Pop-eye - Exophthalmia
By Shirlie Sharpe
Black Moor
 exophthalmia
 telescope eyes
 cloudy eye
 pop eye
Telescope Eye Goldfish
Matteo Tarenghi
Celestial Eye Goldfish
Amy Youngs
Overview:
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Names - Pop-eye, Pop Eye, Proptosis
Disease Type - Symptom of Several Disorders
Cause / Organism - Multiple Causes
Description:
Pop-eye, also known as exophthalmia, is not a disease itself, but rather a condition in which the eye of the fish
is swollen and protrudes abnormally from the eye socket. A single eye may be affected, or both eyes. In some
cases the eye may be cloudy, other times it will look normal other than being swollen. This condition is an
indication of an underlying disease or disorder, and should be investigated promptly. Keep in mind that some
fish have been breed to have protruding eyes normally. For instance, Black Moor Goldfish are known for their
large telescope eyes, which are perfectly normal and healthy. Celestial Eye Goldfish have eyes that protrude and
point upward. These too are perfectly healthy.
Symptoms:
As previously stated, pop-eye is not a disease itself, but is a symptom of an underlying disorder or condition.
Fish that normally do not have telescoping eyes will display a marked swelling of one or both eyes. The eye
itself may remain clear, or be cloudy or discolored. If the eye has suffered physical injury it may also be
bloodstained. In cases of severe pop-eye it is possible for the eye to rupture. In such cases the fish may
eventually recover, but will be blind in the affected eye.
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One or both eyes protrude
Eye may be cloudy
Eye may be bloodstained
Eye my rupture
Causes:
Multiple causative agents can be responsible for pop-eye. Sometimes the true underlying disorder is never
determined, but it is always advisable to attempt a diagnosis. If only one eye is affected, it is less likely to be
caused by problems with the water chemistry. This is particularly true if only one fish is exhibiting pop-eye.
Physical injury can cause a swollen eye, and quite often only a single eye will be affected. The injury could be
due to a fight with another fish, or scraping the eye against an abrasive object in the tank. Sometimes it is
possible to see the damage to the eye, which is a dead give away that exophthalmia is the result of an injury. In
most of these cases the pop-eye will eventually resolve as the eye heals. However, the fish should be monitored
closely, as infection can set in and must be treated promptly. Should the injury be severe, the fish may lose sight
in the affected eye.
Another cause of pop-eye is infection. Although infection can affect a single eye, it is more likely to affect both
eyes than an injury will. The infection may be caused by a variety of organisms, including bacteria as well as
parasites. If the fish suffers from both pop-eye and dropsy, the prognosis is more bleak, although fish can
recover from dropsy with prompt and proper treatment. Internal problems, such as kidney failure resulting in
fluid build-up, can also case pop-eye. If a metabolic issue, such as organ failure, is the root cause, the prognosis
is extremely poor.
Poor water conditions can also cause pop-eye. Fish that are more sensitive to water conditions will be affected
first, but if the water parameters are very poor pop-eye will eventually affect most or all of the fish. Any time
there are multiple fish displaying pop-eye, the water should be tested to determine if something is amiss with
the water chemistry. In cases of sub-par water chemistry, the eye may be cloudy as well as swollen. Cloudy
eyes are quite often a sign of a problem with water parameters.
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Physical injury
Infection
Metabolic disorder
Poor water conditions
Treatment:
Treatment for pop-eye will depend upon the underlying cause. If the eye has been injured, palliative care using
aquarium salt unless contraindicated, while the eye heals is advisable. Regular water changes are also
recommended, as well as monitoring of water chemistry. If water tests indicate a problem, either with drifting
pH or elevated ammonia or nitrites, it should be corrected promptly. Fish should be fed good quality foods to
support a healthy immune system.
Fish that are clearly suffering from an infection should be moved to a quarantine tank to avoid infecting other
fish. They can also be treated with broad spectrum antibiotics to resolve the infection. If several fish are
infected, it may be necessary to treat the main tank with broad spectrum antibiotics. Keep the tank very clean,
and perform regular water changes weekly.
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Water changes
Use aquarium salt
Correct water chemistry
Good tank maintenance
Broad spectrum antibiotics
Quarantine infectious fish
Feed high quality foods
Prevention:
Because pop-eye is caused by such a wide variety of issues, there is no single magic bullet that will guarantee it
will never occur in your fish. However, if the tank is well maintained, partial water changes performed
regularly, and the fish fed nutritional foods, the odds of pop-eye striking is greatly diminished. Monitoring the
tank chemistry, and observing the fish daily for signs of illness will also help tip the scales in your favor. If the
basics are followed, pop-eye will rarely occur, and when it does, it's not likely to prove fatal to your fish.
