Help!!

[lowride66]

Hi everyone,

I need some help with my seahorse. He is a Male Erectus.

About three weeks ago I noticed a bulge on his tail. I didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t really think anything of it because they use their tail to grip stuff. It does look like it has got bigger. Now Monday he has started this weird thing. I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t know if it is normal? Anyway he has been swimming around with his tail curved so that it is straight in the air. Even now and then he swims upside down with his tail in the air and he even swims slanted but the tail always points up but still curved. When he grabs on to something he seems to be pulling the rest of his body up, so that he is upright. I have been watching him at night when the lights go off and he seems to be sleeping upright. He eats just fine and other then this looks alright to me.

I did just have a loss of my female in the tank about 2 weeks ago. When I got her, she didn't eat for about 3 days. Then I noticed she had what looked like fin rot a few days later and she wasn't every active and not eating again. I treated the tank and she started moving around more and eating again. When I did the water change I moved my seahorse over to a bigger tank. Then a week later is when I lossed her.

Water is as follows:

Ph - 8.2
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Salt - 1.024

 

[DanU]

Can you post pictures? I am not sure from your description but is the horse having issues staying upright? Does there look to be swelling in part of the pouch?
If you don't have it already, you will want to set up a hospital tank. This can be done with an inexpensive 10 gal tank.
What meds if any do you have on hand? We will want to figure this out quickly if you need to order and have anything shipped as the weekend will be upon us.

Dan

 

[lowride66]

He does seem to have issues staying upright as I was noticing a little while ago, like if he let go he would go right to the top of the tank upside down. But just a few minutes ago he went to the bottom of the tank kind of slanted like. His pouch is not swelled. I will see if I can get a good picture of him.

 

[JennyL]

Is the bulge you describe on his tail clear and bubble like in appearance?

 

[lowride66]

 

[lowride66]

 

[lowride66]

The bottom picture is of him swimming.

Yes, the bulge looks like bubbles.

 

[lowride66]

Now that I do look at it closer, his pouch does look bigger.

 

[lowride66]

From reading on seahorse.org, I believe that my seahorse has external gas bubble disease on his tail. How do I go about getting the diamox to treat him? I don't have a prescription for the drug and no one in their right mind is going to give me one, since it is for human use only. I feel as if I am fighting a loss cause. Is there any other way to treat him?

I have called my vet and they said they don't carry it and gave me another number of a different vet. I called them and they are looking up info for me and I still have not heard back from them yet.

In the mean time I am working on setting up a hospital tank.

Thanks

 

[DanU]

There are 3 ways to get the Diamox. First is the method that you are attempting, by getting a Vet to write you a prescription. It you print the attachment in this link and give it to him/her you will likely have better success. I have found that if I show up in person and give them some type of documentation I get what I need for aquatic species. Over the phone, most don't have much success. 2nd way to get it is from ordering from here . Many have order from there and I haven't heard any complaints. Problem is that it takes a about a week to 10 days to receive it. Lastly is to find another hobbyist that already has it.

The link above on the Diamox has instructions on its use. A hospital tank will be needed so you do want to get it setup.

You mention earlier that one of the tanks was treated before you lost the female. Did the male receive the treatment as well. What and how did you treat? If it was a med, what dosage?

Dan

 

[lowride66]

I treated the tank with Melafix for seven days and yes, all three of the seahorse and goby received the treatment. If I remember right before I treated that tank, he had a small bulge going on.

 

[lowride66]

My seahorse likes to hitch on to the filter and that is his place to stay. Would that be a factor in why he has this?

 

[lowride66]

DanU

Thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!! I took the info out to my vet and they got me a prescription for the diamox.

I got my hospital tank all set up last night. I checked my water this morning and it is great. I got the pill crushed and up into the tank, along with the seahorse.

I only have an airstone to run in it. Is this ok or do I nee a filter?

A million Thanks to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DanU]

An airstone is fine. Don't crank it though. You just want enough for circulation. At this point I would rely on water changes instead of a biofilter. You may end up having to use antibiotics. How many tabs did the Vet prescribe? Are you dosing with 1 tab in the 10 gal?

Dan

 

[lowride66]

He prescribe 5 tabs and the tabs are 125mg. I am using one tab in a 10 gallon tank. Why would I have to use antibiotics?

I also have a 20 gallon tank filled with extra water, so all I have to do is move the seahorse change the water put him back (into the 10 gal) and add the diamox. When you write it or say it, it sounds easy but in reality it all takes time.

I feed him last night and he didn't eat and I took out all of the left over food after 15 mins of him not eating. I feed him again this morning and he was eating.

In case of an ammoina spike, how do I handle that? I did an ammonia check before I went to bed last night and it was creeping up. It was between 0 - .25. I will be doing a water change in the next hour.

 

[DanU]

If the Diamox doesn't do the trick, you may have to go the antibiotic route. The exact etiology of the cause of GBD is not well understood. I have seen cases where the Diamox alone has done the trick and other where it took a combination of Diamox and antibiotics.

Handling the ammonia is done by water changes and I like to use an ammonia blocker such as Amquel Pluse or Prime.

Keep an eye on the eating. Although I haven't had major issues with eating and Diamox, it is known to be an appetite suppressant.

Dan

 

[lowride66]

Dan,

If the Diamox doesn't which I should know in a few days. How do I go about treating with an antibiotic? What antibiotic do I use and is it something I have to have a prescription for?

Nichole

 

[DanU]

If you have to go the antibiotic route, first recommendation would Neo3 or Neomycin and Triple Sulpha. Althugh you don't need a prescription you will most likely need to order these online. These typically have the highest success ration. There are other choices but they typically have a less succcess IMHO.

Dan

 

[lowride66]

Now, with the directions on any one of those; do you follow them or do you give a higher or lower dose, since we are dealing with seahorse?

Nichole

 

[lowride66]

Today is day 4 and there seems to be no real change. He is still floating around upside down but the bubbles seem to be just at the tip of his tail. I will be ordering the Neo3 today, to have it on hand if needed.

Nichole