Molly fish are a great beginner pet that can be fun to raise. They originate from South America and Africa, but they now live in aquariums worldwide as popular pets thanks to their temperaments and looks. And, of course, those curious little eyes have added a different beauty to their existence. But what will happen if they start to have problems with their eyes? What happens when they come to you with a bulging eye? Why would Molly fish eye start bulging? Can you help them with their popeye?
It is important to know if your Molly fish eye is bulging because it is a sign of many different diseases, including parasites, bacteria, infection by certain viruses, injury to the ocular muscles, and other types of conditions that may cause an increase in pressure at the back of the eyes.
I know the above answer won’t give answers to all your queries. So, I have a whole article ready for you to give you all the ideas you need for the bulging eye of molly fish.
Let’s dive in!!
Eye Of Molly Fish
Molly Fish is a hardy, lively, and graceful aquarium fish, and their name literally means soft or tender. These fish can live in both cold water and tropical water conditions.
Molly fish has beautiful eyes with a round pupil in each eye and a pearly white iris surrounded by black or dark brown with purple shades.
The main feature of Molly fish’s eyes is its brilliant, shiny scales over its body and fins, giving them shimmering quality to reflect light from all directions. In addition, Molly Fish has a large eye which is very prominent in its head.
Can Molly Fish Have Bulging Eye?
Yes, Molly fish can have bulging eyes due to a poor diet and lack of vitamins. Thus, it would help if you fed these fish quality food rich in nutrients, such as dried bloodworms and brine shrimp.
In addition, these fish will need vitamin supplements added to their water or placed into the aquarium’s substrate (or gravel) if you think Molly fish is suffering from a nutritional problem.
Is It Ok If My Molly Fish Have Bulging Eye?
Absolutely! Molly fish are very resilient creatures and will often live their whole life with bulging eyes. This is not a sign of illness or injury but rather the result of Molly Fish living in waters polluted by human activity. Molly Fish can breathe through their skin, so they don’t need to come up for air.
But it, with bulging eyes, will likely have difficulty finding food as your molly fish is basically blind. So, be a good human being and treat them as soon as possible.
Do Bulging Eye Of Molly Fish Resolve By Itself?
No, Molly Fishes with bulging eyes should see a veterinarian. If you fail to care for them, Molly Fish often live their whole life with bulging eyes.
Sometimes, exposure to human pollution in the water causes bulging eyes in these fish. If pollution is the reason behind their popeye, cleaning tank water regularly and water changes can help them resolve it. So, basically, a bulging eye occurs when you fail to take care of molly fish properly.
Do Molly Fish Have A Popeye?
Molly fish do not usually have a popeye, but this can happen. Popeye occurs when there is a blockage of the eye due to fluid accumulation in the eyeball, which will make it bulge out.
In addition, traumas, bacterial infections or nutritional deficiencies, and other issues with the water quality where they are living can trigger this disorder.
It is always best to take the fish to a vet for proper diagnosis and treatment if this problem occurs. It can lead to blindness or the death of your pet fish if not appropriately treated.
What Are The Causes Of Bulging Eye In Molly Fish?
When Molly fish experience popeye, their eyes will bulge out and look more prominent than usual. There are a variety of possible causes for this which includes:
Traumatic Event
Molly fish that received a physical blow cause their eye to pop out. Some traumatic events may be jumping out of the tank, attacking another fish, or being carelessly handled by you.
In addition, disturbance in tank conditions can also cause the fish to pop their eyes out. It can be due to sudden changes in temperature or water quality, which stresses them and causes big problems.
Bacterial Infections
Molly Fish are very sensitive to bacterial infections. These infections might occur due to water quality issues such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels being too high in the tank where they live.
Bacterial infections can block the ducts that drain fluid from the eye, which then causes them to swell and become bulged out until they burst open. This will cause a lot of pain for your Molly fish, so it is important to treat this quickly if you discover popeye in a Molly fish.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Molly Fish can develop popeye if they do not get enough vitamins such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E, critical for good health. These deficiencies occur when there is a lack of variety in their diet or the fish is not eating enough.
