New Seahorse "sick"

are you sure its not just natural coloration? What about heaters? they can burn and cause white scars which then the skin flakes away and look like "growths" it is fuzzy, flacky? How are your water parameters? I know ammonia can cause them to itch, and if they’ve had a long trip, he might be itcing from ammonia irritation from the bag….Just my thoughts, but I’m a beginner too, so definately wait for the experts…

Hi Sseagazer,

Sorry to hear about your new Sunfire.

Did you notice anything on his head yesterday?

It does not sound like ich. Ich manifests quite differently in seahorses and is not fuzzy. There is something else going on. It could be a bacterial or fungal infection or a combo of both. Please sit tight and I am sure Pete will respond soon. Don’t waste your time or money on kick ick as it will not help this and it will just complicate matters as other medications are indicated.

In the mean time please provide the following information…..

Current water parameters in numeric values not descriptions like fine or OK including temp, specific gravity, Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrites and pH

Tank size
Tankmates
Other seahorses…. WC or CB

Can you get a magnifying glass out and get a good close look at his head and this white area. Is it actually fuzzy or is the skin peeling or flaking?

How big is the area?

Do you see any pink or red areas?

Is the white area smooth and even with the rest of the skin? Raised or elevated? Or sunken in?

Can you possibly post a photo?

Hang in there…..

Leslie

Dear Nick.

Excess mucus production and scratching can be an indication of irritation from exposure to high ammonia levels, which can happen during long-distance shipping, are they can be a sign of external parasites.

For starters, I would suggest treating the irritated SunFire with methylene blue, which is effective against protozoan parasites and fungus, and is the treatment of choice for ammonia poisoning and nitrite toxicity.

Commonly known as "meth blue" or simply "blue," this is a wonderful medication for reversing the toxic effects of ammonia and nitrite poisoning (commonly known as "new tank syndrome"). Methylene blue also transports oxygen and aids breathing. It facilitates oxygen transport, helping fish breathe more easily by converting methemoglobin to hemoglobin — the normal oxygen carrying component of fish blood, thus allowing more oxygen to be carried through the bloodstream. This makes it very useful for treating gill infections, low oxygen levels, or anytime your seahorses are breathing rapidly and experiencing respiratory distress. It is the drug of choice for treating hypoxic emergencies of any kind with your fish.

In addition, methylene blue treats fungus and some bacteria and protozoans. Methylene blue is effective in preventing fungal infections, and it has antiprotozoal and antibacterial properties as well, by virtue of its ability to bind with cytoplasmic structures within the cell and interfere with oxidation-reduction processes. However, be aware that it is not safe to combine methylene blue with some antibiotics, so check your medication labels closely for any possible problems before doing so.

Methylene blue will destroy nitrifying bacteria so it should only be used in a hospital tank (if used in an established aquarium, it will impair the biological filtration and the tank may need to be cycled all over again).

If you can obtain the Kordon brand of Methylene Blue (available at most well-stocked local fish stores), their suggested treatment protocol for nitrite poisoning is as follows:

As an aid in reversal of nitrite (NO2-) or cyanide (CN-) poisoning of marine and freshwater aquarium fishes:
(a) Remove carbon filter and continue to operate with mechanical filter media throughout the treatment period.
(b) Add 1 teaspoon of 2.303% Methylene Blue per 10 gallons of water. This produces a concentration of 3 ppm. Continue the treatment for 3 to 5 days.
(c) Make a water change as noted and replace the filter carbon at the conclusion of the treatment.

See the following link for more information on treating with Kordon’s Methylene Blue:

Click here: KPD-28 Methylene Blue
http://www.novalek.com/kpd28.htm

I would like to see how your SunFire response to the methylene blue before we resort to any more aggressive treatments, Nick. Let’s see if the methylene blue eases his irritation and puts an end to that scratching, and see how the white stuff on the top of his head responds to the methylene blue. If the fuzzy white patch is not just excess mucus sloughing off, and/or the scratching persists, then it would be appropriate to progress to formalin baths combined with antibiotic therapy.

Best of luck with your new seahorses, Nick!

Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the update. He is actually starting to look a little better. He resting now anyway. I preparing a freshwater bath for him but I should wait one that right.

This meth bath? How long does the seahorse need to be in it. I don’t have a hospital tank. This doesn’t sound safe for my reefrock?

Thank you again, and "Yahoo", finally sent me that notice that your book hadn’t been released yet?

But I’m on the list!
🙂

Dear Nick:

Okay, that’s a positive development that he has settled down and doesn’t seem so irritated right now. But I do think he would still benefit from the methylene blue, especially since your tank parameters are showing a bit of an ammonia spike right now (yes, I would hold off on the freshwater bath for now — that’s a good first aid measure for ich but it’s not helpful for this type of problem).

