eye problems

[zhaan]

I'm having a problem with one of my black mollies. Seems like this particular one keeps having recurring eye problems. Don't know if its popeye (as the eye itself is enlarged), but it also has a whitish film over it causing the fish to look like the eye is blind. This happens about every 3-4 weeks. The tank is 20 gallon and although it may be just a bit overcrowded, I do a 30-40% water change and vacuum every other Saturday and treat with Aquasafe and Mylafix at that time. Occupants are as follows:
20 Gallon long:
3 adult black mollies
3 adult swordtail
2 male guppy
6 cory
4 zebra danio
2 'teen' mollies (about 1/2 inch big)
4 'toddler' mollies (about 1/4 inch)
3 infant mollies

Any info, suggestions or assistance would be appreciated. Thanks. :)

[OrionGirl]

Sounds like a bacterial infection. The fish may be prone to them, but I would maybe increase the frequency of your water changes--with the exception of parasites, most health problems come down to water conditions at some point.

[zhaan]

Thanks for the reply. I'll start doing a water change weekly and see if that helps. If not, any other suggestions? I've had the tank for a little over a year and the mollies were the first ones in (cycle fish). They're about 2.5 inches long. Any chance it could be old age? All the other occupants see to be doing just fine.

[OrionGirl]

Not sure how long mollies usually live. It could be an after effect of the cycling, resulting is a sensitivity. It goes away by itself each time?

[zhaan]

It goes way each time, but its usually close to time for my water change, when I add the mylafix. Could the mylafix just be a temporary fix for the problem, hence the reason it comes back so frequently? After reading your post, I'm thinking maybe it IS a water condition thing. But it didn't think so since the tank is cleaned bi-weekly. Also, she is the only one who gets like this. :confused:

[OrionGirl]

I'd say she probably was damaged by the initital cycle, and is now very sensitive to water conditions. The melafix wouldn't heal it--it's only in the water a short time and then breaks down (which is why you dose daily when medicating). I'd quit using the water conditioners--twice a month isn't enough to help anything, kind of like taking a vitamin every other week, so it's really just an extra expense. Do water changes more often and see if that helps.

[zhaan]

Thanks OrionGirl. I'll try your suggestions and let you know how it works out in the next couple of weeks. Thanks!!

[ArkyLady]

I had a similar problem in one of my 10 gallon tanks, but it was affecting more than one fish. After losing 3 fish to pop-eye and dropsy type symptoms over a period of a couple of months, I decided they must have a bacterial infection of some kind going around. I fed them a medicated flake food exclusively for 10-days and did twice weekly water changes for a few weeks. So far so good and the remaining fish seem to be fine.

The water changes alone may have cleared it up, but as far as I know the medicated flakes won't harm the fish, so that may be worth a try along with more frequent water changes.

[zhaan]

Thanks Arkylady. Do you remember what the medicated flakes were called? I'm assuming that since none of the other fish have this problem, that its not contagious (fingers crossed!).