beta fish disease

Question
We have an office beta fish in a small (I'm gussing) one gallon bowl with no filter system. He's been here about 9 months. We change his water weekly and add 2 types of chemicals as instructed. We feed him two little pellets of food twice a day but he fasts on the weekends. Over the weekend he seems to have developed a shocking bulge in one of his eyes. He is not eating and he is listless and having trouble seeing his food. I'm quite fond of the little guy, but I'm suspecting he's a gonner. Am I right?

Answer
Hi Linda;

He has a condition known as "popeye". The cause is internal pressure. The pressure can be from many different things. The most common is infection. You can try treating him with "Maracyn 2" by Mardel or "Kanacyn" by Aquatronics. These are the only ones I know of that actually absorbs inside the fish to treat the infection. The others treat the outside only.

If the pressure is caused by a tumor or something, there really isn't anything you can do. Just keep him as healthy as you can with water changes. Twice a week water changes and higher temperatures will help his immune system improve and he may be able to fight off whatever it is on his own.

Followups Welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins