Rescue betta with popeye

[BCGirl]

Hi all, hoping you can help. Perhaps @Colu @Chick-In-Of-TheSeayou have some insight. This past weekend there was a very sad looking betta at my LFS so I wanted to bring him home to try to help. It appears he has diamond eye (nothing can be done) but in his one eye he also had popeye. I brought him home, put him in a quarantine tank and did 1tbsp aquarium salt for 3.5g (size of hospital tank). He is swimming, eating and super inquisitive but it appears that he has now developed a bump on the top of his head and something is going on under the popeye eye. I put pics although they aren't the best. I'm not sure if it is bacterial, fungus, parasite or a damaged scale from the popeye. The spot isn't moving so I'm leaning to not a parasite. In Canada we are limited on meds so I'm hoping any insight on what it might be and how I could treat it. I can up the dose of salt to 2 tbsp for the 3.5g straight away. I'd love to be able to save this little guy.

Edited November 30, 2022 by BCGirl

[TheSwissAquarist]

@xXInkedPhoenixX has done the same with 4 bettas. Any tips?? 
Round of applause to @BCGirl for doing this! 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Do you have any meds on hand @BCGirl? If so list them. I've not treated Betta popeye, but I did on a catfish (that was injury not infection- though that's a concern with injury) and used Kanaplex. If you have nothing else after I medicated my patient a few rounds I simply used time, salt, Indian Almond Leaf and extra, extra clean water (daily water changes in QT). Epsom soaks as well, to get swelling down. 

[BCGirl]

@xXInkedPhoenixX of course. I have a small bit of kanaplex and jungle fungus clear (before they were banned). I have Melafix, Pimafix, Paraguard, and salt. I put one Indian Almond Leaf in with him when I brought him home. I should also note he occasionally twitches while swimming. Not sure if it is related

Edited November 30, 2022 by BCGirl
missing detail

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Ok friend I would try a round or 2 of Kanaplex. Continue the IAL and Salt from this point forward. 

Personally I would never use the last 3. I've had experience with all 3 (paraguard seemed to do a little but ultimately there were better things, anything with "fix" hasn't fixed ANYTHING in my experience) and they did nothing- maybe even make things worse. Per my research since I wouldn't recommend them at all. 

[BCGirl]

@xXInkedPhoenixXgreat thank you. I'll start Kanaplex straight away. I should have enough for one round

@TheSwissAquaristthank you, I'm sure hoping I can save the little guy.

 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

After the round just keep his water pristine and the salt/IAL coming. I've seen miracles just with that. Good luck @BCGirl

[BCGirl]

@xXInkedPhoenixX I just wanted to provide an update and say thank you for the guidance. It looks like his popeye has gone down substantially so that is amazing. Oddly, the thing on his cheek fell off and the bump on his head appears to have ruptured so he is now missing a few scales. I'm going to do another dose of kanaplex and keep up on water changes so it doesn't get infected and hope it isn't anything more serious. Perhaps the fluid behind his eye just needed a way out, or some sort of infection reacted to the meds/salt. He is still very peppy, swimming and eating 🙂 Fingers crossed he makes it.

[TheSwissAquarist]

Nice to hear that he’s doing betta 👍

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@BCGirl sorry for the delay in reply, I was out of town. I'm very glad to see he got better in your last update- I've had a lot of good experiences with Kanaplex- and hopefully the 2nd round helps! Let us know how they are doing! 🙂 

[fish.addiction]

On 11/30/2022 at 10:45 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Ok friend I would try a round or 2 of Kanaplex. Continue the IAL and Salt from this point forward. 

Personally I would never use the last 3. I've had experience with all 3 (paraguard seemed to do a little but ultimately there were better things, anything with "fix" hasn't fixed ANYTHING in my experience) and they did nothing- maybe even make things worse. Per my research since I wouldn't recommend them at all. 

New to replying to forums, excuse my ignorance or mishaps lol. Can I ask what IAL means? 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

It's ok @fish.addiction this is actually one of the only forums I've come across you can ask a question without people getting bent out of shape over it. IAL is Indian Allmond Leaf or Catappa leaf. Welcome to the forum btw. 

[fish.addiction]

Ah! Thanks so much. I just got my first dumbo ear Betta and hims the first one I've gotten with pop-eye. Had him a week and the meds I treat all new fish with (maracyn, ich x, paracleanse) hasn't seemed to work. Is it ok to use kanaplex right after those meds? Or should I leaf and salt bath him for a short time in between? Thanks again!! 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@fish.addiction it should theoretically be ok to use the Kanaplex after the other meds. Maracyn should have helped but I've had better luck with Kanaplex. Because @BCGirl is in Canada, medication is hard to come by- often salt and Catappa are one of the few options. You can use the Epsom baths for your Betta's issue- just make sure it's not stressing him out too much, just 10-15 mins daily for 5-7 days as long as you see improvement. Sometimes it takes 2-3 rounds of Kanaplex but the popeye may not be gone, you should see reduction in the area- after that aquarium salt and lots of clean, clean water should help them heal the rest of the way.