# Pop Eye and Air Bubbles...



## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

Looking for some help with something I've never come across before. I have several grow out tanks of peacocks and haps ranging from 2-4" in size. I recently added a healthy group of 5 albino fryeri's to 90 gallon bare bottomed tank of mixed fish. The next day I noticed 1 of the smaller fryeri's had pop eye. I did a 50% w/c (typically routine is 50% every 7-10 days on my tanks, the smaller tanks 50% every 5-7 days probably) even though water wasn't an issue (ammonia/nitrite 0/0, nitrate never above 10 in this tank). I add non-iodized salt, epsom salt and baking soda as part of my regular water maintenance. Fish was a bit reclusive and still eating. Then the second eye popped. Has now been moved to a 15 gallon tank and has been there several days. Is quite skittish but has been eating, not aggressively, but eating. I have also added 1 TBSP/5g of epsom salt to aid in reducing swelling from research I've done.

Over top of both eyes are what appear to be gas bubbles. Very noticeable with these fish being albinos. Don't quite understand how this factors into the equation.

Reading seems to be bacterial or damage for pop eye? Can take weeks to recover but typically does?

Now I've just notice a 2nd fryeri in the 90 with a single pop eye and bubble over top of the eye...wth??? This is also a small fish and I will assume there has been some aggression towards it. Not overly torn up fins or fish, just the fish doesn't have that "smooth" skin look. I haven't seen any specific aggression causing damage in the tank period. I removed a fire fish and OB peacock several weeks ago to another tank once they started flexing their muscle. Seems very calm since.

I would appreciate any and all advice you might have. I have removed the second fish into the 15g with the original fryeri. These large gas bubbles (if that is what they are) are really weird?

Thanks.


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

Long cycled HOB, feed 1mm NLS Cichlid pellet. Tankmates: fire haps, bicolour 500's, eye biters, red cap chirwa, exochromis anagenys, pheno's tanzania, albino lemon jake, lwanda, temp. 79.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

...ever heard of oxygen and/or nitrogen supersaturation? I hadn't either until recently... supposedly can cause popeye. here's a link, although there are many you can read... http://www.aquasystems.co.uk/our-produc ... ation.html.
It just seems like it's not your first day at the rodeo, so maybe it's something out of the ordinary... just a thought... I'm a newbie, so don't put too much stock into what I say...  Good Luck!


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

I did come across supersaturation but did not read too much into it. I"m not sure how it would happen in this tank. Filtration is a HOB Aquaclear 110 and a powerhead for additional movement. Thanks for the link. I don't really know anything about the subject.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Can we get some pictures? Are the bubbles you're talking about within the eye or over the eye like a contact lens? The latter can occur due to infection usually from poor quality water, which doesn't sound like it applies to your situation, or from injury.
In any case, I recommend erythromycin for eye related problems. It can be harsh on nitrifying bacteria so I recommend daily testing of ammonia and nitrite while medicating. It's a good idea to have backup mature media should you need additional bio.
Bubbles within the eye is due to gas supersaturation as hisplaceresort1 has referred to.


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

GTZ said:


> Can we get some pictures?


I did get some pics on my iPhone but I've got to figure out how to get them to photo bucket. I've always used a digital camera, loaded them on the computer, then loaded to photo bucket. Hmmmmmm....


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

GTZ said:


> Can we get some pictures?


OK, I rock!....


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

The last picture appears to show several bubbles inside the top of the eye. Am I seeing this right?
Here are some google image results for Gas Bubble Disease
https://www.google.ca/search?q=gas+supe ... e&tbm=isch
I think this may be what you're fish are dealing with.


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

GTZ said:


> The last picture appears to show several bubbles inside the top of the eye. Am I seeing this right?
> Here are some google image results for Gas Bubble Disease
> https://www.google.ca/search?q=gas+supe ... e&tbm=isch
> I think this may be what you're fish are dealing with.


seems like I"ve seen several bubbles as well as a large single bubble.

been several days now in a hospital tank with 50% w/c at least every 2nd day, seems to be less eye bulging. Don't know if this leans more towards gas bubble disease or a healing infection?


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I had this problem with a festivum which eventually died. He would get a large bubble behind his eye whenever I did water changes, I believe that this resulted from winter water that was supersaturated with oxygen or gasses.


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