthy and other attackers is one of the best choices you can.

Changing the tank’s water is the best option to save the fish from any syndrome. Never change water suddenly because it has an impact on the health of the fish. Keep the process slow and moderate for the life span of the tiny creatures. Take fresh and toxic-free water and then replace it with the already existing water. 

Adjust the pH of the water when it is not suitable for the species inside the aquarium. Use different buffers and make the environment relaxing for the fish. The acidic water causes irritation and inflammation of the skin. The water with moderate pH helps in the treatment of diseases like Popeye. 

Removal of nitrates and ammonia from the tank water reduces the intensity of the discomfort. The fish feels relax and soothing when there are no toxic substances inside the aquarium. The reduction of nitrates reduces bulging skin disease. 

Quarantining the tiny thing is one the most efficient treatment in terms of other fellow fish as well. The separation of infected fish preserves the life and health of those fish that are not suffering. The other tank must contain clean and safe water. 

Maintenance of aquarium treats the Popeye disease in fish. Carry out the settling and adjustment of the water tank regularly or every three times a week. It is the safest method to keep the fish alive for a period, and this is one of the best treatments and precautionary measures. Many people make a cement fish tank at home, however, you have to maintain it regularly.

Many bacteria reside and evolve inside the water tank. Treat them by using antibacterial medicine in triturated form. Place the antibacterial medication inside the water and leave it for some time. You can also use a separate tank for this activity. 

The plants inside the water tanks play a toxic role sometimes. Some of them get dry also old, and the replacement of these plants is essential. The removal and changing of plants help in the treatment of this issue instantly. The fish starts feeling fine within twenty-four hours. 

How to Prevent Popeye in Fish?

• Check the tank: Observe the aquarium now and then. It helps in preventing any syndrome that includes Popeye. Maintain it regularly and observe the fish every time you pass by the aquarium. 
• Use mega tanks: The wider tanks have less capacity to instigate an ailment in the fish species. Always use tanks with much space for the accommodation of fish. 
• Cleanliness: It is one of the best precautionary measures to keep all of them safe from disease. Remove all the toxic plants and dirty things; excrete the debris from the aquarium. 
• Control feeding pattern: Never give too much food to the fish inside the fish house. Never provide all types of feed to the fish. Choose a specific amount and model for them, and it protects them from inflammation. You can feed watermelons to African Cichlids.

Is Popeye fish disease contagious?

It is a serious issue, and it requires immediate treatment, or the fish may die. Sometimes the disease does not prove as a fatal issue, but the surrounding factors enhance the problem. The fish may lose eyesight during the ailment. The eyes bulge out from the socket due to intense suffering. 

The quality of life becomes poor, and though the fish survives with one eye, there are chances of death. In case you do not provide the care, they lose both eyes, and then a small accident cause death. Popeye provokes many different issues in fish; it’s like a chain of syndromes onside their bodies. 

The blood gets the infection, and the fish becomes dull. The issue causes organ failure, and it directly affects the kidney and other huge parts of the body. They succumb to parasitic infections, and all of it leads to the death of the tiny thing. 

Which form of fish is commonly affected by Popeye?

• Moor Goldfish
• Celestial eye goldfish 
• Pictus catfish
• Comet goldfish
• Blue marlin
• Hogfish