Betta fish Popeye (Swollen Eyes): How To Care Guide

Popeye is a health problem affecting different fish species, including Betta fish. This disease can occur for many reasons, such as diseases arising from an injury. The disease causes eyes to bulge or pops out. It is also called swollen eye disease. The betta affected by Popeye has a white ring or splotches around the eye.

Popeye may include other symptoms like red or irritating eyes. It may occur due to another bacterial disease. If left untreated, Popeye may cause eye rupture, blindness, or even death. If Popeye occurs from eye trauma, the eye may rot, left betta to survive with one eye.

Popeye may affect other mates in the tank. If you notice your betta has Popeye symptoms, it’s best to observe other signs of stress or illness. It may help in finding out the cure and solving the problem quickly.

What is Betta Fish Popeye? What Are Its Causes, Cure, And Treatment?

Popeye is a disease found in betta fish, causing its eyes to become swollen or bulge. It’s also known as exophthalmia; it occurs due to the buildup of pressure behind the eyes. The affected eye may have a white ring circling the area. Other symptoms may include red or clouded eyes.

Popeye tends to occur due to some bacterial or viral infections. Popeye may cause blindness, eye rupture, or even death. Popeye can affect other fish in the tank. Anyhow, separation is helpful.

Betta fish Popeye is an alarming sign and wonders its owner, can betta fish die from Popeye? Figuring out the cause of betta Popeye can help find the best cure and ensure the betta’s lasting health.

Causes of betta Popeye are not always the same, and it’s best to observe the betta and look for other stress or ailment symptoms. Popeye is a bacterial disease and cannot contract betta if kept in a clean tank. Keeping betta in an aquarium with contaminated water conditions is usually the cause of Popeye in most cases, but not all.

Sometimes Popeye can indicate that your betta has a serious internal illness. In that case, Popeye is not curable and proves to be life-threatening.

Symptoms

There are many causes of betta fish Popeye, depending on the symptoms. If one eye is bulging, it’s called unilateral Popeye. It is due to injury trauma. Checking any sharp object or surface in the betta fish water tank is a good idea. Bilateral Popeye occurs in both eyes, usually due to infection. Other symptoms of Popeye include the following:

• Betta fish may have damaged cornea, and its eyes may see noticeably cloudy.
• The change in eye color may be observed.
• Lack of appetite.
• Lack of interaction with other mates.
• Inactivity, betta seems to be resting on the tank floor.
• Swimming in the same area.

If your betta fish experience any of these signs or symptoms, the first thing to do is check the temperature. Sometimes adjusting the aquarium’s temperature and environment is useful.

Eyes popping out

Popping out of one or both eyes is the prominent symptom of Popeye. As you know, it can be one eye or both popping out. You have to treat each case accordingly.

Eyes changed color

Along with bulging out, betta eyes may change color. They may look cloudy or milky, mostly when the cornea is ruptured. It could also be bloodstained. A bloodstained eye is mostly linked with physical aggression.

This has to be noticed earlier; if spotted soon, it’s easy to treat Popeye before it causes betta eyes to pop out. If you notice a white ring around your betta’s eye, then you should have to start treating it for Popeye.  

Lethargy

Look for other symptoms like lethargy and if betta fish is eating its food properly. Popeye can also be a sign of severe diseases like Tuberculosis. If betta has bloating symptoms, it may suffer internally, and the illness cannot be treatable.

Causes

There are several causes of Popeye in betta fish, including internal diseases and physical harm. Popeye occurs due to physical conditions and is cure able as compared to Popeye, which occurs due to an incurable internal disease if left untreated. It may cause other health issues like eye rupture and blindness, eventually leading betta fish to death.

Injury

For many reasons, bulging eyes in betta fish can occur; check first if one eye is affected or if both eyes appear swollen. If betta has only one swollen eye, Popeye may be due to an injury, and this is called Unilateral Popeye. Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what caused an injury leading to Popeye in betta. Observe your betta fish swimming in the tank. Take care of any sharp or rough surface it brushes or comes in contact with.

Infection

Aside from injury, Popeye occurred due to infections also. Parasites, Fungi, and Bacteria all cause infection in betta fish. Poor water conditions and improper temperature levels cause diseases like Popeye in betta, which may prove fatal.

