Archivarium 2004

[encipher]

This evening while watching my fish I noticed my female golden ram appears to have popeye in both eyes. She's still moving and eating, but it's disturbing me (if not her ).

10 gal with sponge filter
sand substrate
10 tiger lotus (?) and several strands of anacharis and microsword and crypts
2 rams (m/f pair)
5 black neons
2 ottos
fake mangrove roots cover 3/4 of the tank with a small open space for the microsword
Temp: 80-82 F
Food: new life spectrum, omega one flakes, shrimp pellets, frozen (and I suspect they're eating the plants too)
Last spawn: a week ago

pH: 7.4ish
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

30% water changes bi monthly or 10% changes every week

No one else is sick.

So, how do I deal with this? I think that quarrentining her would stress her out a lot more. Obviously I need to up the water changes and add some antibotics. Please help me out a bit

[benedictj]

before you start treating for pop eye, a couple of quick q's

Have you had any problems with high chlorine or chloramine levels in your water source?
Have you missed dechlorination? (I did this once, umpph)
Have you used any spray cleaning products in the vacinity off the tank?
_________________
Best,

Jake

[encipher]

1. Not that I know of. All my other tanks are doing fine (two 20 L, 20 H, 4 10s, bettas, 29 H)

2. If I missed one, it would show up in all tanks because I use a 5 gallon bucket to change my water and I do all the tens/bettas at the same time. Also, I treat with Seachem's Prime.

3. Cleaner? I don't think I've ever used cleaner in my room, except in my vanity. I admit, I don't do much with the water spots on the glass because I don't see any point.

Edit: Maybe it is something in the water. My male blue ram in my 29 gallon died over night. I topped off that tank (maybe a gallon or two) last night. He had still been active and eating (frozen). No marks on his body when I pulled him out.

Stats:
29 gal.
sand
HOB with peat, sponge, poly-fil
several crypts, pennyworth all over the surface, java moss, dwarf vals.
2 rams [the male died]
2 checkboard cichlids
6 diamonds
3 ottos

Ammonia: 0 (so Chrono- the ram- hadn't been in there too long)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

However, the pH is almost 7.8! Should I hold off on water changes or use distilled or what? I'm doing something to kill my fish

[benedictj]

OY- Sorry to hear about your male ram and sorry it took me so long to get back to this thread.

Just so you know, the questions I asked were an attempt to seperate whether it was bacterial pop eye or gas bubble pop eye. It appears that it is regular old bacterial pop eye. I'd suggest that, if you can, put the female in quarantine and treat with a broad spectrum anti-biotic in a tank that is well oxygenated. Also, raising the temp of the tank to the low eighties will help. It also might be helpful to keep the light very low while treating, maybe indirect daylight only (this will help if it is gas bubble related).
_________________
Best,

Jake

[encipher]

Thanks for the reply. I bought some macyn (spelling) 2 today at work and have isolated her. The temp is already there, so I'll just make sure to not turn on the lights.