How to Treat Popeye in Saltwater Fish

Popeye in fish is a condition that can be caused by a bacterial infection. The symptoms of popeye start out as a cloudy eye. Eventually one or both eyes appear to be bulging out of their sockets, hence the term "popeye." Unfortunately for your fish, they cannot see out of a popeye, and so they will need to be treated for the infection as soon as possible. Treating saltwater fish is not as easy as freshwater fish. You will need to set up a quarantine tank and treat the infected fish with antibiotics.

Things You'll Need

  • 10- to 30-gallon tank (depending on the size of your fish)
  • Sponge filter
  • Sulfa-based medication
Show More

Instructions

  1. Treat Your Fish

    • 1

      Prepare your quarantine tank. Place the filter on the tank and use your hydrometer to make sure the salinity of the water is 1.011 to 1.012. Make sure that there is no active carbon use in your filter, as it will suck out the medication in the water.

    • 2

      Place your fish in the quarantine tank. Administer the medicine according to dosage instructions. Use double the dose that is recommended for freshwater fish. Add the dose every day for three days.

    • 3

      Change out almost all of your water, replace with water that is of the same salinity as the old. Treat again for three days. After five days you should start to notice an improvement in the fish's condition.

    • 4

      Continue to treat, changing out the water every three days, until the fish's eyes are completely back to normal for at least two days.

    • 5

      Do a water change after you are done with treatments. Over two days, slowly increase the salinity of your water to match that of the display tank. Observe the fish and make sure that no signs of re-infection occur.

    • 6

      Place fish back in display tank.