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Multiple problems: missing scales, fin rot, cloudy eye, bulging eye, MISSING eye!

7K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  redchigh 
#1 ·
I'm at my wits end with my fish. I have a 10 gallon aquarium with: 1 male betta, 1 green corydorus catfish, 1 zebra danio, and 2 swordtails. Aquarium has been up and running since Jan 09 all of these fish are original inhabitants. Water is at it's "normal" limits:
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
Nitrite .5 ppm
Hardness (GH) 150 ppm (hard)
Alkalinity (KH) 180 ppm
pH 8.4

One of the Swordtails was missing a couple scales. I did my normal "repair/ich" treatment of raising temp, changing 25% of water, adding 2 tablespoons of aquarium salt, and then doing a daily dosing of Quikcure until symptoms were gone. After 2 weeks and no improvement, I started to look for alternative treatments and noticed more symptoms. So this is what we ended up with:
Swordtail 1: missing scales, fin/tail rot, bulging eyes (missing eye this morning), wants to jump out of water, frantically swims against side of tank
Swordtail 2: fin/tail rot, bulging eys
Betta: fin/tail rot, cloudy eyes (now somewhat bulgy)
Zebra danio and Cory seem to be fine.

I went to the fish supply store with my troubles and they sent me home with Triple Sulfa (664mg Sodium Sulfathiazole, 168mg Sodium Sulfamethazine, 168mg Sodium Sulfacetamide). It's a powder that comes in individual packets. Directions were to remove carbon filtration, and empty one packet into water for every 10 gallons. 24 hours later, repeat dose. 24 hours later, change 25% water, repeat dose. 24 hours later, repeat dose, 24 hours later change 25% water. (4 doses is one treatment).

I just completed the 4th dose yesterday and changed 25% water today when I noticed the missing eyeball.

HELP!
 
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#2 ·
Well, cories are normally very sensitive fish... if there's a disease, they'll catch it.

I would say that, science wise, the simplest exsplanation is usually right.
Instead of your fish having pop-eye, fin rot, and showing symptoms of poisoning (the jumping and suicidal tendancies)
I think it's the betta. It's the only explaination that explains everything.
Remove it, and see what happens.
Also, you should not be treating a disease without knowing the disease- the symptoms of poisoning could be from the medication.

What are you nitrite/ammonia levels?
How often do you do WC's?

I think the only way an eye can disappear is if someone ate it... My money is on the betta since the swordtail's finnage might be triggering the betta's fight instinct.
Would also explain why he's ignoring the cory and danio- they have tiny fins.

Also, might want to euthanize the one with a missing eye... but thats just me.
Do a search before you do it though, there are a few humane ways...
 
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