Effects of using clove oil twice a day to tube feed??

[chuckdallas]

Folks, I know that if a person has to resort to tube feeding, it's sort of the last resort. I just attempted this at lunch today after spending a whole day Tuesday doing the homework and getting the supplies on Wednesday. Since we were on vacation until Sunday night and I didn't really notice the seahorse not eating his daily morning feedings of ghost shrimp until Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday mornings, I'm not really sure how long it's been since he stopped eating.

I was able to get food to go down into the area at/near/behind the gills. It was about 0.5 of whatever marking was on the side of the syringe (obtained from an EMT). Would that be CCs or milliliters? Either way, it wasn't much but he's about 3.5-4 inches inches tall (big guy and beautful orange). I was told to use a bare bottom tank for the next 2-3 days to see how much pooping he may or may not doing to see if my injections were successful. I don't have the ability to buy a 10 gallon tank and a filter right now. If I use a bucket to hold him away from his normal tank, with an air stone from the double-tubed air pump on another tank, it will be really tough to see the bottom of the bucket and whether he's pooped. Any suggestions? He's about a day or two from dying, unless these injections work. I want to tube feed in the morning and at night before his bedtime.

Can I use the water that has the clove oil in it twice in one day if the bowl sits on the kitchen counter for 4-6 hours between feedings?

Are there any detrimental effects on the seahorse from giving him the clove oil twice a day? Remember he's about a day or two from drawing his last breath of water.

 

[namxas]

1 cc = 1 ml

The major graduations on the syringe is most likely cc's, depending on the size of your syringe.

I'd say just make sure the cloves is well-mixed just prior to reusing it the same day.

As fas as being detrimental to the SH, you're doing what you have to do until you can get it eating.

 

[Peka]

Have you tried without the clove oil. I don't use clove oil when I tube feed. You just need to wait until they relax in your hand...I would only do it once a day, not twice. Twice stresses them out a lot.

 

[DanU]

Many do the tube feeding without clove oil.

There is some merit to what Beth is saying about once a day on the tube feeding.

Do Not do more than .5 cc for the tube feeding. cc's = ml's. Same thing.

Try mixing in a little B12 into the gruel when tube feeding. It can act as an appetite stimulant and will give the seahorse a little boost.

Often seahorses can go for a longer period of not eating than what is normally assumed. If you are getting any gruel down and the seahorse is excreting normal feces, this will be enough to survive on.

Using a bucket is fine provided you kept the parameters in check.

Dan

 

[namxas]

Thanks Beth and Dan...good points (I've never had to tube feed, so I'm glad you stepped up).

That's also a great point about the B12, Dan...we've used it to get some of our Scorpaeniformes eating for us.