Black Seahorse... Possible Gas Bubble Disease 4/29/09
I have a black seahorse that is acting weird. He will rise to the top and float up to the back where my water intake is. I have a 54 gallon corner drilled tank so the suction isn't that forceful, but I am worried he will get stuck and cant get loose.
<I would recommend building some type of mesh wall near the overflow to prevent the seahorse from being stuck onto it with suction. Please remember to clean the mesh often since it is in front of intake.>
I use a bamboo skewer and hold next to his tail, he wraps around it and I move him back down. He is alert and eating good.
<He sounds like he is doing okay if he is still eating, alert, and taking part in your rescues to the bottom of the tank.>
I have a protein skimmer going and all parameters are okay. just as they have been.
Any ideas as to what is going on?
<Assuming that parameters are in fact okay, and that I can assume your seahorse is a male, based on your use of “he”, my first though would be gas bubbles. Seahorses can get bubbles underneath their skin, in the case of the male often inside the brooding pouch. I would suggest you do a search for similar issues on www.seahorses.org , try both the names Gas Bubble Disease and Pouch emphysema.>
Many thanks
<Good Luck
Josh Solomon>

Seahorse with apparent damaged eye...  2/16/09
I have a Brazilian seahorse (reidi) which has one eye that looks it has lost the pupil and now has the appearance of a small white tube. There seems to be still some movement of the eye itself. Any suggestion on what this can be? Regards Jessie
<...? On the basis of what is presented here, I'd say your seahorse may have lost an eye... From? A mechanical injury? A tankmate? W/o data on the set-up, water tests, maintenance... there's nothing more I can venture. Oh,
read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/tube-mfi.htm
and the linked files at top. Bob Fenner>

Id help--Picture included   1/29/09 Hi, it's very tiny and I found it crawling around on one of my CB seahorses. <Unusual...> Is it a peanut worm? <Might be, but the pic is so small, unresolved, I can't tell you with any confidence what phylum this speck belongs to> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v330/Bbella/?action=view&current=P1281076.jpg *[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/Bbella/P1281076.jpg[/IMG] Thanks, Liz* <Welcome. Bob Fenner>

A Hirudinean? RMF.

Pipefish/Health 1/24/09
Hi there!
<Hello Cai>
I had two Corythoichthys sp (probably intestinalis). When purchased they seemed healthy, and as I placed them in my 128 litre (appr. 30 gallon) tank they were the only fish in there. I have had the tank going without fish for quite a while and it has a very good pod population. The pipefish were actively eating, until about the fourth or fifth day I found that they had changed the behaviour pattern. From being actively swimming around they were laying on the sand or LR and then sporadically swam around very fast for a short while after which they again settled on the sand. The next
morning one of them was dead, to be followed by the other two days later.
One of them was on its back upside down before it died, which I do not think is natural for pipefish. There were no marks on their bodies on either of them. I have come up with two possible theories on their deaths (btw the water is fine, I tested it afterwards).
1) There is a pistol shrimp, Alpheus sp. I have seen it and it is about1,5 cm in length. Could it have defended its cave with snapping and thus brought some inner damage for example to the swim bladder that caused the behavioral change before death.
<Is quite possible.>
2) They were so hungry from having a fairly sterile tank in the LFS and when they got in my tank they simply ate themselves to death. This could also explain the behavioral change, though I have not found any references of this on the web.
<Pipefish are relatively slow eaters due to their small tubular mouths and is unlikely they died from overeating as most folks recommend a constant supply of pods in their tank and here is where a refugium can be beneficial. This in turn will help simulate nature as they do forage for food continually. They are relatively easy to keep providing proper food
and system requirements are met. Outside of the possibility of the pistol shrimp causing any harm, I really do not have an explanation. If the swim bladder was affected, they likely would have a hard time staying on the bottom. Other crew members may chime in here with their input. Should you decide to have another go at pipefish, do read the link below. You may find the information beneficial on your next attempt should you so decide.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/hcs3/index.php
Thanks, Cai, Kirkkonummi, Finland
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>

Sick seahorses   1/10/09 I was hoping you could help me. <Will certainly try> I have done a lot of web searching and not been able to find the answer. I have had a 12 gallon nanocube tank with three seahorses (captive bred, h. erectus, one yellow, two black) <Mmm, this species needs more room than this... this, these small volumes are very hard to keep sufficiently stable, optimized> since Nov. It was properly cycled before adding the seahorses, I do my weekly water changes, and take a sample of water to the fish store weekly to have tested, and they have been healthy and active until last week. One started getting white spots on it (picture attached) it looked like it was shedding a little. <"They" do this> It was still eating good, but was not very active. Sunday night it didn't eat, and Monday morning it was dead. The next day one of my black ones started getting white spots on it and looking like it was shedding. It quit eating Wednesday night and was dead Thursday morning. The one that is left still looks good, is still active, but I am worried that I will lose it too. The only thing I could find was that maybe it was flesh erosion disease? How do I treat that, and how do I keep my last one for getting it? Thank you, Krista Payne <Mmm... if you had a microscope, easy access to one, you could take a look/see at this material... try to discern if this is parasitic... but given the peak of your photo, the presence of the "Polyps" (Clavulariids) here... I am more inclined to believe that these fish are suffering from environmental stress... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/seahorssysfaqs.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Sick Seahorses – 6/4/08
Hi there
<Hello Samantha, Brenda here!>
I have 4 seahorses in a 50L tank and have had them for 5months but 2 of them are really sick. They have turned white and won’t eat.
<What are you feeding? >
The white stuff on one will come off but he looks clear and see through his eyes are shut and he’s only just moving... the other one I think is dead.
<Did you quarantine?>
Please help me work out what I’ve done wrong as I won’t be getting anymore till I know how this has happened. I honestly thought I was doing well as this is the first time I’ve ever owned seahorses.
Samantha
<Unfortunately, I can’t be of much help to you. If your horses were wild caught they need to be put through a series of medications to rid them of disease. I suggest purchasing captive raised horses in the future. Please visit the folk over at www.seahorse.org for the best information available on Seahorse care. Brenda>

Re: Sick Seahorses – 6/11/08
Hi there Samantha here again.
<Hello Samantha! >
My seahorses are not from the wild I bought them from the pet shop.
<Most Seahorses sold in pet shops are wild collected. Were you specifically told that these were captive raised? >
The only thing I was told to feed them is frozen brine shrimp.
<Brine shrimp is not enough, try some Mysis shrimp. >
I only have one Seahorse left as all the others died so yeah it is quarantined. I have been to the website that you suggested and can’t find much help.
<Try posting in the emergency section. Brenda>

... Seahorse bubbles, algae troubles, glass tank colors  - 05/31/08
Hi everyone,
I have a few question. I have had seahorses for a while now. Lately though I have lost 2 of them due to bubbles on them.
<?>
I just the other day. These are beautiful creatures and really hate to lose them. I read somewhere that when they get them you have to pop the bubble and release the air. I have done that and still I lose them. My questions are: What do I do when they do get them? What can I do stop this from happening again?
<Mmm, you should take a look through Ocean Rider (.com)s site... their search tool re>
And what causes this? Different subject now is in my other tank I am starting to get a lot of green hair algae. I have read in your website that it is caused by Phosphate, Nitrates or too much lighting.
<These are principal possibilities; there are others>
Its in a 24 Aquapod. Im doing water changes every week to get this under control but nothing. I have media in there for Phosphates and Nitrates and I am also using Algone and nothing seems to be helping. I drilled the top hood to run plumbing so I can have a sump in the bottom stand where I have my Protein Skimmer and UV light and filter. Im losing here on this tank. What else can I do.
<... need more data. You should read on WWM re: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/maintenance/index.htm
scroll down to Marine Algae...>
Its mostly coral in there and reef fishes in there. Last subject. I have a 55 gallon. Friend on mine got rid of his 250 gallon and gave me his Tiger eel. Its too big for my 55 so I got a 125 the other day. The kid that had it has a snake in it.
<Warning! This tank may not be made to hold water... the glass may be too thin... I urge you to measure the thickness before filling>
The glass is kind of stained on the back. Its a real smooth stain when you can barely feel it with your nail. Not even a razor blade will take it off as it is too smooth. Don't want to run anything rough as I don't want to scratch it. LFS told me to use vinegar and salt as the abrasive and that might work. Do you have any other ideas??? Thanks Bill M
<... see WWM re cleaning tanks... the vinegar and salt should do it. Bob Fenner>

