# Popeye on cichlid



## kbrumund (Mar 19, 2006)

I have a large cichlid (red empress maybe?) with popeye in 1 eye only. It has been in a quarantine tank (20 gal, half full = 10 gallon) for about 3 weeks now.

The first week I used Kanaplex. The popeye seemed a bit better after 5 days, but not much.

The second week I used EM and Maracyn-Two (since I didn't know if it was gram negative or gram positive, I thought I would use both). No change.

I'm trying Paragon this week. Not any better.

He is eating still.

Any ideas? I thought the EM and Maracyn-Two would work, but it didn't.


Thanks!
...karl


----------



## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

I've used EM and Marycn for pop eye in an angel. On the one who had it longer it did clear up, but she was blind in that eye....I didn't notice it on here for a few days as the area around the eye was black. The other angel who got it a few days after she did (he was moved from her tank before I noticed the popeye)I started treating right away, but he died 

Good luck with your treatment, but remember to remove carbon from your filter while medicating or it will just remove the meds. Larger w/c before you treat should help as well.


----------



## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

It would be more effective feeding the fish a medicated food or food presoaked w/the antibiotic in RO/distilled water.

Maracyn 2 (Minocycline) is a derivative of the tetracycline (TC) family or drugs and is easily deactivated by Ca and Mg ions.

EM is _almost_ useless these days due to microbial resistance. If the fish has never/rarely been exposed to EM, it doesn't hurt to try.

Kanamycin is skin soluble but again, better if you can get in the fish via food.

HTH


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I agree that EM is useless except for the destruction of cyno bacteria. As a gram positive drug it has little value in fish treatment where most diseases are caused by gram negative bacteria. I also agree with wtac that the best approach is the use of medicated food. As for water soluble antibiotics, the only one I have had any luck with is Kanamyacin, at 12 or 13 mg per liter.


----------



## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

EM primarily disrupts protein synthesis. More effective against gram+ as there are more proteins in the cell wall compared to gram- bacteria to explain it in a nutshell. It works on gram- but the excessive, if not indescriminant use, in the ornamental fish industry is the main source of EM resistantce.

More thoughts from the ol' mellon .


----------



## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

Thanks for the info guys....maybe that is why the EM didn't work too well for me. Too bad they still have it listed as a cure for popeye.


----------



## moon (Mar 11, 2006)

I read somewhere that popeye was mainly due to poor H2O quality. Last week one of my adult Geophagus got popeye and died wihtin a couple of days. I missed a couple of water changes in this tank because I was away on vacation.
Anybody agree with this theory?
Joe


----------



## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

I agree to a certain degree but there is more to it. Water quality is an important part of the puzzle. Defining "poor water quality" could be a hot topic of debate as there are acceptable ranges of different water parameters for fish to thrive/survive. 

Depending on what is "off" and taking in consideration the aquarium as a whole, even one parameter that is off can cause issues whether immediately or longterm. Knowing what they are one can determine an aggressive or soft approach to the problem.

JM2C/E


----------

