Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Freshwater dip

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  • #1986
    TamyC
    Member

    Would a frshwater dip be the first line of defense if you suspect paracites? Of course PH and salinity would match.

    #5505
    Pete Giwojna
    Guest

    Dear Tammy:

    Yes, a freshwater dip can be a good first-aid measure if you suspect that a parasite problem is plaguing your seahorses. Most ectoparasites and protozoan parasites that bother seahorses attack the skin and the gills, and some of the symptoms to look for are respiratory distress (e.g., labored breathing, huffing, rapid respirations) or scratching themselves due to the irritation of the parasites. An itchy seahorse may attempt to rub up against objects or may attempt to scratch itself with its tail. A freshwater dip can provide some immediate relief from many such ectoparasites

    Here are the instructions for performing a freshwater dip safely, Tammy:

    Freshwater Dips

    A freshwater dip is simply immersing your seahorse in pure, detoxified freshwater that’s been preadjusted to the same temp and pH as the water the seahorse is accustomed to, for a period of up to 10 minutes (Giwojna, Dec. 2003). It doesn’t harm them — seahorses typically tolerate freshwater dips exceptionally well and a 10-minute dip should be perfectly safe. Freshwater dips are effective because marine fish tolerate the immersion in freshwater far better than the external parasites they play host to; the change in osmotic pressure kills or incapacitates such microorganisms within 7-8 minutes (Giwojna, Dec. 2003). A minimum dip, if the fish seems to be doing fine, is therefore 8 minutes. Include some sort of hitching post in the dipping container and shoot for the full 10 minutes with your seahorses (Giwojna, Dec. 2003).

    If you will be using tap water for the freshwater dip, be sure to dechlorinate it beforehand. This can be accomplished usually one of the commercial dechlorinators, which typically include sodium thiosulfate and perhaps a chloramine remover as well, or by aerating the tap water for at least 24 hours to dissipate the chlorine (Giwojna, Dec. 2003).

    If you dechlorinate the dip water with a sodium thiosulfate product, be sure to use an airstone to aerate it for at least one hour before administering the dip. This is because the sodium thiosulfate depletes the water of oxygen and the dip water must therefore be oxygenated before its suitable for your seahorse(s). Regardless of how you detoxify the freshwater for the dip, it’s important to aerate the water in the dipping container well beforehand to increase the level of dissolved oxygen in the water. Many hobbyists leave the airstone in the dipping container throughout the procedure.

    Adjusting the pH of the water in the dipping container so that it matches the pH of the water in the aquarium is a crucial step. Ordinary baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) will suffice for raising the pH of the water. If there is too much of a difference in the pH, there is a possibility the seahorse could go into shock during the dipping procedure. Preadjusting the pH will prevent that from happening. If you will are unsure about your ability to accurately adjust the pH in the dipping container, avoid this procedure altogether or be prepared to monitor the seahorse very carefully or shorten the duration of the tip to no more than about 2 minutes.

    Observe the horse closely during the dip. You may see some immediate signs of distress or shock. Sometimes the horse will immediately lie on its side on the bottom. That’s a fairly common reaction — normal and to be expected, rather than a cause for concern, so don’t be alarmed if this happens. Just nudge or tap the seahorse gently with your finger if it lies down on its side. Normally, the seahorse will respond to the slight nudge by righting itself again and calm down for the duration of the dip. However, if it does not respond, stop the treatment.

    Most seahorses tolerate the treatment well and experience no problems, including Mustangs and Sunbursts (Hippocampus erectus), but if you see continued signs of distress — twitching, thrashing around etc. — stop the treatment immediately and return the seahorse to normal strength saltwater. How well the seahorses tolerate a freshwater dip can vary from individual to individual and from species to species. Hippocampus barbouri seahorses, for example, often have a low tolerance for freshwater and should either not be dipped or the freshwater dip should be shortened to 1-2 minutes as a safeguard for this species…

    After you have completed the dip and returned the seahorses to the aquarium, save the dip water and examine it closely for any sign of parasites. The change in osmotic pressure from saltwater to freshwater will cause ectoparasites to lyse (i.e., swell and burst) or drop off their host after 7-10 minutes, and they will be left behind in the dipping water. Protozoan parasites are microscopic and won’t be visible to the naked eye, but some of the other ectoparasites can be clearly seen. For example, monogenetic trematodes will appear as opaque sesame seeds drifting in the water (Giwojna, Aug. 2003) and nematodes may be visible as tiny hairlike worms 1/16-3/16 of an inch long. Other parasites may appear as tiny dots in the water. Freshwater dips can thus often provide affected seahorses with some immediate relief by ridding them of these irritating pests and can also aid their breathing by flushing out gill parasites.