Hippocampus capensis aka Zulu Lulu Seahorses – 07/30/07
Bob did a great job with your query. There are just a couple of things I would like to add and reinforce. 10g is to small for all the usual reasons small tanks are not recommended as well as I believe they need more space. 20 would be good and 30 even better. They seem to be bottom dwellers and love to cruise around along the substrate and IMO a bigger footprint would be better for them. Since they do spend so much time on the substrate a softer finer sandy substrate would be best for them….anything rough or sharp is a potential risk for cuts and scratches that could get infected, because they actually drag their tails and bellies on the substrate. The information about capensis doing well at higher temps and showing prettier colors is very dated information. The pretty colors are not worth the risk of their health IMO. Please do not attempt to keep them at 77 to 78 degrees. This is a certain death sentence for them. They are adorable little creatures no matter what color they display. They do not do well at warmer temps it will more than shorten their life span. Everyone I know of including myself who attempted this quite a while ago lost their capensis to tail infections and as a matter of fact some of those people were able to "cure" them for a while by lowering the temps. They are indeed a temperate species and most definitely need a chiller. They should be kept in the 66 to 69 degree range. I would not even attempt 72, which is the upper end of the documented range for them. I hope this helps. Leslie>

Re: Hippocampus capensis aka Zulu Lulu Seahorses... sel., hlth. – 07/30/07
<Hi there, I apologize for not checking my mail box and answering this in a timely fashion. I do have a little additional info to add to Bob's response to your query.
You can find info on the use of Pancur for treating hydroids on the www.oceanrider.com web site. As for capensis being able to eat the Hawaiian red feeder shrimp, you would be surprised they can. They are actually quite determined little eaters. If their food is to big to go down in one snick they will keep snicking until it is gone. I have seen them tackle some good sized mysis. Yes female seahorses can get subcutaneous and generalized gas bubble disease. They however do not seem to be as prone to it as the males are, in my experience.
Hope this helps. Leslie>

Seahorse Loss 7/5/07
Hey guys!!! <Hi Bill, MacL here with you tonight.>
Wanted to know what I did wrong. Have a 24g AquaPod reef tank. Have 2 seahorses, 2 Blue Reef Chromis, PJ Cardinal, Firefish Goby and a Mandarin Dragonet. I pulled my 2 seahorse out and put it in my 55 gallon where I have another seahorse and 1 Chromis and that's its. Been working on the smaller tank so I don't have much in the bigger yet. Anyways, I pulled them out cause I needed to redo my live rocks cause I have about 8-9 different corals and it was getting kinda sloppy in there. The next day I notice ONE of my seahorses acting weird by laying against a rock. Now when I moved them they didn't touch air. The whole move was done under water. So I pulled her out of my tank and put her back in hers thinking she was home sick. I know these seahorses stress real easily. So that night she was acting even worse. She would not use her tail and would bounce off of it like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. So I looked at her tail and it was starting to peel its skin and you could see the white. <Do you have a heater in either of the tanks where she could have grabbed onto it? I've seen this happen when the seahorse grabs the heater and gets burnt badly.> So then I knew something was wrong. The other seahorses are fine. The next day (4th of July so I couldn't go out to buy her meds) her whole tail was peeling its skin and by the end of the night she was dead. <Unfortunately this sounds just like what I saw with a friends seahorse after it got burnt by the heater.>
WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?!?!? It happened so quickly. Everyone else is doing just fine. I tested the water and everything checked within specs
Thanks
Bill M

Re: Seahorse homicide, hlth, sys  – 07/18/07
<Hey Bill, sorry about the delay in response. Unfortunately life is kicking me in the pants lately.>
I didn't think of that but the only tank that has a heater is the 55 which is the tank I put her in when I was doing the move but the heater barely ever turns on and my other seahorse is always attached it and nothing has happened to him. <I always recommend not having internal heaters or having the heater placed behind something with a seahorse because all it takes is one time for it to turn on while the seahorse is holding on and they are just such tempting things for the ponies to grab onto.>(knock on wood). Can it be something else or do you think she was more sensitive than the other seahorse? <I really believe it turned on and got her. I'm sorry for your loss. But on the bright side that is something that is very correctibly for your tank and the safety of your babies. Good luck, MacL>

Seahorses... hlth... no data of use    6/21/07
One of my seahorses seems to has developed a problem. The tip of His tail appears to have turned white and he seems to have trouble holding on. He is swimming but does not do so as freely as he always does. Is the tip of the tail turning white a symptom and what can I do to cure it.
Grewsh
<Doesn't sound/read good... And no useful info. re the system, maint., water quality tests, foods/feeding, tankmates... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seahorsdisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above, and review the seahorse health archives on OceanRider.com
Soon.
Bob Fenner>

Infected Tank???  6/20/07
Hi Crew,
<Cindy>
Bob, Anthony and Eric. Thanks for all your help in the past. I have successfully, with your assistance as well as the help of a wonderful and financially supportive Husband, built a beautiful Seahorse Paradise over the past year. I find myself once again thrown into a learning curb (hard lesson). I have a 120-Gallon Oceanic with trickle filter and sump system. I use the sump as a refugium, set up with live sand and Chaeto Algae's. I have 100+ lbs. of live rock, 3-4 inch sand and Aragonite mixed bed. Corals include LPS' mostly, few leathers (don't like my nitrate issues) and two plating Montiporas. My water perimeters are Ammonia 0, even with deaths in the tank, Nitrites 0, PH 8.3, Nitrates 20-40,
<Mmmm>
Only drops below 20 right after water changes. I do water changes of 20% once weekly. I vacuum substrate daily of debris and food waste (which accounts for another 20% weekly). I know the nitrates are high for corals. Bob had improved them greatly with the suggestion of the sump and thickening the sand bed.
<May want to add more still>
I have a seahorse set-up, which requires extreme feeding circumstances
<And hard to accomplish both in large/r systems... getting enough food to the horses...>
(any other nitrate lowering suggestions would help). The real problem is the latest additions to my tank were not, AS ADVERTISED, Tank Raised. I find myself losing Ocean Rider Seahorses;
<Bunk!>
I have successfully kept for a year. Pete Giwojna thinks the tank is possibly infected with Amyloodinium or Uronema.
<REAL trouble>
My question to you is.... with Corals mentioned above, 8 Seahorses remaining, 12+ Peppermint Shrimp, 12+ Astrea Snails, 12+ Scarlet crabs, 3 Banggai Cardinals, 1 Jawfish Goby and a bio load to die for, How Do I treat the Tank? I am ready to destroy a years worth of work and thousands of $$ to Nuke the tank in order to reset with all fake ingredients for Seahorse safety. I don't know what else to do. I can treat seahorses, corals, live rock and sand all separate if need be, but what will assure me I will not re-infest everything when introducing back to main tank. What should I discard i.e., cleaning crew, Macro's, etc? Please help. I have to get this system back in line before I lose the rest of my stock. I have searched your site and read through all my books (mostly from you guys) but as you can see, I have a pretty isolated problem, which is going to take the expertise of several professionals in different fields. Thanks for being there and for your advice even if it means starting over.
Cindy
<A bunch of trouble... but I would remove all the fishes to other quarters and treat with (sequentially, one, then the other) an intermediate (moving the fishes to likely two sub-systems... one for the horses, the other for the other fishes... for maint. issues), a pH-adjusted FW bath and formalin immersion (see WWM re) and two weeks later Chloroquine per here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/amylloodiniumart.htm... We (you, I, PeteG) can/should "chat" re this process if you feel uncomfortable. Bob Fenner>

Infected Tank??? Seahorses f? Bgrd.s   8/15/07
Hi Bob,
<Cynne>
Thanks for the response. I cannot believe I passed up the opportunity to have a three-way chat with you and Pete.
<Heeeee!>
That was like inviting a groupie back stage, seeing as how I am a huge fan of you both. I have been very busy trying to treat individual specimens in two separate tanks. I pulled all horses and began treatment for bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections all with no luck. I have only one OR survivor. Everyone lost appetites and slowly gave up the fight. Strangely enough I left all cleaning crew and fish in the main tank and treated it with Rally Reef.
<Mmmm>
The shrimp, snails, and
fish are all fine?
<Likely so... this product is a placebo at best>
Needless to say the nitrates have diminished alot
<No such word>
of the corals, or at least I believe that’s what caused it. My question to you now is, I would like to tear down this tank and reseal it (using the advice I have found here) as well as paint the background blue. The tank is about 8 yrs. old and currently has the black background. I went through all the archives on building as well as repairing tanks and could not find out if there is a safe way to go about this.
<Sure there is...>
One of the excerpts I read said that pool paint could be used in ponds. I also found that tub and tile epoxy (baby safe when cured) had been used in some cases on aquariums. The tank is a glass Oceanic; will these materials adhere to the surface and be fish safe?
<Mmm, yes... but I would just use a water-based latex paint here>
Or should I try to find a Plexiglas material and cover the backing?
<Nah>
Thanks again for all the time you sacrifice to make this hobby less stressful for others. My plan now is to try my hand at a species only tank with Scorpion fish and Anglers. I will be back in touch when I get to the restocking stages
Thanks Again Cynne
<Welcome. BobF>

