I was hoping some of you might be able to provide a little guidance. I took on a tank from a coworker of mine who had felt overwhelmed with the day-to-day care involved in having seahorses. Unfortunately the coworker made some bad choices in her initial tank setup that I'm hoping to correct. So I'm having a few problems I was looking for help with. Since I got this tank I've been budgeting to upgrade to a larger tank for the seahorses. My coworker placed four erectus in a 15 gallon aqueon column tank. On this tank is a Fluval HOB filter, a heater (which I don't really use at the moment, the tank naturally stays about 70 or 71 degrees in my house), a small protein skimmer and an airline tube open with no air stone. It has a sand bed made up of live sand and black aquarium sand. I took on this tank in May and have since been saving to buy a new one. This weekend I planned to buy a new 50 or 55 gallon tank that has a sump, built in filter, etc. I'm hoping this could make a better home for them. Unfortunately, i can't really afford to go any bigger right now. There are two females and two males, one male I believe to be pregnant. I was hoping to use the 15 gallon column as a grow out tank should they breed. I was planning on posting here to ask a few questions about the tank upgrade, including what would be the best of the best for these guys regarding a filter, protein skimmer, and lights in a tank of this size, whether I'd need to cycle the new tank for 6 weeks before moving the horses, or if I used water from the previous tank if I could move them sooner, and any other suggestions you might have to make this tank great for them. Then a problem popped up this week. All four are active and great eaters. They eat enriched PE Mysis twice a day, 6 days a week. Yesterday, out of the blue, this beautiful white female seemed like she was having trouble hitching. I noticed a small white bump on the outside back of her tail, about halfway down. It has a pinkish hue around it. She would swim around but just lay on decor/plants/the ground. Today she's stopped eating and her breathing is becoming labored. I tried to research what to do online but I come up with an overwhelming number of possibilities and treatments. Upon closer look, I think another bump is rising near the other. I would like to know a few things. Should I set up a hospital tank? This is a seahorse only tank with the only tankmates being nessarius, nerite, and cerith snails. Should I treat the whole tank in case whatever she has is contagious and the other guys may have it too? Should I buy the new tank? Should I transfer the three and use the 15 gallon as a QT for the sick female? I do weekly water changes with RO/DI water because of the small tank size. Currently my pH is a 7.8. My ammonia and nitrite are virtually 0 and my nitrate is around 5.0 to 10 ppm. My salinity is 1.022. I tried to take a pic of the bumps but I couldn't get a good view of it where she's laying. If there's any other information you need, let me know. Any help you could give would be much appreciated.
Sick Seahorse/Tank Upgrade
- Thread starter drozhat
- Start date
vlangel
Premium Member
I could not really see the area that is affected and I am hoping that someone with more seahorse experience than me will jump in as I have never treated sick seahorses. From what I have read I think I would put her in a hospital tank and treat with furan-2. I would try to entice her with enriched adult brine if you have access to it and maybe gut load them with an antibiotic as well.
I would do a good scrub down of all the surfaces, syphon the sand and do a series of fairly large water changes for your other seahorses. If their hitches are artificial i would sterilize them with a bleach and water solution and then rinse really well until you don't small bleach. And i would work on getting that bigger upgraded tank going as soon as you can.
Again, please note that I am not experienced in treating sick seahorses, (since I have only been keeping them since October) so hopefully someone with real life experience could offer more effective council.
I would do a good scrub down of all the surfaces, syphon the sand and do a series of fairly large water changes for your other seahorses. If their hitches are artificial i would sterilize them with a bleach and water solution and then rinse really well until you don't small bleach. And i would work on getting that bigger upgraded tank going as soon as you can.
Again, please note that I am not experienced in treating sick seahorses, (since I have only been keeping them since October) so hopefully someone with real life experience could offer more effective council.
First I'd be putting her in a 10g hospital tank and treat with Furan II antibiotic, assuming that in it's living conditions bacteria is the most likely cause.
It doesn't appear to be a bubble as in gas bubble disease, but the picture is certainly not clear enough to be absolutely sure.
Be sure to have heavy aeration, changing out 50% of the water daily and having hitching in a few areas of the hospital tank.
The display tank should also have a LARGE water change, perhaps even 50% for that one also, vacuuming all hidden detritus and uneaten food from around rocks, decor and what can be trapped in some decor/hitching, as well as any that is getting caught in the sandbed if you have it.
Until you get a new tank, hopefully VERY soon, you are probably going to have to do frequent major water changes and vacuuming to clean up the water.
Test kits available to us in the hobby DO NOT TELL US when the water is too dirty and likely producing bacteria in severe numbers as the kits we use can indicate all is well when really it's not. These kits are checking for elements in the water not the levels of bacteria or even how much dirt that feeds and provides bedding for the nasty bacteria. It's up to us to do sufficient husbandry to satisfy their needs, and in a tank of 15g instead of 45 or more they should probably have, this husbandry is going to have to be really extreme.
It doesn't appear to be a bubble as in gas bubble disease, but the picture is certainly not clear enough to be absolutely sure.
Be sure to have heavy aeration, changing out 50% of the water daily and having hitching in a few areas of the hospital tank.