Nutritional deficiencies could also result from old age as your pet gets older. So, it would be best if you considered the age of your fish when diagnosing popeye.
There is a chance that molly fish is getting old and dying, resulting in all types of bizarre diseases. So, you might want to learn about ways to tell if your molly fish is dying.
How To Help Molly Fish With Bulging Eye?
Molly fish are one of the most popular aquarium species. Mollies are hardy fish and adaptable to different water conditions. So, they are the ideal choice for beginning aquarists. Moreover, bulging eyes in Molly fish are troublesome so. So, it would help if you took care of a few things in this case.
Some tips to help Molly fish with bulging eyes are:
- Change the water in a Molly fish tank at least once a week.
- Keep an eye on Molly Fish for any signs of disease or parasites. If you find anything, cure it by consulting with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
- Provide optimal temperature and pH range to Molly fish. Also, do not forget to avoid overfeeding them as they become obese, which may cause Molly to fish bulging eyes in some cases.
- Adding salt to the tank can also help to reduce eye swelling. One tablespoon per five gallons of water is enough for them. Don’t worry; your molly fish can live in saltwater for a while but with the correct salinity level.
- Avoiding any chemicals during Molly Fish treatment may harm your fish and cause more problems than benefits.
- Do not feed Molly fish with high protein food. Some examples of good food for Molly Fishes include brine shrimp, bloodworms, or daphnia rather than goldfish flakes.
- Quarantine the sick fish to keep other molly fish tankmates safe from contagious diseases.
You can also provide them with natural remedies for bulging eyes, such as garlic, blackberry leaves, or parsley which are very effective and safe. You can put these ingredients into your Molly Fishes food or take some juice from these plants and put it into Molly fish’s tank.
Some FAQs
Can Molly Fish Have Missing Scales?
Yes! Molly fish are constantly losing scales and replacing them throughout their lives. They’re most likely to lose sales if they’ve recently changed temperatures in the tank or during spawning season. Besides this, Mollies’ scales are very sensitive, so sharp gravel can scratch their scale. This can be another reason for their missing scales.
Molly Fish Swimming Upside Down: Is It Normal?
No! Molly Fish swimming upside down is a sign of distress. In such conditions, you should move them to cleaner waters immediately. The upside-down situation might also hint at a swim bladder disorder in molly fish, so remember to check that.
Although Mollies can adapt to living in a polluted environment, they do not prefer it. Therefore, you will notice that these fish will show unusual behavior in unfavorable conditions. One example of such behavior is swimming upside down.
Molly fish will even sleep upside down when they are not feeling well or is fed up with the polluted water conditions in the tank.
Is Molly Fish Swimming Slow Or Fast?
Molly fish like a little current in the aquarium and usually swim slow or fast, depending on their mood and activity. They can also adjust to the water conditions with other Mollies.
If you have one fish, likely, they won’t be moving very much. But when more Molly Fish are in a tank, they usually swim together and compete.
Is Molly Fish A Good Pet?
Molly Fish is popular among aquarists thanks to its sweet, curious nature that makes great pets for beginners and experienced pet owners. They are also effortless to care for.
Molly Fish can live up to five years in proper housing with the appropriate diet. So they require a long-term commitment from their owners. They are also social animals, so they do best when they have other fishes to interact with.
It is an excellent choice for a pet fish if you have smaller space, live in colder climates, and want a low-maintenance fish that won’t mind living alone without tankmates.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Molly Fish is an excellent option for those looking to buy their first fish tank and want an easy-to-maintain ecosystem. Their tanks are not as popular as goldfish or betta aquariums, but they can be just as rewarding if you do your research before buying one. Make sure you take care of them properly, so these fish won’t turn blind after bringing them into your tank. At least have a little love for your fish and make sure they won’t suffer from eye-bulging or popeye just because you fail to keep their tank clean.
Hopefully, now you have a good idea of what Molly fish are and how to care for them. Molly Fish are great pets, but they do need some special attention like any other species you decide to keep as your pet. Remember that!
Good luck!!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!
