Platy fish is a freshwater fish that one can find in most aquariums. They are healthy species and don’t get diseases very often. But we often see Platy fish’s eye bulging. But what causes bulging in Platy fish’s eye? What is popeye in Platy fish?
Popeye disease is a condition that affects the eyes of Platy fish and can be identified by bulging in Platy fish’s eyes. The cause of this condition has not been identified, but many treatments are available to help cure it. These treatments usually involve water changes and salt application.
There is also a prognosis for recovery from popeye, which we will talk about in more detail later on in the blog post.
Why Is My Platy Fish’s Eye Bulging?
They have a large, dark spot on one of their eyes, or it looks swollen, and the eye may look cloudy. That’s why many people mistake Popeye for Dropsy, but they are two different conditions that require separate treatments. If not treated properly at this early stage, your fish can go blind in that bulging eye from increased pressure inside its body cavity. Dropsy is caused by parasites, heavy metals, or infections that cause fluid buildup in the body cavity.
You can treat Dropsy by improving water conditions and adding Epsom salt to your aquarium at a rate of one teaspoon per five gallons of water. Cleaner fish like shrimp may also help remove some built-up parasites or harmful toxins that can cause Dropsy.
Is Popeye Serious?
Yes, it is a serious disease because your fish can lose sight of increased pressure in its body cavity if left untreated. That’s why it’s important to act quickly when you notice this symptom so treatment can begin before too much damage has occurred.
What Is Popeye?
This is a symptom where one or both of your fish’s eyes start to bulge due to an infection, injury, or other illness that causes fluid buildup in their body cavity. When the internal pressure increases, it can cause permanent damage and blindness if not treated properly by a professional aquarium service.
Signs Of Popeye Disease In Platy Fish
Is one of your fish’s eyes bulging out, and you can see a dark spot on it? This is the classic sign that your platy has a popeye. Other symptoms include:
- lethargic behavior
- loss of appetite
- bulging eyes
- Noticeable swelling around one of the fish’s eyes
- Loss in scale condition
- rapid gill movement due to increased stress from high ammonia levels in the water.
Unilateral Popeye Vs Bilateral Popeye
Let’s talk about this difference between unilateral and bilateral popeye:
Unilateral Popeye
Unilateral pop eye is when only one of your fish’s eyes is affected by the disease. It usually starts as a small bulge but will grow larger over time if not treated properly. Your platy can also develop unilateral pop eye due to poor genetics or just everyday wear and tear.
Unilateral popeye is when the eye on only one side of your fish bulges out, and there are no other visible signs of illness. This type of Popeye usually develops over a period of six to eight weeks, and it is caused by an injury, poor water quality, or genetic deformity. It wastes matter inside the fish’s body cavity, and it does not cause any pain.
Bilateral Popeye
Bilateral popeye is when both eyes bulge out due to an infection or injury that causes fluid buildup in the fish’s body cavity. When one of your fish’s eyes starts swelling up, you can try adding Epsom salt at a rate of one teaspoon per five gallons of water to help ease the discomfort and remove any parasites or toxins that may be present.
Bilateral pop eye is when both of your fish’s eyes begin to bulge out, this is usually a sign that the infection has spread throughout the entire body; otherwise, it would only affect one eye at a time as unilateral popeye does. The opposite side of where their eyes are popping will also look deflated.
Most of the time, the popeye only affects one side of your fish’s face, but there are cases where it can affect both sides at once or even spread to different parts of your fish’s body, like their belly and tail area. If you notice any strange growths on your Platy, this could be a sign that they have popeye, and you should probably take them to a veterinarian or pet store for treatment.
Causes Of Popeye:
Popeye is a disease that causes the eye of a fish to swell. In most cases, it’s due to poor water conditions or co-infection with another illness such as bacterial infections from “red leg” and columnaris. However, in some cases, pop-eye can be caused by genetic defects in the fish.
