H Reidi looking a little thin

[millstreetzoo]

I have 2 male H Reidi’s. I have had them for just over a year, so they are about 1 1/2. They have always been really fat. Today at evening feeding time I noticed that one of the horses looks kind of skinny, while the other is still quite fat. He is eating and acting normal. Is there anything that can cause a sudden weight loss?

My system is:
A 24 gallon aqua pod no mods. A little rock and lots of different macros. Parameters all test fine; temp â€"œ 75, SG â€"œ 1.023, Am-No2-No3 all 0, Alk 9, PH â€"œ 8. I do a 4 gallon water change every 2 weeks, clean filters and change the carbon. The only problem I have ever had with the tank is occasional cyno in lowest flow areas due to excess nutrients. I run the actinic 15 hours a day and the bright lights 5 hours a day.

Other inhabitants are 1 clown goby (he's been in the tank about 6 months), a few scarlet hermits, a variety of snails and a carnation coral.

Feeding â€"œ I feed twice a day â€"œ mysis soaked in selcon and garlic. I leave the pump off for 1 hour each feeding. The tank is loaded with pods and I add more every two months.

I am a little concerned and wondering if there is anything I should be watching for.
Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[pledosophy]

What are the source of the seahorses?

Why are you using garlic?

 

[millstreetzoo]

The horses are captive bred. I soak food for all of my fish with a little garlic.

 

[cmsargent]

Is the horse still eating the usual amount of food? If he's eating but still skinny it could be worms. Less likely in a CB than WC but not impossible. I've read several threads with people who have problems with worms in OR horses.

If he's not eating at all then you have bigger problems. Lots of things can make a horse go off food. An infection is a possibility but usually there are other signs. Does the horse otherwise look ok? And spots, discolorations, skin sloughing, or anything else ususual?

For now just watch the horse closely and give it a good looking over for any signs of disease. Try to see if he's eating normally or if he is off his feed.

 

[millstreetzoo]

He is eating, as for his normal amount it is hard to tell. He grazes pods all day and his snick is fine.
He looks good. I have not noticed any change in his coloration, no obvious marks - nothing unusual - he just looks thinner than normal and much thinner than his buddy.
Is there a definitive way to tell if it is worms, and how would I treat for worms?
I appreciate your help - hopefully I am just overreacting. I really like these guys and feel better when they are nice and fat.

 

[whatnot45]

has the temperature of the tank gone up any in the past few days? A higher tank temperature increases their metabolism, and if he has been eating the same amount and the temperature has gone up, it might not be enough....

 

[millstreetzoo]

No, the temp has no fluctuated.

 

[cmsargent]

I'd just keep a close eye on him for a bit. As long as he's eating and doesn't continue to lose weight to the point of being emancipated I wouldn't do anything. There could be any number of reasons why he's a bit skinner and he may well regain the weight on his own. You could try to add in another feeding a see if that helps. If he continues to loose weight over the next month or two then you might want to consider deworming.

On a side note being too fat is just as unhealthy for seahorses as it is for people. They can get fatty liver disease that can significantly shorten their lifespan. So while I understand why you don't want your horses to be too skinny being to fat is also not good. I mention this because I noticed your enriching your mysis with selcon. What brand mysis do you feed? The freshwater mysis (like P.E.) are already high in fatty acids. Enriching those with selcon is overkill. You'd be better off enriching them with algae (like Spirulinia) or something like nutraRose (a Astaxanthin pigment).

If you can post a pic of your horses it might help to see how skinny this guy is (or if he just looks skinny compared to a fat horse).