Seahorses SOS 6/15/07
HI,
<Hello>
I'm sorry, but I have not looked on your website for the answer on my question and I am hoping for a quick response. <Usually quicker to search yourself, often mails can go hours or days without answers.>
I have a 30 gallon seahorse tank that has been up and running for 2 years with no problems. I moved the tank to a different location and did a large water change (about 75%). One of my seahorses is laying on the sand bottom not looking to happy and I noticed that the plant that is in the tank is turning yellow and there is green balls on top of the leafs (it looks like the color is being pulled out of the leafs thru the pores).
Please help my seahorses I don't want to lose them.
Thank you, Diana
<Sounds like something is off with the new water. Check its parameters and how it compares to the previous readings. I try to limit any water change to less that 25%, and just do them more often when I need to.>
<Chris>

Seahorse problem, no useful data   5/14/07
I have had two seahorses for over a year now with no problems. They eat well, and were doing fine. But about a month ago, I found one dead that was basically white in color, due to the bristleworms eating it. Now, my female, I notice is losing it's tail. It's turning white, as if a parasite is eating it alive.
The seahorse is still eating, and from the very beginning I have always done water changes every week. I am not good with knowing what to treat them with, or with medications. I've really never had to before with my other fish, except ich. I read that a freshwater dip works well, but I am afraid of having the fish suffer anymore than it already probably is. Any info would be very appreciated.  Thanks,  Eddie V.
<Need much more information here... re your system set-up, maintenance, water test results/history, foods/feeding... I do strongly suggest your joining, browsing one or more of the seahorse BB's... and writing to Pete Giwojna, perusing the archives of OceanRider.com's site. Bob Fenner>