The most common causes of popeye in Platy fish are:
- Water quality issues (e.g., ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate toxicity; low dissolved oxygen)
- Bacterial infections (e.g., columnaris and “red leg”)
- Poor filtration and overstocking of aquarium or pond
- Genetic deformities (very rare in fish, usually seen only among goldfish – but can occur with platies as well.)
- Food with low nutritional value
- Physical damage to the eye or around it
- Overcrowding in an aquarium
Popeye Treatment
Treating pop-eye is rarely necessary. However, any underlying conditions causing this problem should be identified and treated – usually with the help of a veterinarian who specializes in fish medicine.
Some of the ways to treat popeye of Platy fish are:
Perform Water Changes:
Most cases will get better on their own within two to three weeks if you perform daily water changes (50% or so) and pay attention to the quality of your aquarium’s water.
Quarantine Infected Platy Fish:
After identifying and treating any underlying conditions, place the affected fish in a separate tank to help prevent the spread of this disease to other aquarium inhabitants. Pop-eye is highly contagious and can transmit from one fish to another via contact with water.
Apply Salt:
Adding aquarium salt (sodium chloride) at a rate of 0.15% – or 15 grams per liter – will help prevent secondary infections and relieve discomfort, but only. At the same time, the affected individual is still able to eat. If your Platy Fish’s pop-eye is advanced to the point it can no longer swallow, salt will not help.
Epsom salts are also helpful in cases of popeye. They contain magnesium which can help ease swelling and inflammation.
Treat Underlying Conditions:
Any underlying conditions causing the pop-eye in your fish should be identified and treated, usually with the help of a veterinarian who specializes in treating aquarium fishes.
Popeye Prognosis in Platy Fish:
Popeye in platyfish is a serious condition that can be fatal unless properly treated. Fish left untreated for too long will likely perish despite treatment efforts. Still, it should not take this long if the right course of action is taken immediately after noticing signs of pop-eye, such as bulging eyes and protruding scales around one eye.
Bacterial infection often causes Popeye but it can also result from an injury to the eye. When this happens, the fish will present with one bulging or protruded eye that looks like it might burst. If you catch pop-eye in time and begin treatment immediately, your fish could recover fully within several weeks. However, there are instances when it progresses too far, leaving no choice but to euthanize the fish.
The prognosis for pop-eye is generally poor. If a cure has been found, it usually involves extensive and expensive treatment that may or may not be successful – depending on the severity of the problem to begin with. In many cases, this disease leads to death within days or weeks of the onset of symptoms.
Can You Prevent Popeye Disease In Platy Fish?
No, you cannot prevent popeye disease in platyfish. Popeye is a severe condition that can kill your pet if not treated immediately and properly. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you are checking your fish closely for signs of disease and treating them without delay.
Is Popeye Serious?
Yes, popeye is very serious in platyfish. If not treated immediately, it can cause death within 48 hours. Therefore, treatment must begin as soon as possible for survival chances to remain high.
It is tough to say how long it will take for your fish’s pop eye condition to improve, especially if you have not identified the cause of the infection. Unfortunately, treatment can be quite expensive and time-consuming, so you’ll need a lot of patience as well.
FAQ
Will MELAFIX Cure Popeye?
No, Melafix won’t cure the popeye. It’s not a medicine that cures disease but rather healing the skin after injury or surgery. Therefore, if your fish has developed this condition, you must treat it with antibiotics and salt.
Can A Platy Fish Recover From Dropsy?
Unfortunately, it’s infrequent for a fish to recover from dropsy. Plus, the earlier you can treat your platy with antibiotics and salt, the better his chance of survival!
Conclusion
In conclusion, popeye is a severe disease that many different factors can cause. Therefore, if you suspect popeye in your platyfish, the best thing to do would be to quarantine it immediately and observe its behavior.
Begin treatment as soon as possible. If the cause is unknown, then quarantine your fish before treating it with antibiotics and salt to prevent infecting other members of your aquarium or pond. The sooner you start treatment for popeye, the better chance of recovery there will be.