    If you suspect a problem with parasites, the dip should be extended for the full 8-10 minutes if possible for best results.

    I would not dip all of the seahorses simultaneously, Tammy. I would dip them individually so you can keep a close eye on each seahorse throughout the dip and make sure it is tolerating it well. That way, you can use the same dipping container and dipping water for all for seahorses as you dip them in sequence. I like at least a gallon of water in the dipping container, but that depends on what I’m using. If it’s a clean three or five-gallon bucket, I will fill it about half full with freshwater adjusted to the aquarium temperature.

    Okay, Tammy, that’s the quick rundown on performing a therapeutic freshwater dip. As we have been discussing, it can provide seahorses afflicted with ectoparasites with some immediate relief, but the freshwater dips alone will not resolve a parasite problem. That’s because the ponies will be quickly the infested once their return to the main tank.

    For this reason, if you haven’t problem with ectoparasites, it’s important to treat the main tank in addition to providing some relief to the affected seahorses via a freshwater dip.

    There are a number of treatment options that would accomplish that goal without affecting the beneficial nitrifying bacteria that are providing the biological filtration for the aquarium.

    For instance, the seahorse tank could be treated with Parinox, praziquantel, quinine sulfate + metronidazole, possibly Acriflavine Neutral Powder or Osmotic Shock Therapy (i.e., hyposalinity) after removing any sensitive invertebrates. Let me know if you want to try the hyposalinity, Tammy, a procedure that simply involves lowering the salinity or specific gravity of your aquarium to a level that the parasite cannot tolerate but the seahorses can for a period of several weeks, and which does not require the use of any medication, and I will provide you with detailed instructions for administering it safely. But first I want to discuss the various medications that may be effective in eradicating the protozoan parasites that are causing the irritation and itching. I will list them all below for you:

    Parinox

    USE: for ich, Hexamita, costia, ichthyophthirius, ectoparasites, monogenia (trematodes), Hirudinea, parasitic copepods, argulus, Lernaeidae, anchor worms, fish lice, leeches. Also a protozoacide. Antibacterial, antiparasitic — very wide spectrum. Our version of a "cure-all."

    DOSAGE: 1/4 teaspoon per 20 gallons of water. Treat once a week for two weeks. If water changes are done, add back the percentage of the medication according to how much of the water was changed.
    25 grams for $11.99

    Quinine sulfate (Crypto-Pro)

    USE: resistant strains of ick (Cryptocaryon irritans), especially on scaleless fish. Protozoans, sliminess of the skin, and ram’s disease (i.e., whirling disease). Also good for resistant strains of Hexamita when combined with metronidazole.

    DOSAGE: 1/4 teaspoon per 10 gallons of water. Treat one time and leave in the water for 5-7 days.

    For resistant ich in a central system, treat once every three days with a 25% water change before each treatment. Do at least three treatments in a 9-day period.
    25 grams for $18.60

    Crypto-Pro

    USE: same as the quinine sulfate, but packaged for sale to hobbyists and retail aquarists. FDA-approved, child-proof packaging. Bar-coded. Instructions and measuring spoon included.

    Metronidazole Powder (Metro-Pro)

    USE: anti-protozoan, Hole-in-the-Head disease (Hexamita), Chilodonella (body slime), freshwater ich, Malawi bloat (internal Hexamita), Epistylis in pond fish. (Especially useful for treating intestinal flagellates.)

    DOSAGE: 1/4 teaspoon per 20 gallons of water. (50 grams treats approximately 800 gallons.) Treat every 24 hours with a 25% water change between treatments. Treat for 10 days.

    To mix in food for internal Hexamita: use 2 teaspoons per pound of food. Use frozen food. Thaw food, mix in powder. Then put the medicated food in a Ziploc bag and lay flat in the freezer until frozen. Feed once a day for 10 days.
    25 grams for $14.99

    Metro-Pro

    USE: same as the metronidazole, but packaged for sale the hobbyists and retail aquarists. FDA-approved, child-proof packaging. Bar-coded. Instructions and measuring spoon included.

    Acriflavine Neutral Powder

    USE: for treatment of bacterial infections such as mouth fungus, saltwater ick, fin and tail rot, fungus, Saprolegnia, skin parasites, Oodinium (marine velvet), sliminess of skin.