Nope, methylene blue will devastate your biological filtration so you don’t want to use it in your main tank. In a pinch, a clean 5-gallon plastic bucket (new and unused, NOT an old scrub bucket!) can serve as a makeshift hospital tank. It should be aerated and equipped with hitching posts and perhaps a heater, but nothing else. This makes a useful substitute when the Quarantine Tank is occupied or in use and a seahorse needs treatment.

Stay on top of water quality in the hospital tank/bucket with water changes as often as needed during treatment, and redose with the medication according to directions after each water change.

The methylene blue can be administered as either a very brief (10 second) dip at a concentrated dosage or for prolonged immersion (3-5 days) at a reduced dosage. If you go to the following link, it tells you how to administer it either way using the Kordon brand of methylene blue: http://www.novalek.com/kpd28.htmhttp://www.novalek.com/kpd28.htm

In cases of ammonia poisoning/nitrite toxicity, the prolonged immersion for three to five days is likely to be more helpful.

Judging from the change in your aquarium parameters since your seahorses arrived, it appears that the increased bioload from adding four new seahorses together has caused an ammonia spike, which may be followed by a bigger spike in your nitrite levels shortly. A water change is recommended to get your ammonia back down to zero as soon as possible, and treatment with methylene blue for the ailing SunFire is advisable under these circumstances.

Be sure to observe the following precautions when handling your seahorses for the daily bath, Pam:

Handling Seahorses

I do not like to use an aquarium net to transfer or manipulate seahorses, since their delicate fins and snouts can become entangled in the netting all too easily. I much prefer to transfer the seahorses by hand. Simply wet your hand and fingers (to avoid removing any of the seahorse’s protective slime coat) and scoop the seahorses in your hand. Allow them to curl their tail around your fingers and carefully cup their bodies in your hand to support them while you lift them out of the water. When you gently immerse your hand in the destination tank, the seahorse will release its grip and swim away as though nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

Composed of solid muscle and endowed with extraordinary skeletal support, the prehensile tail is amazingly strong. Indeed, large specimens have a grip like an anaconda, and when a 12-inch ingens or abdominalis wraps its tail around your hand and tightens its hold, its vise-like grip is powerful enough to leave you counting your fingers afterwards!

In fact, it can be quite difficult to remove an attached seahorse from its holdfast without injuring it in the process. Never attempt to forcibly detach a seahorse from its hitching post! When it feels threatened, it’s instinct is to clamp down and hold on all the tighter. When you must dislodge a seahorse from its resting place for any reason, it’s best to use the tickle technique instead. Gently tickling the underside of the tail where it’s wrapped around the object will usually induce the seahorse to release its grip (Abbott, 2003). They don’t seem to like that at all, and will quickly let go to move away to another spot. Once they are swimming, they are easy to handle.

Be sure to observe the following precautions when handling your seahorses for his treatments, Nick:

Handling Seahorses

I do not like to use an aquarium net to transfer or manipulate seahorses, since their delicate fins and snouts can become entangled in the netting all too easily. I much prefer to transfer the seahorses by hand. Simply wet your hand and fingers (to avoid removing any of the seahorse’s protective slime coat) and scoop the seahorses in your hand. Allow them to curl their tail around your fingers and carefully cup their bodies in your hand to support them while you lift them out of the water. When you gently immerse your hand in the destination tank, the seahorse will release its grip and swim away as though nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

Composed of solid muscle and endowed with extraordinary skeletal support, the prehensile tail is amazingly strong. Indeed, large specimens have a grip like an anaconda, and when a 12-inch ingens or abdominalis wraps its tail around your hand and tightens its hold, its vise-like grip is powerful enough to leave you counting your fingers afterwards!

In fact, it can be quite difficult to remove an attached seahorse from its holdfast without injuring it in the process. Never attempt to forcibly detach a seahorse from its hitching post! When it feels threatened, it’s instinct is to clamp down and hold on all the tighter. When you must dislodge a seahorse from its resting place for any reason, it’s best to use the tickle technique instead. Gently tickling the underside of the tail where it’s wrapped around the object will usually induce the seahorse to release its grip (Abbott, 2003). They don’t seem to like that at all, and will quickly let go to move away to another spot. Once they are swimming, they are easy to handle.

Yes, please do e-mail a photograph of the ailing seahorse to me at the following address: [email protected]

A picture will be very helpful in assessing your seahorse’s condition and determining the best course of treatment.

Best of luck with your SunFires, Nick!

Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna

Good morning all,

Well, he’s back at it again. Pete did you get the pictures? I’m going to try to get out of the house today to get a hospital tank. I’ll try to get the "meth blue". If I can’t find it by chance, is there a back up product?

Thanks all, your such a stress reducer!

Wish me luck.