Re: Lugol's Dip and Gorgonians, Pete, will you take a look at, refer? & bacteria f', human dis.   – 4/10/07
<Yowsa Pete! Thanks as usual for this dissertation! BobF>
Dear Mark:
Bob forwarded your email to me and asked me to lend a hand with your dilemma.  It's very difficult to say what may have caused the demise of  your H. kuda but I would be happy to share my thoughts on the matter with you  for whatever it's worth, sir.
Like all fish, seahorses do occasionally develop various granulomas, malignant neoplasms, tumors and fibrosarcomas associated with certain diseases  or the aging process, but these primarily affect internal organs.   Furthermore, such growths are not characteristic of vibriosis and, judging from  the symptoms you described -- or lack thereof -- it seems unlikely that a Vibrio infection was involved in this case.
I am more concerned about the possibility that the tumor may have been a granuloma symptomatic of a Mycobacterial infection.  Granuloma disease is  caused by gram positive, acid-fast bacteria from either the genus Mycobacteria  or the closely related genus Nocardia invading the tissue and internal organs and organ systems. Both of these bacteria can affect the skin as well as the internal organs, causing nodules and granuloma. And both Mycobacteria and Nocardia can be transmitted to man, causing a localized, unsightly skin rash  after entering through a cut or break in the skin.
Here is an excerpt from my new book (Complete Guide to the Greater  Seahorses in the Aquarium, TFH Publications, unpublished) that discusses mycobacteriosis in more detail, Mark.  It may help give you a better idea  whether or not the tumor you noticed could have been associated with granuloma  disease:
MYCOBACTERIOSIS, A.K.A. PISCINE TUBERCULOSIS
Mycobacteriosis is also known by the following synonyms: fish tuberculosis, piscine tuberculosis, granuloma disease, swimming pool granuloma, fish tank granuloma, and acid-fast disease (Aukes, 2004; Leddo, 2002a). Like all fishes, seahorses are susceptible to Mycobacteriosis. It is not uncommon in wild-caught  seahorses obtained from pet stores and is the second most commonly seen  bacterial infection of syngnathids at large public aquaria after Vibriosis (Bull  and Mitchell, 2002, p20).
Cause:
Fish tuberculosis is caused by pathogenic Mycobacteria, of which two different species are the primary culprits: Mycobacterium marinum and  Mycobacterium fortuitum (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). Unlike most bacteria the plague  fish, these Mycobacteria are gram-positive, and take the form of pleomorphic  rods that are acid-fast and nonmotile (Aukes, 2004). When cultured on solid  media, they form cream-colored to yellowish colonies (Aukes, 2004).
Mycobacteriosis is worldwide in distribution (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). All fish species are considered susceptible to it (Aukes, 2004). Although this disease can in fact infect almost all fish, certain species are more vulnerable than others (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). The most susceptible species are freshwater tropicals such as black mollies, all gouramis, Neons and other tetras, all labyrinth air breathers, and most species of the Carp family (goldfish and koi, for example), Aukes, 2004.
Mycobacteria are ubiquitous and waterborne, and the aquatic environment is considered the disease reservoir for fish tuberculosis (Aukes, 2004).  
Mycobacterium marinum has been cultured throughout the world from swimming pools, beaches, natural streams, estuaries, lakes, tropical fish tanks, city tap  water and well water (Aukes, 2004; Leddo, 2002a). Human epidemics of  granulomatous skin disease have occurred from swimming in infected water, and in  fact, this mode of human infection is far more common than infection from  exposure to infected fish tanks (Aukes, 2004; Giwojna, Sep. 2003).
Clinical Signs:
There is a very severe or peracute form of this disease, in which fish can simply be found dead without showing any telltale signs or symptoms (Bull and Mitchell, 2002, p20), but that is quite rare. In my experience, Mycobacteriosis  is a chronic disease that progresses quite slowly in aquarium fishes (Giwojna,  Sep. 2003). It may take years for an infected fish to develop any symptoms of  apparent illness and much longer before it becomes fatal (Aukes, 2004).
The  glacial progression of the disease makes it difficult to diagnose. Some early  signs to look out for include lethargy, fin loss, emaciation, skin inflammation  and ulceration, edema, Popeye, and peritonitis (Aukes, 2004). There may be  superficial skin lesions that take the form of small subdermal lumps or pus-filled nodules of granulation tissue (Bull and Mitchell, 2002, p21).
These  are simply the outward manifestations of a systemic infection that may already  involve many of the major internal organs (Bull and Mitchell, 2002, p21). In  later stages, nodules may develop in muscles or skeletal structure and deform  the fish. (Giwojna, Sep. 2003).
As difficult as slow-moving TB may be to diagnose while the infected fish  is alive, once the victim expires, postmortem examination will reveal clear, unmistakable signs of Mycobacteriosis (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). The telltale granulomas will appear as gray or white nodules in the liver, kidney, heart  and/or spleen (Aukes, 2004). There is often black, necrotic tissue eating away  at the internal organs, and there may also be skeletal deformities. Diagnosis is then confirmed by the presence of acid fast bacteria in tissue sections (Giwojna, Sep. 2003).
Treatment and Control:
There is no practical method for treating mycobacteriosis or granuloma disease at the hobbyist level.  As discussed below, good aquarium  management can prevent Mycobacteria/Nocardia from becoming problematic.   Prevention is the watchword for this condition.
Transmission:
The bacteria can be transmitted through the water from open ulcers, through contaminated food (including live foods such as shrimp or molly fry), via feces  of infected fish, or through the consumption of infected, dead or dying fish in  the tank (although the latter does not apply to seahorses), Aukes, 2004.
Contributing factors:
This disease is not highly contagious and does not seem to spread from fish to fish readily (Aukes, 2004). However, fish TB it is often associated with poorly kept or dirty tanks with poor water quality (Aukes, 2004). Chronic stress  from factors such as overcrowding, malnutrition, or aggressive tankmates often  plays a role as well (Giwojna, Sep. 2003).
Mycobacterium, the causative organism, is believed to be ubiquitously present, making it very difficult to eliminate it entirely. However, if good aquarium maintenance and management is followed, including vacuuming of the  gravel along with good filtration and regular water changes, combined with a nutritious diet and the addition of an enrichment product rich in vitamins, the problem can be minimized and eliminated as a cause of mortality (Aukes, 2004).  
Any dead fish should quickly be removed and disposed of properly. Diseased live fish should be isolated and treated in a hospital tank (Giwojna, Sep. 2003).
Transmission to Man:
The seahorse keeper should be aware that piscine tuberculosis is one of the few forms of fish disease that is communicable to humans (Leddo, 2002a). This transmission usually manifests itself as an unsightly skin rash involving one or  more granulomas on the arms of the fish-keeper (Leddo, 2002a). In severe cases,  these nodules of inflamed tissue can become large and disfiguring.
They can  spread and be very difficult to eliminate. The granulomas often take some 2-4  weeks after exposure before manifesting themselves, so the individual is  frequently unaware of how he or she contracted them and the condition very often  goes undiagnosed (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). The Mycobacteria that cause the disease  typically gain entry through a break in the skin such as a cut, scrape, or  abrasion on the hand or arm of the aquarist (Leddo, 2002a). Although unsightly,  the granulomas themselves are not a serious problem and are almost always  localized and most certainly curable in healthy individuals. But for those of us  whose immune systems are compromised by AIDS, kidney disease, diabetes, liver  dysfunction, chemotherapy or the like, the infection can sometimes become  systemic or, on rare occasions, even life threatening (Giwojna, Sep. 2003).
Awareness is the appropriate response to the risk posed by fish tuberculosis. The seahorse keeper should be aware of the remote possibility of  being exposed to Mycobacteria via his aquarium, and take appropriate  precautions, but there is certainly no need to be overly concerned (Giwojna,  Sep. 2003).
The aquarist should merely remain aware of Mycobacteria and follow the  usual sensible precautions. Nets, aquarium accessories and equipment, and any other items that may come in contact with the fish should be sterilized between uses to prevent cross-contamination (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). Avoid mouth-siphoning of the water in a Myco-positive tank (use a hand pump instead).   
Mycobacterium cannot penetrate intact skin -- it only causes infection after  entering through open wounds or source, so make full use of aquarium gloves and  don't place your hands or arms in the aquarium if you have any cuts or scrapes (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). Handle sick fish carefully, dispose of deceased specimens properly, and scrub up afterwards. Do NOT dispose of dead fish by flushing them down the toilet, as this is a prime way to spread disease. Place the fish carcass in a plastic bag or wrap it in some foil and dispose of it with the solid waste of the household. And don't feed dying fish to larger carnivorous fish, since this an excellent way to spread infection (Giwojna, Sep. 2003).
One thing hobbyists who are worried about fish TB can do to allay their concerns is to get their seahorses and live foods (crustaceans such as shrimp  are known vectors for Mycobacteriosis) from a High Health facility such as Ocean Rider rather than from their local fish store (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). Seahorses at  OR are routinely screened for pathogens and parasites by independent examiners  from an outside agency (DVMs with the Department of Agriculture), and I know for  a fact that Mycobacteriosis is one of the diseases they specifically check for  (Giwojna, Sep. 2003). Thus far, multi-organ histopathology has found no  granulomas and tissue sections have revealed no acid-fast bacteria -- conclusive  proof that Ocean Riders are free of Mycobacteria. <Close quote>
That's the rundown on mycobacteriosis or granuloma disease, Mark.
The very similar Nocardia is a gram positive, acid-fast, filamentous bacteria and is even more insidious than Myco. Nocardia is closely related to  the Mycobacteria that cause piscine TB or granuloma disease and, like  Mycobacteria, it can affect the skin as well as the internal organs, causing  nodules, granulomas and pyogranulatomous cysts. And like Mycobacteria, Nocardia  can be transmitted to man, so be sure to take appropriate precautions if you  suspect granuloma disease may have caused the death of your H. kuda.
Here is some information from Paul Anderson explaining how professional aquarists typically deal with Mycobacterium/Nocardia:
Fellow Seahorse Enthusiasts:
Mycobacterium is a genus of bacteria that are ubiquitous in almost all environments. Mycobacterium infections occur in many (if not all) vertebrate  taxa (e.g., mammals, birds, fish, etc.). Some studies that have looked at prevalence of infection of Mycobacterium in wild animals have often found that a small percentage of wild animals are infected, even without clinical signs.
The most common Mycobacterium species found in seahorses are M. marinum, M. chelonae, and M. fortuitum. There is currently no cure for mycobacterium infections in fish. The options available are to 1) depopulate and disinfect the system, or 2) maintain the fish but prevent cross-contamination by observing strict biosecurity protocols. The second option is often chosen by public aquaria with long-standing displays, when aquaculture/production of the infected  fish is not an issue.
Many mycobacterium spp. can cause disease in humans, especially if the species is a rapidly growing one and/or if the person is immunocompromised. Of  the three species mentioned above, M. marinum is a slow grower, and grows at 25 degrees Celsius incubation, but not at 37 degrees Celsius. The other two are rapid-growing species and grow at both temperatures of incubation. The significance of 37 degrees is that it is human body temperature. While most infections of otherwise healthy people are limited to lesions on the extremities (even with infection by a rapid-grower), there is a greater risk of the rapid-growers to cause systemic disease (especially in immunocompromised  people).
In a Myco-positive tank, the best option is not to come in contact with water or fish; wear gloves (sleeved gloves if necessary). Avoid mouth siphoning (use a hand pump). Having said that, in an aquarium situation mycobacterium only  causes infection if it enters a wound; it cannot penetrate intact skin.  
Effective disinfectants against mycobacterium include spraying with 70% Ethanol and allowing the equipment to air-dry, and bleach baths (I use 50ppm bleach baths with a minimum contact time of one hour, this has been reported to be effective against M. marinum) followed by sodium thiosulfate neutralization baths. Ultraviolet light sterilization is also recommended in Myco-positive systems. If you've got Myco-positive tanks among other systems, common sense suggests performing husbandry on these systems last in your rounds.
A note on ethanol: I have found in my experience that seahorses are very sensitive to ethanol, so I advise being very cautious to avoid overspray into tanks (while we're€™re on the topic, has anybody else observed this?)
Check out the following for more information about mycobacterium infections in fish/aquaria:
<_http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM055_ (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM055) >
<_http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/Extension/finfish/FF9.html_
(http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/Extension/finfish/FF9.html) >
Mainous, M.E., and S.A. Smith. 2005. Efficacy of common disinfectants against Mycobacterium marinum. Journal of Aquatic Animal Health 17:  284-288.
Paul Anderson
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic  Sciences
University of Florida
That's the situation when Mycobacteria is confirmed in an aquarium,  Mark.
As long as you observe the proper precautions and practice good  aquarium management, it's a problem the aquarist can sometimes live  with...  
Nocardia is a different matter.  When Nocardia is confirmed in an  aquarium, the only real recourse is to break down the entire aquarium, discard  the live rock, substrate, and invertebrates, sterilize everything, and start  over from scratch.  The problem is that Nocardia is saprophytic -- it  doesn't require a host to survive and it will persist in your system  indefinitely. These bacteria live off any kind of dead or decaying organic  matter; in nature they are commonly found in soil and wastewater -- in your  tank, Mark, they are no doubt entrenched in your substrate, live rock, filters,  everything -- where they act as a disease reservoir, ready to infect any new  fish and invertebrates (or careless humans) they encounter when the opportunity  presents itself.
The risk of cross-contamination of your other tanks and specimens is great, compounded by the fact that human health (primarily yours, Mark) is also at risk  from this organism.  If your H. kuda was infected with Nocardia, then everything in your 25-gallon aquarium has been exposed to these bacteria and is potentially a source of infection. Leading the tank lay fallow indefinitely will  not help with Nocardia whatsoever.  If Nocardia killed your kuda, you must consider all the equipment, decor and specimens in the tank to be contaminated,  Mark -- treat them like you would toxic waste or any other biohazard.
Even your  invertebrates are a risk. Your coral, macroalgae, etc,. are all sources of  organic matter, and can therefore harbor Nocardia and carry the infection.
Do NOT disperse your live rock, substratum, Gorgonia and soft corals, macroalgae, equipment or accessories from the 25-gallon tank to your other aquaria, Mark, or you will be inoculating them with Nocardia and spreading the infection to all your tanks! And you must be extremely careful to avoid accidentally cross-contaminating your other tanks from your 25 gallon aquarium.  Any nets, hydrometers, or other equipment used in your 25-gallon aquarium should  be sterilized after every use and not placed into or used in any other tanks.
Avoid working in infected aquarium with your bare hands, scrub/disinfect your hands and arms thoroughly after working on the tank, and do not place your hands in the 25-gallon tank and then place your hands in another aquarium. These bacteria can even be transferred from one aquarium to another by splashing water  droplets or as an aerosol via the mist generated from a protein skimmer or an  airstone. Be careful!
That is what I typically advise hobbyists when Nocardia has been confirmed in their aquaria, Mark.  I hesitate to recommend such drastic measures when Nocardia or Mycobacterium have not been confirmed.  And the tumor that you described is not typical of the pyogranulatomous cysts that characterize Nocardia.  They most often present as greyish-white pimple like lesions on  the skin.  
They are often motile when manipulated and may release a cheesy  exudate when compressed.  That does not sound like the hard mass you  detected beneath the skin near the vent of the H. kuda.
So you're going to need to use your own judgment, Mark.  To be 100%  safe, you could discard the contents of your 25-gallon aquarium, sterilize everything, and start over from scratch.  Or you could dip the live rock,  Gorgonia, and corals with Lugol's solution as a precaution and then trust to  good aquarium management to keep the seahorses in your 40-gallon aquarium  healthy and happy.  Since Mycobacteria and Vibrio bacteria are virtually  ubiquitous, and normally only become problematic when the seahorses have been  stressed and their immune systems have been impaired, I might be inclined to  take the latter course in your case.  If you can provide your seahorses  with optimal water quality, a nutritious diet, and they stress-free environment,  the chances are good that your livestock will not be affected by granuloma  disease or vibriosis.  
Starting out with seahorses from a high-health  aquaculture facility that you obtain directly from the breeder will further  increase your chances for success.  As an added precaution, you may also  want to consider installing an ultraviolet sterilizer on your 40-gallon seahorse  tank after it has cycled completely and the biofiltration is  well-established.
Best of luck with your new seahorse tank no matter how you decide to proceed, Mark!
Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna, Ocean Rider Tech-Support