    DOSAGE: 19.2 grams makes 1 pint of stock solution. Five drops of this stock solution per gallon of aquarium water will treat approximately 1000 gallons. Dosage: 1-5 drops per gallon. (Five drops per gallon = 5 ppm.)

    50 mL treats approximately 100 gallons. TREAT ONE TIME ONLY!
    19.2 grams for $34.97

    Praziquantel

    This is a very effective antiparasitic that works equally well against external and internal parasites alike. Like metronidazole, this is a very safe medication that won’t harm the beneficial nitrifying bacteria in your biofilter, so you can use it to treat the main tank.

    However, like most antiparasitic medications, invertebrates will not tolerate praziquantel, so be prepared to relocate any snails, decorative shrimp, or microhermit crabs for the duration of the treatments.

    Praziquantel can be administered orally via bio-encapsulated feeder shrimp, just like metronidazole, or it can be administered as a series of baths or as a one-time treatment for the main tank. When using it as a bath, the following concentrations are appropriate:

    Praziquantel bath at 10ppm for 3 hours or 1ppm for 24 hours.

    When treating ectoparasites, it can be added directly to the water in the treatment tank (dose one time and leave in the water for 5-7 days).

    You should remove any activated carbon or chemical filtration media during the treatments, of course.

    All of the medications I have listed above are safe to use in the main tank, Tammy. They won’t harm the beneficial nitrifying bacteria or affect the biological filtration, but they are all hard on invertebrates so it would be a good idea for you to remove all of the snails (just keep them in a clean, well-aerated plastic bucket of saltwater during the treatment period for safekeeping.)

    If you are lucky, you may be able to find one of the medications listed above have a local fish store, but most likely you will have to get them online and have them delivered to you, Tammy. You can obtain all of the medications listed above from National Fish Pharmaceuticals at the following website (just copy the following URL and paste it in your Web browser and it will take you to the right webpage):

    http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/products.html

    National Fish Pharmaceuticals also has a frees free helpline (520-298-7814) that you can telephone for assistance, if necessary.

    In my opinion, Parinox administered to the main tank or Praziquantel (preferably administered orally via gut loaded feeder shrimp) are probably the best options for you, Tammy. But quinine sulfate used together with metronidazole may also be effective, and hyposalinity is another good treatment option that does not require medicating the main tank. Let me know if you would like to try hyposalinity (low specific gravity) and I would be happy to explain how to administer the hyposalinity safely and effectively.

    I would recommend one of these treatment options to eliminate the parasites from your main tank, Tammy. While you are waiting for the medication to arrive, you can also administer a short-term dip to the affected seahorses that will provide them with some immediate (albeit temporary) relief. Dipping the seahorses will eliminate the bulk of the external parasites that are irritating them and causing the scratching, providing them with quick relief, but they will eventually be reinfested once they are returned to the tank, so treating the main tank is necessary to resolve the problem like this once and for all.

    Best of luck resolving this problem, There are a number of treatment options that would accomplish that goal without affecting the beneficial nitrifying bacteria that are providing the biological filtration for the aquarium.

    For instance, the seahorse tank could be treated with Parinox, praziquantel, quinine sulfate + metronidazole, possibly Acriflavine Neutral Powder or Osmotic Shock Therapy (i.e., hyposalinity) after removing any sensitive invertebrates. Let me know if you want to try the hyposalinity, Laura, a procedure that simply involves lowering the salinity or specific gravity of your aquarium to a level that the parasite cannot tolerate but the seahorses can for a period of several weeks, and which does not require the use of any medication, and I will provide you with detailed instructions for administering it safely. But first I want to discuss the various medications that may be effective in eradicating the protozoan parasites that are causing the irritation and itching. I will list them all below for you:

    Parinox

    USE: for ich, Hexamita, costia, ichthyophthirius, ectoparasites, monogenia (trematodes), Hirudinea, parasitic copepods, argulus, Lernaeidae, anchor worms, fish lice, leeches. Also a protozoacide. Antibacterial, antiparasitic — very wide spectrum. Our version of a "cure-all."

    DOSAGE: 1/4 teaspoon per 20 gallons of water. Treat once a week for two weeks. If water changes are done, add back the percentage of the medication according to how much of the water was changed.
    25 grams for $11.99

    Quinine sulfate (Crypto-Pro)

    USE: resistant strains of ick (Cryptocaryon irritans), especially on scaleless fish. Protozoans, sliminess of the skin, and ram’s disease (i.e., whirling disease). Also good for resistant strains of Hexamita when combined with metronidazole.

