Dear Sharon:
Okay, if you suspect that you are dealing with a parasite problem, which seems like a reasonable assumption under the circumstances, then treating the whole aquarium to eradicate the parasites would indeed be advisable to prevent reinfection.
Don’t worry about the length of your post at all, Sharon. A detailed message describing your cleanup crew and tankmates is very helpful, and the additional information is very useful in determining which method of treatment might work best for you.
It sounds like treating the tank with Parinox is probably not feasible in your case, Sharon. It would be hard on the invertebrates in the tank, including the crustaceans (shrimp and crabs), snails, and those neat little brittle starfish you like so much. It might also kill off all of the bristleworms en masse which could result in a dangerous ammonia spikes.
A safer way to eradicate ectoparasites other than Uronema is by treating the tank with hyposalinity or Osmotic Shock Therapy (OST). Basically, all this treatment involves is reducing the salinity or specific gravity of your aquarium to a level most ectoparasites cannot survive but which will not be harmful to your seahorses or their tankmates.
Hyposalinity essentially acts as a continuous freshwater dip, and provides all the same benefits, and since you’re stallion seemed to respond favorably to the freshwater dip, I am thinking that this method of treatment may be your best option for treating him. It allows him to be treated in the main tank along with all of his tankmates, where he is the most comfortable and secure, so you don’t have to worry about separating him from his mate or the rest of the herd, or worry about setting up a hospital tank.
If you think you may want to consider treating your main tank with hyposalinity or OST, Sharon, here is the URL for a detailed discussion that explains all about this method of treatment and how to administer hyposalinity safely. Just copy the URL in the angle brackets below and paste it in your web browser, and it will take you to the discussion that has all the information about this method of treatment:
Click here: Seahorse.com – Seahorse, Sea Life, Marine Life, Aquafarm Sales, Feeds and Accessories – Re:NEED DESPARATE HELP
<http://www.seahorse.com/option,com_simpleboard/Itemid,/func,view/catid,2/id,1795/#1795>
That earlier discussion should provide you with all the details you need to know about OST, Sharon. Just be sure to observe all of the precautions outlined in that discussion and choose the salinity that’s appropriate for the specimens in your tank and your method for measuring the specific gravity of your aquarium.
Best of luck treating your stallion, Sharon!
Respectively,
Pete Giwojna
Ocean Rider, Inc. is an Organic Hawaiian-Based Seahorse Aqua-Farm & Aquarium that Follows Strict Good Farming Practices in Raising Seahorses and Other Aquatic Life.