Re: Lugol's Dip and Gorgonians, Pete, will you take a look at, refer?  – 4/10/07
Dear Bob:
<Pete!>
I'm always happy to help when I can, sir.
<And you do a fine job of it, I assure you>
When I receive inquiries from aquarists regarding Mycobacteria/Nocardia, I feel it is very important to provide them with as much information as possible because of the possibility of human transmission and because they may be confronted with the decision as to whether or not it's necessary to depopulate their aquarium, sterilize everything, and start over from scratch.  So I  make it a point to try to arm them with all the facts they need to make an informed decision in that regard.
<Yes... and one of the principal reasons for my encouraging the publication of your book, your articles (as well as others... including my own!) to get "complete answers" to folks... in a speedily manner>
Hopefully, once we get my new book on seahorses published and into the  hands of the hobbyists, there won't be a need for us to devote so much time discussing these issues on the forums.
<Heeeeee! You'll see...>
Happy Trails!
Pete Giwojna
<And to you, Bob Fenner, out in HI, at times visiting with Carol and Craig and their (now four year old!!!) boys, Dylan and Cooper>

Re: Lugol's Dip and Gorgonians, Pete, will you take a look at, refer?  – 4/9/07
Dear Mr. Fenner,
<Mark...>
Again an incredible honour that someone so renowned is taking time to answer my primary question about Lugol's solution dips for Gorgonians and other soft corals.
<Mmm, Gorgonians are, strictly speaking, not soft corals... Alcyonaceans>
My secondary reason for the question is as follows. I would also like to apologize in advance if the same question has been double posted
<Yes. Trouble>
as I have yet to figure out the WWM system fully, nor have I learned fully how to navigate the site properly.
<Mmm, do have to devise some "Welcome, how to use" spiel, post on the Homepage, indices... Is generally covered in "Asking A Question": http://wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm
I suspect though that what you have been asking is "new ground">
As previously stated and which you have answered to very clearly, I know that after a good quarantine that the risk of transferring  parasites and bacteria is minimal. I, however, need to know specifically about bacteria, especially Vibro and Myco bacteria, as well as parasites. Does Lugol's dip have any type of an effect on possible bacterial and or parasitic contamination in an aquarium, and if so would a Lugol's dip help to get rid of any residual bacteria such as Vibrio or Myco bacteria and or parasites which might have been the cause of death to one of the seahorses in my tank. This is a seahorse only tank, no fish.
<As stated previously, this form of Iodine is at least mildly antiseptic... bactericidal-static... but will not guarantee absolute non-transference>
The reason I ask this is at the moment I have a  25 gallon tank that has been fallow for 6 weeks. The tank had Hippocampus kuda in it, and as I mentioned before I would like to transfer and utilize the live rock and corals which consist of mushrooms a Kenya tree and two gorgonians to a new tank bigger upgrading to 40G with new different filtration and new sand bed). It would be the home to a pair of new Northern Hippocampus erectus.
As stated the old tank is fallow at the moment because one of the Kuda passed away from what appeared to be a tumor (we are not sure from what, as a necropsy was not done).
The Kuda showed no external signs of infection and she ate and swam up to the day she died, the tumor appeared from one day to the next, and suddenly she was dead. The tumor itself was under the skin not external and was a hard palpable non motile clearly defined mass near the cloacae proximal to the ventral fin, on her left side, no organ involvement was apparent.
The other kuda had a fatal accident which was my own stupidity, but was never ill, nor did he develop any signs or symptoms of the other .
<Mmm, have you posited any of this experience to the fine folks at OceanRider.com? Am going to ask PeteG again here to chime in>
Now to the root of the problem and the reason for asking about Lugol's solution dips for gorgonians and soft corals. I would like to utilize all the coral, macro algae, and live rock from the 25 gallon, adding it a new 40 gallon with the addition of more live rock to make up the difference for biological filtration. This is where the dilemma sets in and things move into a "grey" area.
<As previously mentioned, I would go forward with this plan>
I have been told a range of things regarding said transfer and utilization of the live rock and corals from the existing tank, ranging from do not use any of the things from the old tank" too risky", to "use at my own risk because it is probably teaming of bacteria and pathogens",
<Mmm, not likely very disease-inducing (pathogenic) at this point... Perhaps a short essay on the nature of biological disease...?>
to "it is possibly okay to use if I dip everything in a Lugol's dip, live rock included".
I would like your professional opinion regarding this situation. The clearest answer that you can give, taking in all the variables that are possible as I know in this situation we are not dealing with a totally exact science.
Again it is an honour thank you kindly for your help
Mark
<I say "go" and use it. BobF>

Help Seahorse with "Webbing"   3/29/07
I am trying to find answers quickly... I pray someone on your forum might have experience or more knowledge of this.
<Mmm, am placing this query in Leslie Leddo's in-folder... and sending to PeterG as well... You are familiar with OceanRider.com?>
Our Captive bred seahorses have developed spider-web like markings on their bodies. It is not algae - the web is a whitish color that stands out against their dark bodies. It look as if they swam thru a spider web.
I was told this is a life threatening disease / parasite that no one knows much about and that the seahorses will definitely die.
<Really? I have seen such markings on wild animals... and always considered that it was some sort of growth that bestowed a camouflage to the bearer>
I was told that it will wipe out all of our stock we have other adults and babies in different tanks. I can not rule out cross contamination - so I am very concerned.
I am hoping someone on your site has some knowledge of it.
All of the tank parameters are exactly where they should of been, we have only a small piece of live rock and 4 small hermits to clean messes and a starfish.
The seahorses are now in a hospital tank waiting treatment - any advice????
<I do hope Leslie and/or Peter will respond quickly with substantive input here. Bob Fenner>