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Regular tank maintenance
Regular water changes
Good nutrition
Monitor water chemistry
Watch for signs of illness
Readers Respond: How Aquarium Owners Cope With Pop-Eye
Be the first to respond
Suggested Reading
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Books About Fish Health
Nitrite Poisoning
Using Salt
New posts to the Freshwater Aquariums forums:
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New 55 gallon setup
High Nitrates in Water source and tanks
Newbie Alert!
Related Articles
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Popeye In Saltwater Fish: Identification, Causes & Treatments
Foam on Aquarium Water - Causes and Cures
Aquarium Water Temperature
Saltwater Aquarium Fish Disease Trouble Shooter
How to Diagnose and Treat Dropsy in Aquarium Fish
Posted by Christina Crowe in Goldfish Diseases | 193 comments
There are a lot of responses to this article – I’m very happy to have helped so many sick goldfish.
If you notice goldfish disease symptoms and need help, please scan the comments/replies already posted (click
the link at the very bottom of the page to view previous comments). Your question might be answered already!
And always test the water before writing a comment.
This is the first part in the goldfish disease series. In this three-part series, you’ll learn…
1. How to tell if your goldfish is sick (we’ll look at 14 goldfish disease symptoms)
2. How to treat 7 of the most common goldfish diseases in aquariums and freshwater ponds
3. How to keep your aquarium completely disease free by solving common tank problems
Goldfish are remarkably hardy creatures and don’t often fall prey to goldfish diseases. You just need to
maintain good water quality, keep up with tank maintenance, feed your goldfish a varied diet, and test the water
regularly. In fact, chances that you’ll find goldfish disease symptoms are slim if your goldfish are kept in a
healthy aquarium environment with proper goldfish care.
You may be surprised to find out that most experienced aquarists have very little experience treating fish
diseases. This is because they are experts at keeping their fish healthy. – David E. Boruchowitz, author of
Aquarium Care of Goldfish
But even under the best conditions, goldfish aren’t entirely immune to diseases.
When you have sick goldfish, you want to catch goldfish disease symptoms early on to prevent goldfish
diseases from spreading and infecting other fish in the aquarium.
Some infections are even fatal and can quickly kill your goldfish in a matter of days. This makes it even more
important to have a medication like this on hand and treat goldfish disease symptoms quickly.
Treat Sick Goldfish Early
There are two types of goldfish diseases: those that are contagious and those that aren’t. Even if the infection
isn’t contagious, you should still put your goldfish in a “hospital tank,” a smaller tank separated from the other
fish, so that your goldfish can recuperate without being stressed out.
Separating infected goldfish prevents your healthy fish from receiving medication they don’t need (what is
called being “over-medicated”).
First, we’ll look at abnormal behavior signs that could hint that something’s not quite right in the aquarium.
Next, we’ll dive into the visual signs of diseases on the body and fins. Later, I’ll walk you through your next
steps after you’ve discovered potential problems.
Let’s take a look at a few goldfish disease symptoms to look out for. If you notice any of these symptoms in
your own aquarium, it might help to write them down on a notepad. This will make it easier later to determine
what caused the goldfish disease and how to treat your sick goldfish.
Goldfish Disease Symptoms in Behavior
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Gasping for breath, rapidly breathing, or hanging at the water surface – One or more of your
goldfish might be gathered at the surface of the water, noisily gobbling up packets of air or sucking in
oxygen just below the surface. This usually happens when the water isn’t oxygenated enough for your
goldfish to breathe comfortably (poor water quality). So sick goldfish will try to find any means they can
to get more oxygen. If water quality doesn’t improve, the stress of not breathing in enough oxygen will
lower the immune system and cause other goldfish disease symptoms to develop. If you notice gasping
at the surface, test the water with a freshwater test kit immediately.
Refuses to eat or losing weight – This is another goldfish disease symptom you should catch early.
Goldfish are naturally ravenous creatures and will eat just about anything if given the chance. So a
goldfish refusing to eat or showing noticeable signs of weight loss should be a warning sign that there’s
a problem that needs closer looking into. Your goldfish might be suffering from internal parasites or
poor water quality.
Erratically swimming or swimming upside down – Erratic swimming is a sign of buoyancy problems.
Trouble swimming could be caused by swim bladder disease, dropsy, or improper feeding (and
sometimes feeding peas will help). Poor water quality might also be the culprit (or a result of
overfeeding). If you look closely, are there other goldfish disease symptoms you may not have noticed?
Listless or laying at the bottom – Healthy goldfish actively swim around and interact with their
environment. If you have a sick goldfish that never gets up from the gravel, something is seriously
wrong and you should take immediate action to find the underlying cause. Usually sick goldfish that are
listless are also suffering from poor water quality or an infection.
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Slow to react to disturbances and stimuli – Are you about to feed your goldfish, only to find that one
of them doesn’t seem to notice the food until it’s smack against his nose? Sick goldfish often have
trouble reacting to certain things in their environment. Look for other goldfish disease symptoms, test
the water quality, and do an immediate water change if test results are less than ideal.