Popeye can occur in both eyes also. This is called Bilateral Popeye. If the tank is filled with other bettas having Popeye symptoms, it is usually the result of infection.

Mostly Popeye is caused by bacterial infections, so seeking treatment right away is crucial. Popeye could be a sign of another fatal disease like Tuberculosis.

It is important to notice if betta fish shows any bloating symptoms because it shows betta is suffering internally. When internal issues arise in betta, illness is not treatable.

Treatment

Treatment of Popeye depends on whether it is an injury or infection. For safety, moving each betta fish to a separate tank until it heals is better. Betta needs medical treatment for infection.

There are two types of medicines, antifungal and antibiotic. The antibacterial medicine, Melafix best treats Popeye in betta fish. There are the following steps to treat betta with Melafix:

• Use a separate tank for quarantining.
• Change 50 percent of water.
• Use aquarium salt and Melafix.
• Change 100 percent of water.
• Change tank water every three days.
• Re-treat the tank with salt and Melafix.
• Stop after 10 days.

After ten days course of treatment, betta fish usually recover fully. However, it can take weeks to a few months to cure betta fish from Popeye.

Epsom salt

In addition to Melafix, Epsom salt treats Popeye with betta fish. Epsom salt can reduce infection, swelling, and inflammation. There are the following steps to follow while using Epsom salt treatment:

• Remove 10 percent of the tank water.
• Transfer the betta into the container.
• Add one tablespoon of salt.
• Mix until Epsom salt dissolves.

Leave betta fish in a container for 10 minutes. Then place the betta back into the tank after a couple of minutes so that the water temperature becomes ideal. A temperature between 75 to 80 degrees is ideal for betta fish. It is necessary to read directions and instructions for using Epsom salt and decide how much salt is needed to add to the betta’s tank. Then add one tablespoon of salt to one gallon of water.  

Aquarium Salt

To treat infections, You can also use aquarium salt for the same results. Again, one tablespoon of aquarium salt is added to one gallon of water in the betta tank. Aquarium salt is strong compared to Epsom salt; five to eight minutes is more than enough time for better results.

Cure

The treatment of Popeye in betta fish varies according to the illness, whether it is due to external harm or some internal disease. Popeye infections arise due to the following factors:

• Ammonia
• Aquarium surroundings
• Contaminated water

The first step to minimize the risk of Popeye is to maintain the water fresh and free from chemicals like ammonia and nitrate. It is important to feed the betta sparingly because waste food contaminates water.

Contaminated water can cause Popeye and spread it to other tank mates. Make water changes frequently and install a proper filtration system in the betta tank to ensure the best water quality. Check the working of the filtration system monthly to maintain a routine schedule.

The tank cannot flow properly without excellent water filtration, causing bacteria to grow. Generally, replacing filters after a few months is necessary. Weekly checks are best to keep an eye on changes and water quality.

Vacuuming the tank’s gravel regularly can help to remove waste and protect water from pollution. If the water tank is smaller, it is necessary to check and clean it compared to the bigger tank. Betta fish has to be separated from other aggressive tank mates. You will have to keep betta isolated to avoid injury, as injury can cause Popeye in bettas. 

When you see any symptom of Popeye in your betta, remember that it should not be stressful, as stress and depression harm the betta’s overall health and immunity. Adequate lighting is very important.

Excessive light and noises can scare betta. When betta becomes scared, it runs fast towards the tank’s decorations, injuring itself. Some tanks have timers with unique lighting like moonlight or sunlight, which may be helpful to calm down betta fish and avoid any harm. 

Conclusion

Determine whether Popeye in betta fish is due to injury or infection. Use antifungal or antibiotic medicines in the tanks to avoid and cure Popeye in betta fish. Different types of salts are used to treat Popeye as salt has a trait to heal injury and minimize swelling and inflammation.

Melafix, an antibacterial medicine, treats Popeye with betta fish. Avoid rough decorations and rocks to avoid injury. Always keep the betta tank in adequate light to avoid injury. Keep water in the tank clean.

Always use the filtrations system and keep check and balance regularly. Popeye is a life-threatening disease, but it can be prevented and cured by taking all the abovementioned precautionary measures.