Re: Webbing on seahorses? Pete, would you lend us a fin?  3/30/07
Dear Mr. Fenner:
<Good gosh Pete... a thorough answer as always. Thank you... and your name came up today while visiting with Craig down at Ocean Rider... BobF>
Yes, sir, I would be happy to help Debbie with this problem.  I have  seen this condition before in seahorses and it's usually due to a gram-positive bacterial infection (Myxobacteria sp.) that often takes the form of whitish-grayish stringy material covering much of the body.   A white,   slimy coating and/or white lines or a tracery of web-like strings on the body  are very characteristic of this condition.
This is primarily an epithelial disease that often presents in one of two ways -- either as grayish-white stringy webbing over the body or as a grayish white film that spreads over the fish's skin, particularly on the head region
(Giwojna, Nov. 2003). The whitish plaques spread by radial expansion and may penetrate into deeper tissues, becoming yellow or orange due to masses of pigmented bacteria that stack up in columns forming the haystacks that are characteristic of the condition (Bassleer, 2000). It is commonly referred to as "bacterial fungus" and it is often described as a milky, slime-like film that can be observed with the naked eye (Giwojna, Nov. 2003) or as whitish stringy material radiating over the body of the fish.
As with other bacterial infections, stress plays a critical role in the initiation of this affliction. Aside from heat stress, other risk factors for bacterial fungus include physical injury, low dissolved oxygen levels, crowding, high organic loading, parasites, and high nitrite levels (Prescott, 2001b).
At the first sign of this condition, I recommend treating the affecting seahorse(s) in a hospital tank using broad-spectrum antibiotics in conjunction with formalin baths (Giwojna, Nov. 2003).  Gradually drop the temperature in the hospital tank during the course of the treatments to as low as 66°F-68°F, if possible. Reducing the water temperature will slow the metabolism and reproductive rate of bacteria in general, making them easier to control and reducing the virulence of the Myxobacteria in the process.
The antibiotics I recommend are either Kanamycin sulfate or neomycin sulfate (or both) used in conjunction with various sulfa drugs.  If you can  obtain them, Neosulfex or Neo3 would be excellent choices.  If not, you can achieve the same affect by combining neomycin or Kanamycin with triple sulfa compound.
  Trimethoprim and Sulfathiazole Sodium (TMP-Sulfa) would also  work very well for this condition.  Oxytetracycline or tetracycline also  work well but only if they are administered orally (they are deactivated in  saltwater and totally ineffective if used for prolonged immersion or as a  bath).
The formalin baths should be administered at a dosage of 250 mg/L. This would equal 1 ml (cc) of 37% formalin per 1 gallon of water. This should be for  a bath of about 45 minutes to an hour, repeated as necessary.
Once it's established in the aquarium, Myxobacterial infections are highly communicable, and it is very advisable to clean up and sterilize the main tank as best you can while the affected seahorses are undergoing treatment in the hospital ward (Giwojna, Nov. 2003). Combine a 25%-50% water change in your main  tank with a thorough system cleaning as previously described (Giwojna, Nov.  2003).
Debbie contacted me at the Ocean Rider forum (_http://seahorse.com ) regarding this problem and I  gave her the complete rundown on Myxobacteria or bacterial fungus there as  excerpted from my new book on seahorses, so she should be all set.
Respectfully,
Pete  Giwojna

LR Removal, and Seahorse input re "webbing"   3/31/07
Hi crew,
<Hello>
When I decide to remove a rock from my tank I would like to salvage the critters such as mini stars, spaghetti worms etc. Is there a way this can be done? <Not really, they are so small and numerous that it is not really realistic to do.>  What I have done in the past is to do it after a few hours of darkness since many of them will be out prowling but I am sure I am killing many that are snug in their crevices.  <The vast majority probably.>
In regards to a question someone posed about spider webs on sea horses. I assume he is not referring to the stringy appendages that many have (I can not recall what they are called) and it actually looks neat (at least I think so). In any case that is normal.  <Thanks for the input.>
Thanks
<Thank you>
<Chris>

Seahorses - Normal Markings or Life Threatening Disease?   3/31/07
I am trying to find answers quickly...
<I will certainly do my best>
I pray someone on your forum might have experience or more knowledge of this.  Our Captive bred seahorses have developed spider-web like markings on their bodies. It is not algae - the web is a whitish color that stands out against their dark bodies.
It looks as if they swam thru a spider web.
<White markings are not unusual on many of the CB seahorse species.  Markings tend to be fairly consistent but I have seen some seahorses markings become more or less apparent as they change color especially from light to dark.>
I was told this is a life threatening disease / parasite that no one knows much about and that the seahorses will definitely die. I was told that it will wipe out all of our stock we have other adults and babies in different tanks. I can not rule out cross contamination - so I am very concerned.
< I bet you are having received the information that you did. I find myself wondering who it was that knew enough to tell you that what you are dealing with is life threatening and scare you half to death but had no additional information. I am not so sure you are dealing with a life threatening disease, at least it is not one I am familiar with and I have seen my fair share of seahorse diseases.  A photo certainly would be helpful as would knowing what species you are keeping. The more information you can provide the better able we are to assist you. Remote diagnosis is difficult at best, but almost impossible without accurate detailed information.   Are they eating? Is their activity normal?  Are they courting? How is their color compared to their normal color?  What is their respiratory effort like?  Does it look labored? Are their gill movements normal, rapid, deep, shallow?  If they are eating, acting normally and have normal gill movements I think you may very well be dealing with a color change issue and not a life threatening disease.>
I am hoping someone on your site has some knowledge of it.
All of the tank parameters are exactly where they should of been, we have only a small piece of live rock and 4 small hermits to clean messes and a starfish.
<In addition to the information mentioned above the numerical values of your water parameters would also help us to help you. “Exactly where they should be” could mean a lot of different things to different people depending on the source of your information.>
The seahorses are now in a hospital tank waiting treatment - any advice?
<I would wait and watch, unless they are showing other signs of illness like those mentioned above. Observing them now may actually be difficult since they have been removed from their usual environment to a hospital tank. A change in environment is stressful and can effect eating, activity and color. So, unless they showing other signs and symptoms of illness I would return them to their normal environment. On another note you might want to consider some additional live rock depending on what else you are using for biofiltration. One small piece of live rock is insufficient in my opinion. I hope this helps, Leslie>

Attention Leslie/seahorse problem   1/29/07
Hi,
<Hi Laura>
I apologize for the tardy response. I was out of town and just saw your query in my folder.>
I had posted a 911 on the forum and was referred to you.  Don’t know what’s wrong with my horse.  Yesterday a saw a large bristle worm riding on him. <Utto>
The worm fell off, but there are many bristles under horse’s neck.  I then noticed what my son says looks like a 'chunk' missing between his eyes. I think it looks more like a divot, or a wound of some kind.  I don’t know if he got caught in some rocks or if it’s some horse thing that I know nothing about.  Are the bristles toxic?
<No the bristles are not toxic but they can cause an infection secondary to a disruption of the integumentary system.  Will they work themselves out? <Possibly>
Horse doesn’t seem to be eating.
<The horse is most likely stressed from the bristle worm attack. It is important you keep him eating if at all possible. Try offering live foods, like enriched brine shrimp. The best option would be the live red feeder shrimp that Oceanrider sells. You can get them here… www.oceanrider.com.>
What do you make of this? Laura
<I think the horse is most likely stressed from the bristle worm and wound between his eyes. He may have injured himself on some rock and/or may have an infection where the wound is between the eyes.
I have emailed an a good friend and associate Pete Giwojna for a medication recommendation in the mean time keep the area surrounding the tank as quiet as possible to limit his stress, try to keep him eating by offering some live food and keep the horses environment as immaculate as possible, in other words do some additional water changes. I will get back to you as soon as I hear from Pete. Leslie>

Seahorse Feeding Problems, env. dis.   12/29/06
I have 7 adult seahorses and all have always seemed to do well, eating heartily, that is until a few days ago. I feed them frozen Mysis shrimp.   They seem to want the food but when they snap at it, they miss. It's as if they cannot see the food well enough to latch onto it. Any  ideas?
<Yes... something is amiss here... either nutritionally (which I doubt that all seven individuals would go blind from simultaneously) or the environment (which I DO suspect)... Check your water quality, stat.! And/or at least start a series of good-sized water changes (25%) or so, every few days... Bob Fenner>

Re: Seahorse Feeding Problems  - 12/29/06
Thanks will try the water changes.
<Good... and do you read Ocean Rider's listserv? Very valuable info. there from PeteG, LeslieL, others... free to subscribe. BobF>
Thanks. Do they have a website?
<http://www.seahorse.com/>

Seahorse Problems   1/4/07
I wrote  to you a few days ago about my seahorses seeming to be going  blind.
You advised daily water changes. The water tests ok now except the  nitrates are a little high.
<... numbers please, not subjective evaluations... More than 10 ppm total nitrate should be avoided>
  I'm continuing the water changes.
<Mmm, and perhaps considering other means... to prevent further accumulations>
My question:  the seahorses are not eating although they are ravenous.  They don't suck up the mysis shrimp, they try to bump at it gently but never  eat.
I know they want the food, but for some reason they don't eat it. They see  it because they alert when it is put into the water. I have tried a feeder trough, but they just curiously examine it, they don't eat.
<Mmm, perhaps try another source of Mysis (Piscine Energetics is excellent)... and diminish the volume of water of the system, making it easier for these horses to feed...>
They seem to be getting very bony, obviously because they are not eating. I don't want them to starve to death and if there is no way to get them to eat, I  would just rather freeze them and put them out of their misery. Tell me if there  is anything I can do to get them to eat, any food I can purchase that maybe they  would filter, anything I can do. If there is nothing, I'll do what needs to be  done.
Thanks for your help.
<I am directing you (again) to the best source of information on captive husbandry of Syngnathids... Ocean Rider's site, PeteG, LeslieL, many other excellent folks there: http://www.seahorse.com/
see below on their homepage for the link to their Ocean Rider Club... and read, join with them, and write re your concerns. Oh, and please report back re your experiences. Bob Fenner>