    DOSAGE: 1/4 teaspoon per 10 gallons of water. Treat one time and leave in the water for 5-7 days.

    For resistant ich in a central system, treat once every three days with a 25% water change before each treatment. Do at least three treatments in a 9-day period.
    25 grams for $18.60

    Crypto-Pro

    USE: same as the quinine sulfate, but packaged for sale to hobbyists and retail aquarists. FDA-approved, child-proof packaging. Bar-coded. Instructions and measuring spoon included.

    Metronidazole Powder (Metro-Pro)

    USE: anti-protozoan, Hole-in-the-Head disease (Hexamita), Chilodonella (body slime), freshwater ich, Malawi bloat (internal Hexamita), Epistylis in pond fish. (Especially useful for treating intestinal flagellates.)

    DOSAGE: 1/4 teaspoon per 20 gallons of water. (50 grams treats approximately 800 gallons.) Treat every 24 hours with a 25% water change between treatments. Treat for 10 days.

    To mix in food for internal Hexamita: use 2 teaspoons per pound of food. Use frozen food. Thaw food, mix in powder. Then put the medicated food in a Ziploc bag and lay flat in the freezer until frozen. Feed once a day for 10 days.
    25 grams for $14.99

    Metro-Pro

    USE: same as the metronidazole, but packaged for sale the hobbyists and retail aquarists. FDA-approved, child-proof packaging. Bar-coded. Instructions and measuring spoon included.

    Acriflavine Neutral Powder

    USE: for treatment of bacterial infections such as mouth fungus, saltwater ick, fin and tail rot, fungus, Saprolegnia, skin parasites, Oodinium (marine velvet), sliminess of skin.

    DOSAGE: 19.2 grams makes 1 pint of stock solution. Five drops of this stock solution per gallon of aquarium water will treat approximately 1000 gallons. Dosage: 1-5 drops per gallon. (Five drops per gallon = 5 ppm.)

    50 mL treats approximately 100 gallons. TREAT ONE TIME ONLY!
    19.2 grams for $34.97

    Praziquantel

    This is a very effective antiparasitic that works equally well against external and internal parasites alike. Like metronidazole, this is a very safe medication that won’t harm the beneficial nitrifying bacteria in your biofilter, so you can use it to treat the main tank.

    However, like most antiparasitic medications, invertebrates will not tolerate praziquantel, so be prepared to relocate any snails, decorative shrimp, or microhermit crabs for the duration of the treatments.

    Praziquantel can be administered orally via bio-encapsulated feeder shrimp, just like metronidazole, or it can be administered as a series of baths or as a one-time treatment for the main tank. When using it as a bath, the following concentrations are appropriate:

    Praziquantel bath at 10ppm for 3 hours or 1ppm for 24 hours.

    When treating ectoparasites, it can be added directly to the water in the treatment tank (dose one time and leave in the water for 5-7 days).

    You should remove any activated carbon or chemical filtration media during the treatments, of course.

    All of the medications I have listed above are safe to use in the main tank, Laura. They won’t harm the beneficial nitrifying bacteria or affect the biological filtration, but they are all hard on invertebrates so it would be a good idea for you to remove all of the snails (just keep them in a clean, well-aerated plastic bucket of saltwater during the treatment period for safekeeping.)

    If you are lucky, you may be able to find one of the medications listed above have a local fish store, but most likely you will have to get them online and have them delivered to you, Laura. You can obtain all of the medications listed above from National Fish Pharmaceuticals at the following website (just copy the following URL and paste it in your Web browser and it will take you to the right webpage):

    http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/products.html

    National Fish Pharmaceuticals also has a frees free helpline (520-298-7814) that you can telephone for assistance, if necessary.

    In my opinion, Parinox administered to the main tank or Praziquantel (preferably administered orally via gut loaded feeder shrimp) are probably the best options for you, Laura. But quinine sulfate used together with metronidazole may also be effective, and hyposalinity is another good treatment option that does not require medicating the main tank.

    I would recommend one of these treatment options to eliminate the parasites from your main tank, Laura. While you are waiting for the medication to arrive, you can also administer a short-term dip to the affected seahorses that will provide them with some immediate (albeit temporary) relief. Dipping the seahorses will eliminate the bulk of the external parasites that are irritating them and causing the scratching, providing them with quick relief, but they will eventually be reinfested once they are returned to the tank, so treating the main tank is necessary to resolve the problem like this once and for all.

    Best of luck resolving this problem.

    Respectfully,
    Pete Giwojna, Ocean Rider Tech Support

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