Re:Hanging backwards

Dear Mardean:

I think Beckie is probably correct – I also suspect that the new adoptees may have brought some type of pathogen or parasites into the aquarium, Mardean. But beyond that, it’s very difficult to determine whether you are dealing with an infection of some sort (bacterial, viral, or fungal) or a problem with parasites because this problem came on so suddenly with no premonitory signs or symptoms.

In a case like this – with no clear indication what sort of health problem one is treating – it’s often best to try a product that is effective against a wide range of problems. To be more specific, Mardean, I would recommend treating the main tank Instant Ocean Lifeguard as soon as possible. Instant Ocean Lifeguard is easy to use, inexpensive, and often available at local fish stores, including Petco and Petsmart retail stores so it is easy to obtain, allowing you to begin treatment promptly, which is very important for obtaining good results. The product may have a variety of different names depending on where you purchase it, including Instant Ocean Lifeguard, Instant Ocean Lifeguard Saltwater, or Instant Ocean Lifeguard All-in-One Marine Remedy (there is also a version of Lifeguard for freshwater, so just make sure you obtain the Lifeguard that’s intended for use in marine aquariums).

You’ll also need to pick up some Seachem Stability, Mardean, I recommend that you call your local pet stores and fish stores to find out which of them carries the Instant Ocean Lifeguard for saltwater and the Seachem Stability that you will need after completing the regimen of Lifeguard. If you can’t find the Seachem Stability locally, then order it online ASAP and have it delivered so that it will arrive within five days’ time.

Here is some more information explaining the type of problems Instant Ocean Lifeguard is often effective in treating and how to use the medication:

Instant Ocean Lifeguard

Instant Ocean Lifeguard Saltwater tablets with HaloShield® attack a broad range of external fish diseases in saltwater aquariums including bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic. It’s HaloShield®, a revolutionary non-antibiotic agent, that makes LIFEGUARD pre-measured tablets so tough on harmful disease-causing microorganisms.

It is made by Instant Ocean, it is specifically for marine use and treats the following: ick, oodinium, fungus,milky or shedding slime, bacterial gill disease, mouth and fin rot, clamped or torn fins, and ulcers.

Safeguard tanks with LIFEGUARD! One tablet treats 10 gallons of water, recommended treatment is for five days.

Keep your aquatic pets healthy and fit with Instant Ocean LIFEGUARD All-In-One Marine Remedy. This therapeutic treatment is ideal for marine fish and treats clinical signs of diseases in its earliest stages. HaloShield® eliminates disease-causing microorganisms, and each tablet is premeasured for precise dosage and dissolves easily in water. Instant Ocean Lifeguard Saltwater is effective against marine Ick & Oodinium.

Ideal for use with marine fish
Treats a range of diseases, including bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic conditions
HaloShield destroys disease-causing microorganisms
Effective against marine ick and oodinium
Tablets are premeasured and dissolve easily
Add 1 tablet per day to each 10 gal. of water
Made in the USA

Active ingredients: 1-chloro-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-imidazolidinone.

Directions
Before treatment, remove filter carbon and turn off UV sterilizer. Add one tablet per day to each 10 US gallons of aquarium water using the enclosed treatment apparatus. Use treatment for 5 consecutive days, at 24-hour intervals. For best results, after 5-day treatment is complete, wait 24 hours (day 6), then return activated carbon and turn on UV sterilizer. Perform a 25% water change using a dechlorinator and a bacteria-enzyme to condition aquarium water. To treat smaller aquariums, break tablet along score lines. Each 1/4 tablet treats 2-1/2 US gallons.

Keep out of reach of children. For aquarium use only. Not for use on food fish. Not suitable for invertebrates or newly set up aquariums. Some macroalgae may show sensitivity. Use only as directed. Do not overdose. If overdose occurs, add carbon or dechlorinator as directed for immediate neutralization.

Available in a 16 pack
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Okay, Mardean , that’s the rundown on the Instant Ocean Lifeguard, which is what I would recommend that you use in a situation like this when it’s not clear what the nature of the problem may be. In order to use the Instant Ocean Lifeguard, you would need to remove the activated carbon filtration from your quarantine tank and shut down the UV sterilizer (if you’re using the sterilizer on your seahorse setup) temporarily. Then just add the proper dosage of Lifeguard to the tank according to instructions – does the tank for five consecutive days at 24-hour intervals, and then on the sixth day, 24 hours after the fifth dose of lifeguard, perform a 25% water change using a good dechlorinator, add a regimen of SeaChem Stability to the tank, and resume UV sterilization and filtration with activated carbon.

The activated carbon and dechlorinator will completely remove any remaining traces of the active ingredient in the Lifeguard, Mardean , whereas the 25% water change and addition of the SeaChem stability will assure that there are no long-term adverse effects on the biological filtration, and that your biological filtration will be restored to maximum efficiency again very quickly. The Instant Ocean Lifeguard is perfectly safe to use with seahorses, and does not seem to have any adverse effect on the types of snails and microhermit crabs that are typically used for the cleanup crew in a seahorse tank. However, delicate invertebrates such as live corals and feather dusters should be removed from the aquarium during the treatment period. (The Instant Ocean Lifeguard is NOT reef safe, but it often works wonders in a fish only setup which the invertebrates consist primarily of sanitation engineers and aquarium janitors for the cleanup crew.)

In the meantime, be sure to increase the surface agitation and aeration in the aquarium as much as possible in order to promote better gas exchange at the air/water interface and to promote better oxygenation. That will assure that the dissolved oxygen levels remain nice and high and that the level of dissolved carbon dioxide remain nice and low, despite the increased bioload in the aquarium from the new seahorses you adopted.

Good luck!

Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna, Ocean Rider Tech Support