My seahorse is refusing to eat   7/28/06
Thank you for your fast reply, but I have yet again been plagued with another problem. My seahorse is refusing to eat. He has never done this before, as he always enjoys his mysis shrimp, but when I went to feed him, all he did was look at the food, and let it pass by. I was looking for something that may be preventing him from eating, and I noticed that his throat just beneath the skin is red.
<Good observation, bad sign>
I am not sure what could have caused this, but I would like to know if there is anything I can do to get him eating again, or to aid him in this problem that might be in his throat.
Also, I checked my water and everything seems to be just fine. I was also wondering, if what you stated could be the problem with my eel, is it possible that this could happen over the span of a couple of days. One day he was looking normal, and two days later, is when I saw what was wrong.
Thanks again,
Krista
<Please take a read over the archives on OceanRider.com's site, and here: http://wetwebmedia.com/seahorsdisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above on Seahorse Feeding, Disease... Bob Fenner>

Your seahorse medicine chest piece   6/8/06
In a message dated 6/2/2006 9:40:19 PM Central Standard Time,
fennerrobert@hotmail.com writes:
Pete, is there a URL we might refer people to for this excellent reference?
Bob Fenner.
Dear Sir:
<Just Bob Peter, please>
I apologize for the lateness of this reply, but I was away on a fishing expedition to northern Minnesota this past weekend and I'm only just now catching
up on my e-mail.
<No worries>
Yes, sir, a version of my "Medicine Chest" piece is available online at seahorse.com at the following URL:
Click here: Seahorse.com - Seahorse, Sea Life, Marine Life, Aquafarm Sales, Feeds and Accessories - Seahorse Meds
<http://www.seahorse.com/Frequently_Asked_Questions/Seahorse_Meds/>
However, the information is in the form of FAQs which makes it more difficult to read and apply, since you have to click on a lot of separate individual links in order to access and read all the material.
<I see>
My Medicine Chest recommendations have also been posted online at the Ocean Rider Club on Yahoo and the Ocean Rider Club message board at www.seahorse.com
in the "Seahorse Life and Care" discussion forum.  Any of your readers at WetWebMedia who might be interested in that piece could locate it easily by logging into either of those sites and doing a search of the forum using the key words "Medicine Chest."  They would need to register with the Ocean Rider Club on either Yahoo or the seahorse.com site, but membership is free and those are excellent resources for anyone who is interested in seahorses.  The entire piece can be read online at the following URL's, which will take the reader to the
threads discussing my "Medicine Chest" suggestions at those sites:
Click here: OceanRider : Message: Re: Medicine Cabinet
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OceanRider/message/10066
Click here: Seahorse.com - Seahorse, Sea Life, Marine Life, Aquafarm Sales, Feeds and Accessories - Re: Preparing a 1st aid kit
http://www.seahorse.com/option,com_simpleboard/Itemid,/func,view/catid,2/id,11 66/#1166
<Very good>
The information in the Medicine Chest piece was actually excerpted from my new book on seahorses, which I'm hoping will clear up a lot of the confusion regarding the care and keeping of these amazing animals.  It is devoted entirely to captive-bred-and-raised seahorses, and covers in great detail everything the hobbyist needs to know in order to select both the perfect system and ideal cultured syngnathids that are best suited for his or her needs and interests, set up and cycle a tank that's tailor-made for those particular seahorses,
and breed and raise them in the home aquarium.
<I visit with Carol and Craig quite often on sojourns to Kona and they've mentioned this tome of yours... is it forthcoming?>
Basically, my new book (Complete Guide to the Greater Seahorses in the Aquarium, TFH Publications) picks up where my old Step-By-Step Book about Seahorses left off. Fully illustrated, the unabridged version of the new book will be 400-500 pages in length, making it a great deal more comprehensive than the earlier book.  As an example, the chapter on disease prevention and control is itself, alone, considerably longer than any of the other guidebooks about seahorses that have ever been published. The Complete Guide to Greater
Seahorses is crammed cover to cover with the latest information and cutting-edge techniques and technology for keeping, breeding and raising the various species of captive-bred seahorses that are now available to the home hobbyist.
<Outstanding>
It was due to be released last year (January 2005) but has been delayed and is now long overdue.
<Typical...>
Dominique DeVito (than the publisher at TFH) commissioned the book from me in 2002, and Brian Scott (then my editor at TFH) proofed
the manuscript when it was ready and approved the text, and the book was promptly scheduled for production.  Unfortunately, both Dominique and Brian subsequently left the company, which leaves the book in limbo.
<Happens>
Christopher Reggio, the new publisher at TFH, inherited the book project from his predecessors, but he wants to conduct further research to better assess the market for an ambitious book on seahorses before he proceeds. He plans to
"revisit" my book project sometime this year and decide the best way to handle it then, but after discussing the matter with him, I am none too hopeful. At the moment, Christopher Reggio's impression is that seahorses are very much a specialty market, and his concern is that that market may simply be too limited to support a major book about seahorses.
<Perhaps...>
If TFH ultimately decides not go forward with the book after all, Mr. Reggio has agreed to let me buy back the complete rights to the book manuscript so I can seek another publisher or pursue other options.  One way or another, Mr. Fenner, I am determined to get the book out in its entirety as soon as possible!  Once it comes out, it will cut down on the time you and I have to spend explaining the basics to new seahorse keepers or discussing rearing protocols for syngnathids with advanced aquarists.
Best wishes with all of your fishes, Bob!
Happy Trails!
Pete Giwojna
<Please continue to make known the status of this project. I personally will offer to aid your publishing efforts, and it may be that WetWebMedia can/will offer as well. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Re: Your seahorse medicine chest piece   6/13/06
Dear Sir:
Thank you very much for your support and encouragement regarding my new book, Mr. Fenner!
<Just Bob, please Peter>
I feel is very important that this groundbreaking volume is released in its entirety, full-length and unabridged, and if TFH Publications isn't willing to do that, then I will definitely be looking for another publisher or investigating the possibility of putting the book out myself in one form or another.
<I fully understand... and what's more, can and will assist you in what way I/we can/may. WetWebMedia is a media business...>
That's a daunting task to say the least since I have no experience with self-publishing or the print media and therefore have no idea where to even begin such a project.
<A beginning is a difficult time, but not hard to self-publish given time to learn, the funds to pay for production... folks, agencies to help with
fulfillment, sales...>
Needless to say, I would be most grateful for any advice or assistance you or wetwebmedia could offer in that regard.
<Will gladly conspire with you... It is obvious from reading your postings, input in FAMA, opinions of you through Carol and Craig that your intent/desires are confluent with mine/ours... am glad therefore to aid you/them>
There has never been a comprehensive aquarium manual that's remotely like my new book, Mr. Fenner.  Thanks to the new CITES regulations protecting the genus Hippocampus and the recent advent of hardy, easy-to-feed cultured specimens, seahorses are a hot subject right now at the very peak of their popularity with hobbyists and the public alike, and my new book will tap into that wave of interest and help to bring a lot of new people into the hobby.
<Yes>
I certainly will keep you updated on the status of my book project, Bob.  I have attached a copy of the first chapter of my new book to this e-mail. Please skim through it if you have a chance, since it explains why this is such an important book for seahorse conservation and the aquarium hobby, and why I think it will be so popular with aquarists and non-aquarists alike.  I would value your thoughts and insights on this matter very much.
<Will take a look and write back re>
All my thanks for your interest and encouragement, sir!
Respectfully,
Pete Giwojna
<A pleasure my friend. Bob Fenner>

