Bonded pair of Kudas quit eatting

[blk822]

I have a bonded pair of ORA Kudas and a couple days ago they quit eating frozen Mysis. They look ok, but not swimming around and holding each other like they were. The male has a belly on him below the pouch opening. they look ok but quit eating. I know I have pods, they are in a 90 gal corner tank hooked into my 175 bow front reef and 55gl sump/refuge. There tank has a lot of rock and a lot of prolifera calurpa in it. Fish in the tank with them are one small domino damsel and a large Marine betta. Not sure if they are sick or eating pods. I have had them for about 1 3/4 months now and just stopped eating 3 days ago. Help and advise please....Thanks.

 

[rayjay]

First guess would be stress due to other occupants.
Second would be water conditions not suitable for seahorses although still quite acceptable to other types of fish.
I would transfer them to a 10g quarantine tank with new water matching the display tank for s.g., pH, and temperature with good aeration from an open ended air line tube.
Try feeding live foods like ghost shrimp or mysids or even enriched adult brine.
As it has already been 3 days, you might want to tube feed them starting tomorrow as often if they go very long without eating, they won't eat again.
I use a syringe and cannula to tube feed, making sure the cannula is inserted past the gills so the food just doesn't get expelled through the gills.

 

[blk822]

seahorses started to eat today, well the female did and the male is really looking at the food gain.

 

[rayjay]

Long term odds are not good though with the tankmates you have.

 

[tjdouglas]

Hi blk822,
I am sorry to hear your seahorses are not eating properly. Have you noticed if they are breathing/gilling more rapidly? I have found that when I have a seahorse who suddenly does not eat it us often related to picking up a gill parasite, probably from one of the other tank-mates. If they do appear to be breathing/gilling rapidly then you might want to consider doing a formalin dip (in a separate container for 40 minutes with an airstone) and also do a partial tank water change and treat the water for parasites. I usually use API General Cure (a mixture of praziquentil and metronidazole) to treat the tank for parasites. However the medication could kill some sensitive invertebrates such as Coco Worms and tube worms. Please do take out any carbon and stop skimming when you add this medication to the tank.

Wishing you the best