Casper's health is declining
- Thread starter melev
- Start date
DanU
New member
Lisa is correct - Wound Control by Aquatronics who is no longer in business. I have rounded up every bit I could find locally. If you should see any in a LFS, you should grab it.
Marc, you have done a great job with these guys! Both look good. I would be inclined to continue the Wound Control on Casper until the wound is healed over. I can't tell from the pics on the kuda. Tail still looks darkened, which may be from the Wound Control.
Dan
Marc, you have done a great job with these guys! Both look good. I would be inclined to continue the Wound Control on Casper until the wound is healed over. I can't tell from the pics on the kuda. Tail still looks darkened, which may be from the Wound Control.
Dan
melev
Well-known member
Thanks for the suggestion. Amanda suggested I do nothing but maintain good water quality for a week to see what happens, but I think I've already done that to be honest. This last week has been pretty busy with our meeting, projects, work, and sleep.
I probably should just do wound control each day for 7 days straight. Get this situation behind me finally.
I probably should just do wound control each day for 7 days straight. Get this situation behind me finally.
DanU
New member
I would be inclined to agree with her as far as antibiotic therapy goes. They went through a long round of antibiotic therapy. They look good and are eating. I would still apply the Wound Control until the wounds are healed. It would appear you are almost there. Let's hope so!
Dan
Dan
Swanwillow
goby girl
this is a bump, and
how is he doin?
how is he doin?
melev
Well-known member
Well, something has taken a turn for the worse. They both look fine, but Casper isn't eating properly any more. She looks like she wants to eat, eagerly chasing the food, but when she snicks, she misses. Her eyes are clear, but at this point the only food she seems to get is when she accidentally inhales some mysis rather than eating like she has in the past. I don't know if the lack of her tail is throwing off her aim, or if it is something new. Of course, I'm discouraged. Dan, have you ever seen anything like this before?
Both horses are much darker, almost black in color compared to the yellow they were before. I was thinking the tail rot issue was completely cured, and they were ready to go into their home tank finally.
Both horses are much darker, almost black in color compared to the yellow they were before. I was thinking the tail rot issue was completely cured, and they were ready to go into their home tank finally.
Dang, I would have thought one of the pros might have responded by now. I seem to remember in my reading that there is an infection/infestation that horses get that affects their ability to feed. Unfortunately I did not bookmark the thread. 
Maybe try pming lisa or someone that might be able to give you the details.
Fred
Maybe try pming lisa or someone that might be able to give you the details.
Fred
melev
Well-known member
I contacted National Fish Pharmaceuticals today by phone, and placed an order for more meds, so I can send LisaD back hers after all this time. Their site, for those that are needing the information, is www.nationalfishpharm.com and I ordered <b>Triple Sulfa Powder</b>, <b>Neomycin Sulfate Powder</b> and something new called <b>Parinox</b>. Each container contains 25 grams, which sounds like nothing but the jar stands 2.75" tall, the same ones I pictured earlier in this thread.
I'll go PM the troops.
I'll go PM the troops.
DanU
New member
Sorry Marc, I have been away from the boards for a while.
If the horse is able to snick strongly, I would think this is neurological of nature. If she has a weak snick I would suspect a parasitic issue. If this is indeed a neurological issue and it is from a bacterial cause, the antibiotics may help. Another possible cause could be an internal parasite and it has moved into the brain.
If you ever need a quick response and I don't reply, please feel free to email or call me directly.
Dan
If the horse is able to snick strongly, I would think this is neurological of nature. If she has a weak snick I would suspect a parasitic issue. If this is indeed a neurological issue and it is from a bacterial cause, the antibiotics may help. Another possible cause could be an internal parasite and it has moved into the brain.
If you ever need a quick response and I don't reply, please feel free to email or call me directly.
Dan
DanU
New member
Got the PM just after posting. Thought I would reply here.
I have used Parinox before. It has been a while and I have only used it once as an experiment. It seemed to have some efficacy, but I usually prefer meds that are geared to a particular situation rather than the shotgun approach. In this case, the shotgun approach may not be such a bad idea. Keep in mind, that if you have already started other medications, you don't want to mix them and you should follow though full course on any antibiotics that have been employed.
Dan
I have used Parinox before. It has been a while and I have only used it once as an experiment. It seemed to have some efficacy, but I usually prefer meds that are geared to a particular situation rather than the shotgun approach. In this case, the shotgun approach may not be such a bad idea. Keep in mind, that if you have already started other medications, you don't want to mix them and you should follow though full course on any antibiotics that have been employed.
