Help please.. Seahorse can't eat

[are smith]

I am really hoping someone can help me. I have noticed today that my female Kuda is struggling to eat. She tries to eat the mysis food but misses it. She just can't seem to get her snout close enough to pick the food up. Anybody know what might be wrong? I have had her for over a year and not had any problems before.

Thanks

 

[Fishtitious Per]

Are all water parameters stable? Anything added to or removed from the tank? Done a water change lately? Are you due one? Lights and temp the same? Have you tried target feeding right in front of her snout? Any change in appearance? Tankmates?

 

[rayjay]

If the trigger is not stuck, there may be parasitic problems that need to be remedied.
I usually start with a 12 minute fresh water dip matching temperature and pH of the water to the tank water. Only remove the seahorse early if it becomes unresponsive to touching it.
You may actually see the parasites "exploding" from the seahorses into the fresh water accompanied by thrashing around of the seahorse when it is first placed into the dip.
Next step would be to do a formalin dip if that's not sufficient.
How many do you have and in what size tank? What is tank temperature?

 

[are smith]

Hi.. There is no change to the tank and the water was only changed on Sunday.

I have tried putting the food right next to her and bless her she Kees trying to get the food but misses it...very occasionally she is lucky and manages to eat a piece.

I have never done a fresh water dip before rayjay, please can you explain exactly what I need to do?

Thanks

 

[rayjay]

You never replied about tank size, numbers of seahorses, and tank water temperature.
As for the dip, you take chlorine free water, and adjust the pH to be the same as what the tank water is, using an acid to lower the pH or a base to increase the pH. You also match the temperature to tank water.
Place the seahorse into the container of dip water and usually it will thrash around for a bit.
After that, it may lie on the bottom or it may continue slowly moving around.
If it lays on the bottom and won't show any response when you touch it, then remove it at that time. Otherwise, leave it for 12 minutes.
Place it back in the salt water after the dip.
You may have to start hand feeding if it doesn't start eating soon as seahorses that go more than 4 days without food are hard to get back to eating again, often leading to their death.
Are you sure the trigger is not stuck?

 

[MondoBongo]

when i've done freshwater dips before (on other things, not seahorses) i have used plastic container, buffered some RODI water with standard LFS alk/ph buffer, then floated it in my main tank for a while to equalize the temperature.

takes a little longer, but is easier to match the temp my floating it for an hour or so than trying to calibrate a spare heater.

obviously make sure it is sealed or maintains an upright posture while being floated, so it doesn't dump in to your tank.

 

[are smith]

Hi.. Thanks guys for the info. I have a 180 litre tank with 4 seahorses; water temp is 24 degrees.

I tried the freshwater dip today although didn't leave her in there for 12 minutes, only about 6. Apart from being stressed at being moved to a bucket she didn't thrash about at all. I have put her back in the main tank but still no joy eating tonight.

I may try a saltwater dip tomorrow with some antiparisite stuff added. Or do you think I should try another freshwater dip but for longer?

Rayjay...you mentioned about trigger being stuck... What do you mean?

I am so concerned about her.. She is still trying to eat but her attempts to are reducing :-(

 

[rayjay]

If there was no thrashing about when first placed into the dip, then it most likely is not caused by parasites then.
Formalin would be the preferred treatment for medical dip but that probably won't help if it isn't parasites.
Here is an old thread about a similar problem. See post #8 by Dan Underwood of seahorsesource.com, the most helpful breeder in North America.
You may be best to contact him with all your information and see what he suggests in case there is new up to date information.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1422025
As for the trigger, it is a part of the mechanism in the snout/mouth of the seahorse used for snicking the food up. I actually still don't really understand how it works but I've had one (many years ago) with a stuck trigger so it couldn't eat.
In my case, the snout mouth was stuck partially open while the trigger was stuck.
Here is an Ocean Rider thread on the matter.
http://www.seahorse.com/forum/weak-snick-cause-theories

 

[are smith]

Thanks. I have now decided to put her in a separate tank so that I can concentrate food to her; in the main tank my other lovelies are getting their first!.. I am also giving the water a small amount of Para Guard as well just to be sure it isn't parasites. Having been very patient today I have seen her actually manage to eat a few bits of frozen mysis which is a start.. I am hoping that as the days progress she may be able to eat more. I did also try live Copepods and brine shrimp but she simply wasn't interested.

I'll also have a look at the threads you suggested.

Cheers guys...will keep you posted on progress.

 

[are smith]

She is now no eating at all :-(.. Not sure if that is because of whatever illness she has or because I have seperated her into another tank.. Will see tomorrow...May put her back in the main tank.. It is so hard to know the right thing to do..

 

[rayjay]

Putting it back in the display tank is only going to add to the stress level.
You are going to have to feed it using a syringe and cannula cut long enough to get past the trigger and gills. I think mine is 18mm. If you don't get the food in far enough, it will just come back out the snout.
Force Feeding Seahorses