Dear Dusty Rider:
First of all, let me say it was very thoughtful of your friend to provide you with a gift seahorse!
I agree with Leslie that the chances are good that your new seahorse is actually captive-bred if that’s what he was represented as and he is eating frozen foods well.
Nevertheless, it was very astute of you to quarantine the newcomer before introducing him to your herd. Regardless of whether it is captive-bred or wild caught, any seahorse that is obtained from a retail or wholesale outlet should be rigorously quarantine. During their stay at the retailers/wholesalers, seahorses are very likely to have been exposed to a wide range of pathogens and parasites from wild-caught fishes from around the world in the dealer’s holding tanks, making them potential disease vectors for a long laundry list of problems.
I recommend a 6-week quarantine period in such cases. Some of the deadly diseases that afflict seahorses, such as Glugea and Mycobacteriosis, often spread internally, slowly and inexorably, and it can take that long before any external signs of these conditions appear.
Best of luck with your newcomer, Dusty!
Respectfully,
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.