The display tank should also have a LARGE water change, perhaps even 50% for that one also, vacuuming all hidden detritus and uneaten food from around rocks, decor and what can be trapped in some decor/hitching, as well as any that is getting caught in the sandbed if you have it.
Until you get a new tank, hopefully VERY soon, you are probably going to have to do frequent major water changes and vacuuming to clean up the water.
Test kits available to us in the hobby DO NOT TELL US when the water is too dirty and likely producing bacteria in severe numbers as the kits we use can indicate all is well when really it's not. These kits are checking for elements in the water not the levels of bacteria or even how much dirt that feeds and provides bedding for the nasty bacteria. It's up to us to do sufficient husbandry to satisfy their needs, and in a tank of 15g instead of 45 or more they should probably have, this husbandry is going to have to be really extreme.
Well this morning, unfortunately, she had died. I am purchasing an Edge 60 gallon aquarium to house the other horses. I'm installing a sump underneath. Any advice on the best way to move these guys? Should I use water from the current tank when filling the 60 gallon? Should I wait the 6 weeks to cycle the tank with all new water? Should I treat the other seahorses in the 15 gallon with anything in case they have what the other had? I just want to set the new tank up the best possible way I can. I'd appreciate any and all advice and suggestions regarding the new tank, sump, lighting, heating, substrate, etc. I'd like to keep it a seahorse only tank, with snails to help with the clean up.
This is the tank I'm getting at my LFS.
http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Cube-Rimless-Black-24x24x24/dp/B00944110Q
This is the tank I'm getting at my LFS.
http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Cube-Rimless-Black-24x24x24/dp/B00944110Q
Sorry to hear of the death.
Wow! That's a lot of money for that tank. All my seahorse tanks together didn't cost me that much.
I just use regular rectangular tanks that have U tube overflows or have been drilled for overflows.
http://www.marineland.com/Products/...ctangular-freshwater-saltwater-aquariums.aspx scroll down to PDF tanks specs and sizes to see what is available and then check for a dealer close to you.
If you buy a much cheaper tank, then you will have more to spend on a protein skimmer rated for about 200g for a 55 to 60g tank. Skimmers are a BIG aid in successful seahorse keeping although not absolutely necessary.
I don't use anything with a built in system as all I use for biological filtration is the live rock which I put in the sump to make it easier to clean the display tank, and, to make it easier to find the seahorses when I want to view them.
The tank WILL have to be properly cycled, and, I don't know where you got the six week figure because all tanks can take different times to cycle.
I use ammonia to cycle the tanks, and when I think it has cycled based on my testing, I challenge the tank by adding enough ammonia to bring the level to at least 2 ppm and see if it will clear overnight. If so it should be good to go.
My personal preference is to start completely sterile, rock, tank, contents all.
You will have to keep them in the present tank for now but do major water changes and vacuuming in the meantime.
When transferring them over, all you have to do is match the two tanks for s.g., temperature and pH as close as possible. Don't net the seahorses but rather scoup them up with your hand and transfer them over. They may grab on to your finger but you can release it's hold once transferred.
Wow! That's a lot of money for that tank. All my seahorse tanks together didn't cost me that much.
I just use regular rectangular tanks that have U tube overflows or have been drilled for overflows.
http://www.marineland.com/Products/...ctangular-freshwater-saltwater-aquariums.aspx scroll down to PDF tanks specs and sizes to see what is available and then check for a dealer close to you.
If you buy a much cheaper tank, then you will have more to spend on a protein skimmer rated for about 200g for a 55 to 60g tank. Skimmers are a BIG aid in successful seahorse keeping although not absolutely necessary.
I don't use anything with a built in system as all I use for biological filtration is the live rock which I put in the sump to make it easier to clean the display tank, and, to make it easier to find the seahorses when I want to view them.
The tank WILL have to be properly cycled, and, I don't know where you got the six week figure because all tanks can take different times to cycle.
I use ammonia to cycle the tanks, and when I think it has cycled based on my testing, I challenge the tank by adding enough ammonia to bring the level to at least 2 ppm and see if it will clear overnight. If so it should be good to go.
My personal preference is to start completely sterile, rock, tank, contents all.
You will have to keep them in the present tank for now but do major water changes and vacuuming in the meantime.
When transferring them over, all you have to do is match the two tanks for s.g., temperature and pH as close as possible. Don't net the seahorses but rather scoup them up with your hand and transfer them over. They may grab on to your finger but you can release it's hold once transferred.
I could definitely not buy it at that price. That's just the link I found with the tank. My LFS is selling me the tank, cover, sump tank, cabinet that its on for about 400. I think it's worth it. I'm buying it tomorrow. I'll be following your advice with its setup. I was planning on getting one of the best skimmers you guys might recommend to go with this tank and use the sump as the filter.
vlangel
Premium Member
I recently bought a SCA-302 on Amazon for under $150 rated for 180 gallons. It does an excellant job and only just short of the 200 gallons ray suggested. It was the most reasonably priced skimmer in that range. It does not come with any instructions for assembly and set up but it was not too hard.
Similar threads
