Member

Posts: 146
From:canada
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-29-2004 09:27 AM         

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well, my buzz from fish shopping didnt last too long. I woke up this morning and found that my fish are sick. My mollys eye is bulging out and some of the others look a little sick but I cant really pinpoint why they look sick. Im not sure what to do now. When I buy some medication, do I medicate the fish with all the others? I dont have a isolation tank (yet) and I am also wondering about the live plants. Will the medication kill the live plants?
Help is much appreciated

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Member

Posts: 22
From:London, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-29-2004 12:26 PM         

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Yes, generally it is a good idea to isolate the sick fish so you don't have to medicate the ones that don't need it. Someone on this site told me that you can use a 5 gallon bucket and an airpump with an airstone. Make sure the bucket didn't have any cleaners or chemicals in it before. I would buy a new bucket just to be safe. I have had molly's with popeye before and used aquarium salt (NON-iodized)with great results and molly's love salt. I use Doc Wellfish's aquarium salt and the box says a heaping tablesponfull per 5 gallons. I did that but also added more salt each day a bit at a time untill the fish responds. I just double checked my fish bible and if in fact it is pop eye then it is not contagious.It is generally caused by poor water quality or subsequent stress(you did say you just got the Molly so maybe it was the stress from the move but test your water just to be sure or take some water to the pet store and have them test it. I would do a 20-25% water change to be safe. You should not have to isolate in order to treat it. Use the salt treatment in the community tank it should not hurt anything. What other types of fish do you have? You mentioned that others do not look well? What are their symptoms? P.S. sometimes a fish can injure itself and it may appear to be pop-eye but either way the salt should help! Hopefully this will work for you. I am not an expert so see what everyone else says too.

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Member

Posts: 146
From:canada
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-29-2004 01:59 PM         

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Thank-you for the advice. I did buy some medication before reading your post so I have opted to try the least harsh remedy by going with the salt. It definitley looks like pop-eye..I have never seen it before but theres no question that its eye has popped out.
I do not have a bucket to put the sick fish in, so I am just using the salt to see if it helps (everyone please cross your fingers for me). I am relieved that it is not contagious- I do not yet have a test kit but that is next on my list to buy- a long with a 10 gallon hospital tank.
I think it might be stress as I have just introduced a bubble curtain and new live plants to the tank...I have been doing regular water changes and the tank look and smells clean. I also change the carbon and amonia bags regularily. I realize nitrite and nitrate and amonia has no odour or colour however I am a university student and cant afford a big test kit/isolation tank at the moment.
I will see how the salt works before using the medication.
Thanks so much for your quick response!

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Member

Posts: 22
From:London, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 03-04-2004 02:39 PM         

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Hi again! When one of my fish are sick a always worry if I don't know what it is or how to treat it. I try to answer quickly if I notice someone has not recieved a response yet. It sounds like you should have everything under control. How did everything turn out? Did the eye heal? I hope so!

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