Dan
Marc, I'm glad to see your help is back. Looks like a good source of meds that you found.
You know, this reminds me of a friend who had this 14 year old ratty looking terrier/heinz57 with missing teeth, bad eyesight and no sense of smell. One year he kept getting sick and my friend Bill kept treating him. $900 later the dog was back to some semblance of health. We used to tease Bill that he now had the 6 million dollar dog.
Here's to hoping casper becomes the 6 million dollar seahorse.
Fred
P.S. Thanks for sharing your woes with us. I am always concerned that sooner or later I will go through something like this and your experiences will help me a lot.
You know, this reminds me of a friend who had this 14 year old ratty looking terrier/heinz57 with missing teeth, bad eyesight and no sense of smell. One year he kept getting sick and my friend Bill kept treating him. $900 later the dog was back to some semblance of health. We used to tease Bill that he now had the 6 million dollar dog.
Here's to hoping casper becomes the 6 million dollar seahorse.
Fred
P.S. Thanks for sharing your woes with us. I am always concerned that sooner or later I will go through something like this and your experiences will help me a lot.
Marc,
I've been out of town all last week, and without web access. I'm sorry things have turned for the worse. It is not at all uncommon with seahorses. IME, once they have been significantly weakened by an infection, they are very touch and go for a while, sometimes permanently weakened. Dan gave you good advice, I don't have anything to add except to wish you good luck with them. You have done great, I hope they pull through.
I've been out of town all last week, and without web access. I'm sorry things have turned for the worse. It is not at all uncommon with seahorses. IME, once they have been significantly weakened by an infection, they are very touch and go for a while, sometimes permanently weakened. Dan gave you good advice, I don't have anything to add except to wish you good luck with them. You have done great, I hope they pull through.
melev
Well-known member
Thanks Lisa. I did another water change last night, and fed them their mysis. Casper seems determined to chase the food around, but I really don't know how she's staying alive. She must be eating just enough to get what she needs, because she doesn't look thin or emaciated. I keep studying her eyes, to see if they are cloudy or inflated, but it is hard to tell since this tank has no particular light system over it. From time to time, I think she has pop-eye on one side, but I can see her eyes moving and tracking stuff, and I think I'm just seeing things due to the way their eyes and sockets pivot.
Btw, I was at the LFS a few days ago, and they had some new medicated food in bottles, one of every kind of medicine you can could list. Neomycin was one of them. Reading the instructions, it says to skip a day of feeding, then use this product a few drops at a time each day. This might come in handy for others in the future, if it works.
Btw, I was at the LFS a few days ago, and they had some new medicated food in bottles, one of every kind of medicine you can could list. Neomycin was one of them. Reading the instructions, it says to skip a day of feeding, then use this product a few drops at a time each day. This might come in handy for others in the future, if it works.
Can you try holding a piece of frozen mysis on a bamboo skewer (sold for shish kabobs) and offering it to her? I had a very sick male seahorse, and the only way he survived was by hand feeding. Not only did he miss when he snicked, but he was too weak to move to the food. It is time consuming, but might help?
Morgandy
New member
Marc, what temp is the tank at, out of curiousity? I lowered mine 7-8 months ago to 70'ish to cut out possibility of too many pathogens/disease, etc.. 'Maybe' lowering a bit 'might' help?? I hate to see the rollar-coaster poor Casper is going through, and, just have to as usual give you credit for being such a good dad!
melev
Well-known member
To be honest, each day I'm amazed Casper is still alive. She is very excited when the food hits the water, but I don't see her eating anything. Of course I don't sit there and watch more than 30 seconds, or maybe she won't eat while I'm looking. 
Tank temp is up some, since it is getting warmer now. Remember, this is just a 10g tank with an airbubbler, no powerheads, no lights. It is 77F right now, and pH stays around 7.9 to 8.1 around the clock. The only way to cool it now is to put a fan on it, and then if it gets too cool, I've got to warm it with a heater. That would be a challenge, dialing that in.
Tank temp is up some, since it is getting warmer now. Remember, this is just a 10g tank with an airbubbler, no powerheads, no lights. It is 77F right now, and pH stays around 7.9 to 8.1 around the clock. The only way to cool it now is to put a fan on it, and then if it gets too cool, I've got to warm it with a heater. That would be a challenge, dialing that in.
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