Bubbles

tangdiver

Premium Member
My seahorse has bubbles on its body?

Not eating also...have to almost hand feed...

Ora captive rasied...

had for over 7 months.

any help

thanks,

Grant
 
Can you give a little history? When did this start? Description of the bubbles, translucent, appear full of air or fluid? Which species? Description of the tank and tank mates. Water parameters including temp. If at all possible, a picture would be very helpful.

Also please let us know what you have on hand for meds. If you are going to treat, you will need to rush as the weekend is coming quick and anything that needs to be shipped needs to get ordered.

Dan
 
Sorry...in a fuge were parameters are as such:

77 temp
425 Ca
1400 mag
0 amm
0 trite
4 trate
.03 phos
8.6 dkh
8.3 pH

tank mates...snails. cheto algae
and rocks
full of air...he floats...and upside down alot
sorry no pics...

bubbles by eye, tail, and abdomen

sorry for lack of info...a little time away from sea horses...my experince lies with dragons...

oh he is eating mysis

Thanks, Grant
 
I would move him to a hospital tank. Bare bottom with a hitch. Ideally a hitch that he can get to while floating. I would also add an airline with an airstone.

Diamox (Acetazolamide) is fairly effective at reducing the gas. Diamox is effective at 250 mg per 10 gal. Usually comes in 250 mg tabs. Treatment is usually effective after 2 to 5 days. Do not go longer than 5 days though. This is a prescription drug. Unless you have it on hand or know someone with it, you will likely have to try to sweet talk your vet in a script. I do have a paper I can email you if go this route. Much easier than trying to verbally explain to a vet.

The problem is to determine what the underlying cause is. My suspicion at this point would be bacterial. Having said that, I would go with antibiotics. First choice would be Neomycin and Triple Sulpha. Neomycin is given at rate of 250 mg gal. Triple Sulpha dose per package instructions. After 24 hours do a 50% water change and add back 50% of the original doses of medications. Treatment is for 10 days.

If Neomycin and Triple Sulpha are not available, then I would go to Furan 2. It should be available in LFS.

If it is possible to lower temps in the hospital tank, I would do so and try to bring it down as close to 69 degrees as you can. This should be done gradually.

Not knowing how long he has been like this I would be concerned about nutrition. Also Diamox can be an appetite suppressant. It is important to try to keep feeding him during treatment.

Dan
 
Gas bubble disease in seahorses is poorly understood. Even the experts don't exactly know the cause(s). I suspect there are probably several different possibilities. In this case, I am suspecting a bacterial issue since it is affecting several different places. The only way we can get close to a definitive cause for the underlying problem is to have a necropsy done if the horse should not make it. I am hoping the wide spectrum antibiotics save the horse.

Dan
 
He has passed away...meds arrived and then he let go....what caused this...cannot be water quality...my water is great...

do not want to get another till I figure out what went wrong this time. All was well for over 6 months then this.

Who knows,

Grant
 
Sorry to hear that Grant. Only way to have a really good idea as to what went wrong is to have a necropsy. That should give the cause of death, but that doesn't always tell you what the factors were that lead up to it.

Dan
 
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