Cherry Barb Has Cloudy Bulging Eye

[Troy328]

Water Parameters:

• pH 7.8
• Nitrates Somewhere between 20ppm and 40ppm
• Nitrite 0
• Ammonia 0
• Water Temperature 77 F

 

One of my Cherry barbs has a white, bulging eye. Originally, the eye appeared only slightly swollen and slightly cloudy. The water parameters were ok, but I did a 50% water change anyways. She is the smallest female in the tank, and so I thought maybe she was getting picked on a bit too much by the males, perhaps caused by an injury or stress.

However, since that water change last week, she originally improved a tiny bit, but now her eye has gotten much worse. The eye is bulging much more and is almost completely white now. I have attached a picture of her good side, a picture of her bad side, and two pictures of her from the front to demonstrate the bulging of the eye. No other fish appear to be showing any symptoms.

Any thoughts of what it might be? Should I just start doing more frequent water changes? Will medicine be required, and if so which ones?

I should also mention that I have kuhli loaches in the tank, so if I do administer medicine, options that take scaleless fish into consideration would be appreciated, unless I decide to quarantine her on her own.

 

[Tommy Vercetti]

I had the same about a year ago with one of my panda corydoras. I did daily 50% water changes without using medications. And it went away in about 3 or 4 days. The fish is doing well to this day. 

[Colu]

Looks like an injury could have swim into something in the tank I would do Epsom salt baths 1 table spoon for 1 gallon for no more than 15 minutes for 5 days that will help reduce the swelling and I would add some Indian almond leaves as they have antibacterial and antifungal properties depending on the quality of the leaves you might have to add one leaf per gallon to get a beneficial effect @Troy328