Rubs against the aquarium glass and other surfaces – This could be a sign of parasites, like ich, or
even a fungus infection. At least, something is making your goldfish very itchy. If your goldfish is just
rubbing his nose on the glass whenever you come nearby (what I like to call the “goldfish dance”), it
could just be a friendly greeting and a demand to be fed (of course, don’t give in to those demands if you
already fed your goldfish just moments ago).
Goldfish Disease Symptoms on the Body or Fins
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Clamped or folded fins – Maybe your goldfish constantly holds his fins close to his body or he’s
lethargic and doesn’t move around much. There are actually a few potential goldfish diseases that can
cause your fish to act this way, and your job is to look for other goldfish disease symptoms that might
give the disease away. It might just be a case of poor water quality or parasites. Testing the water with a
freshwater aquarium testing kit will give you a better idea of what is causing the problem and how to
make the aquarium environment healthier for your goldfish.
Torn or frayed fins – This is often a sign of stress, especially if you notice little red veins branching out
in the fins. Simply changing the water and separating your goldfish from more aggressive fish can
quickly solve this problem. If you find that the fins are actually starting to deteriorate into a stump, your
goldfish may be experiencing fin or tail rot, which is caused by bacteria (and could attract fungus
infections).
Fluffy patches, discolored spots, or raised bumps – Do you notice a slight fuzz in some areas that
shouldn’t be there? If your goldfish has discolored patches on the body or fins, chances are that he’s
suffering from fungal or bacterial infections. Hospitalize the goldfish immediately and run some water
tests on the main aquarium to determine what caused the goldfish disease symptoms. If the discolored
patches actually look like little white specks of salt, your goldfish is suffering from ich, often known as
white spot disease. Ich is fairly contagious (even common) in aquariums. If black spots are visible, your
sick goldfish have an ammonia burn or parasite infection (this parasite is very rare in aquariums).
Bloated or has raised scales – If one of your goldfish is abnormally round, large (be careful not to
mistake this for a maturing female goldfish), or even resembles a pine cone, he may have dropsy (often
caused by bacterial infections and sometimes incurable). A bloated sick goldfish might also be overfed
or, if your goldfish have buoyancy problems, filled with packets of air after extended periods of time
gasping for breath at the water surface.
Pale gills – Pale gills can be caused by a number of goldfish diseases, including parasites. Salt is a
popular treatment in this case, though you should also consider medications. Medications will depend on
the type of parasite that is infecting your fish and can be determined by other goldfish disease
symptoms.
Noticeable lumps or parasites – External parasites are usually visible on the body or fins, and many
will cause ulcers and lumps along the scales. Such parasites include ich (white spot disease), anchor
worms, fish lice, and flukes. There are many ways you can get rid of parasites, ranging from medication
to salt baths. You can even have them manually removed (though I don’t recommend this unless you
know what you’re doing).
Protruding eyes – If one or both eyes of your goldfish are abnormally large (don’t mistake this for
natural characteristics in black moor or telescope goldfish), this could be early goldfish disease
symptoms of pop eye or a bacterial infection.
Bleeding wounds, sores, or missing scales – Do you have aggressive or territorial fish in the same
aquarium? Solving this problem could just be a matter of finding a separate tank to house your goldfish.
Your goldfish could also be infected with parasites, causing him to rub on gravel or other sharp objects.
By catching goldfish disease symptoms ahead of time, you can prevent infections from getting worse,
spreading, and taking over the aquarium. And by taking immediate action to treat the disease, your sick goldfish
has a better chance of surviving through the infection.
It’s always a good practice to watch your goldfish on a daily basis for signs of abnormal behavior or growths. A
good time to do this is right before or during feeding.
Once you’ve noticed signs of a potential disease, you’ll want to put the sick goldfish into a hospital tank as soon
as possible so that other fish in the same tank don’t get infected. Then you’ll need to determine what caused
goldfish disease symptoms (so that you can effectively treat the disease) and identify problems running rampant
in your tank. We’ll discuss more about this in the third part of the series.
You’ll then be able to take measures to ensure your other goldfish don’t get similarly infected.
Test the water with an aquarium test kit will help you identify tank problems. Also think back to events that led
up to this point. Did you recently just introduce a new goldfish to the aquarium (without quarantining him
first)? Did you just add new water to the tank without letting it adjust to room temperature?
Instead of looking for terrible diseases, you should concentrate on keeping your fish healthy. – David E.
Boruchowitz, author of Aquarium Care of Goldfish
Remember: the best cure for any disease is prevention. By keeping your goldfish in a healthy environment, you
reduce their chances of getting fatal goldfish disease symptoms. And it’s much easier to care for healthy fish
than it is to treat sick goldfish.
How About You?
What sort of goldfish disease symptoms have you noticed? How did you treat your sick goldfish? Are there any
goldfish care tips you can offer to help prevent infections? I’d love to hear from you!