Seahorse lethargy/disease question... Over-mis-stocked tiny marine tank... with real (iatrogenic) troubles  - 5/19/2006
WWM Crew-
<Shovon>
You guys have given me more information over the past year than both of my LFS's, and every other website I've ever read, combined. I just wanted to extend my gratitude for all of your help and valuable info. I'd like to also thank you ahead of time for helping me out with something I'm currently unable to figure out, or find anywhere on your site or other sites.
<Okay>
I have a pair of yellow Hippocampus kuda's and housed them in a 6 gal tank - with plenty of feather and grape Caulerpa, some stray xenia, and branched LR - drilled to my sump (already attached to another system). They've been fine for a month, eating several SW grass shrimp per day (at times loaded with Cyclop-Eeze, etc). Their only tankmates are two tiny hermits (red and blue legged), a Nassarius snail, and a small mandarin goby.
<Hard to keep this last in such a small system... mainly starvation issues>
I'm currently attempting to convert the horses to frozen mysis, but it doesn't seem to be working yet.
<Takes a while at times...>
My problem is that the male has become extremely lethargic, mainly hanging out in one corner of the tank and only moving occasionally.
<... have just gotten off the phone with Carol... Cozzi-Schmarr, of Ocean Rider... the company out here in HI that produces seahorses for the ornamental trade... What you have is likely the "cheap" Vietnamese wild-collected kudas... these very often have troubles>
He responds to new grass shrimp dropped into the tank, and nips at them if they're nearby - but no longer chases them. He hasn't eaten in 4-5 days, but the female comes by and eats all of the shrimp I put in every day. He appears emaciated (obviously due to the lack of eating), and his face and tail remain a dark color during the day - when both horses usually turn yellow.
Ammonia (.25-.5)
<... needs to be zero>
Nitrates (0)
Nitrites (0)
pH (8.1)
Salinity (1.024)
Temp (78.5)
Ammonia has always been 0, but recently due to the fact that I have been feeding these two a lot, it has increased. I've been doing 10% water changes biweekly for 2 weeks now hoping to 'clean up' the water,
<How to put this... a small system is hard to stabilize, keep stable... the animals suffer as a consequence... not subsequence... "Con">
and will continue
to do larger changes over the next few weeks. I added pH buffer to increase it to 8.3-8.4 this morning.
<In/with the change water only....>
The temp is a little higher than usual because I had a clown goby die of Ich.
<...?!>
recently and wanted to speed up the life cycle of the parasite and have my UV sterilizer kill the tomates.
<... Tomites>
*The one strange thing I notice about the seahorse display tank is if I open the top, It smells a little funny -
<Another bad sign... but good that you are observant>
unlike my sump or main tank, there is a bit of a metal stink. I haven't found any metal or rust anywhere in my tank so I don't know where this smell could be coming from. As far as the different diseases I've been able to research on seahorses:
1. The male hasn't been scratching, so I don't believe it is an external parasitic problem.
<Not always indicative...>
2. He's not bloated, and there are no apparent bubbles in him or on him.
3. I haven't noticed "white stringy poop" because he hasn't eaten, so I don't think it is an internal parasite.
4. He doesn't have white nodes sprinkled all over his body, as the goby did, so maybe not Ich.
5. And there is no rotting or flesh sloughing, so I don't think there is a bacterial infection.
<... would take microscopic examination, maybe staining of samples, perhaps culture... to identify>
The only thing I notice is that there are very small white flecks over his mid-section, but I can't really say that they aren't part of his coloration
(I noticed he had black, white, and red 'freckles' all over him from when I got him, and they weren't node-like and never bothered him before). If it is Ich., wouldn't these grow into white clumps/nodes large enough to notice?
<Mmm, not necessarily>
I'm a microbio major, and learned a lot about Vibrio spp. recently, as well as other marine bacteria.
<Can be real problems in captive aquatic systems for sure>
I'm worried that there could be a Vibrio infection, but I don't even know how to diagnose for this.
<You will>
I've also read a lot of posts talking about how an antibiotic called Neo3 (with neomycin and triple sulfa) helps with that sort of problem. Can seahorses become infected from ingesting shrimp whose exoskeletons could possibly be infected with Vibrio vulnificus?
<Mmm, possibly... there are a few other inputs here... environmental, genetic, developmental, nutritional...>
One LFS informed me that some grass shrimp have worms inside of them that I may have not noticed. Could these have gotten into the seahorse's intestinal tract?
<Again, possibly. Much more likely you're, or should I say your Horses are experiencing either flukes (trematodes) and/or a protozoan (Glugea et al...) infestation... from the wild, handling... expressing itself due to unsuitable environmental influences>
Lastly, I had a scarlet hermit and an emerald crab die over the past week in my main tank due to unknown causes (not to mention the Ich-ed goby). I have 4 other hermits still alive and crawling around, a serpent star, a cleaner shrimp, a peppermint shrimp, and plenty of snails still alive. I also have a green bubble tip anemone and a firefish that seem healthy. These are all in my main tank. So there are plenty of vert's and invert's healthy and eating.
<...>
Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to provide as much information as I have been able to put together over the past week. I've been reading everything possible, and asking hundreds of questions to both of my LFSs, and have not found anything particularly helpful. I was told to add garlic to some grass shrimp and hope the kuda will eat them, but to avoid any dips for now. The other LFS said that if my water quality is fine and the horse's diet is fine, I have nothing to worry about - otherwise if he's dying, then he is probably going to die without much anyone can do about it. But I've not given up hope.
Please help.
-Shovon
<Do take a read on the Ocean Rider (.com) site re Seahorse systems, disease. Bob Fenner>

Re: Seahorse lethargy/disease question  - 5/19/2006
It's Shovon again. Sorry about the second email. I wanted to mention that after the lights turned on a little while ago, I took a flashlight and examined the seahorse closely for an hour or so. The little specs look shiny to me when I put a flashlight up to the seahorse. The only thing that I can think of is that they may be tiny bubbles on the skin of the seahorse, possibly from bacteria or algae settling. I hope this might help, but I still don't know what course of action to take. From reading all of the other posts, I don't feel hopeless yet because there isn't an apparent rotting or hugely visible problem - which most of the time I've seen followed by "this late in the game its gone too far to do anything about it."
<... I would take these animals "into class"... after reading re making skin/slime smears... use a bit of H and E stain... take a look-see... perhaps with a prof. or two looking over your shoulder>
I know you all must be very busy, not to mention the number of emails I'm sure we all send to you guys every day. But I really would like to treat my seahorse with some kind of medical treatment as soon as possible if need be, and I believe the sooner the better if there should be any chance of revival. Please get back to me as soon as you can, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thank you again,
Shovon.
<I agree with your stated sentiment... Do consider increasing your chances of success with a better, larger system... quarantine... Bob Fenner>

Sick seahorses lost 2 already possibly secondary infection due to ich or maybe marine velvet... Actually, killing ones livestock and system with presumptions, chemicals    5/2/06
Dear Bob,
First thing that started happening was that my 2 males kept getting air bubbles. We had to keep expelling the air from their pouches.
<Mmm, and maybe more, depending on the root cause here>
At this time we had an out break of flat worms and started treating the tank for that.
<... with what?>
Then we noticed that  the sea horses were itching and shaking and playing in the water flow a lot.
<Uh... not playing>
We thought it was because of the flat worms but was told that it was more likely ich. We started treating the tank with ich attack and lost 2 seahorses.
<From the frying pan...>
Then my male had babies.
<...>
Again we expelled air from his pouch and he has some bubbles on his tail and his tail swings straight up and he can't swim well at all. All of the
females have a white film on them. It covers their eyes as well. I got on the phone and tried to find a vet. I found one that would talk to me but
was to far away for me to go see. Anyway with out him taking a scraping from one of the seahorses or being able to see them he thought that they
may be stressed do to the ich going into a secondary stage. We are now doing formalin dips.
<... no...>
The vet recommended straight formaldehyde if I could find some. So what we have done is mixed the 37% formalin with ro water.
2 drops to 3 qt. ro water to get a high % of the formaldehyde. My little babies are scratching them selves with their tails which leaves me to
believe that all this week of double dosing the tank with the ich attack has not done much good.
<Now you're getting smarter>
We have a pipe fish to that we have seen what looks to be the little spots of ich.
<Doubtful>
We have a UV light hooked up. Should we put the formalin in the tank and or dip them. Please help me save my horses.                                                                      
                                                      Thanks so much for your time,                                        
    Cheryl
<You have poisoned, are poisoning your system, livestock. Take the time to read re the symptoms, "diseases", chemicals you describe here... on WWM. Bob Fenner>

Quick Seahorse Death ... try reading this Lingua Nonsensa outloud   4/16/06
my pair of mustangs arrived at 5:30 pm on Friday pm they appeared very active in the plastic container they were acclimated per your instructions
they were placed into a mature 25 gallon tank the water parameters were checked and were all correct--oxygen was not measured
the tank has a 5 inch fine DSB the floor is covered with a heavy growth of C. prolifera there is a live rock structure covered with green star polyps and a nest of
cauliflower soft corals small snails and small crabs are present there are 3 cleaner shrimp there is 1 small scooter blenny a hang on protein skimmer small sea clone is running
a eco system hand on refugium runs on the back of the tank after being placed into the tank the horses appeared ok but survived for only 4 days-----they would not eat any Mysis shrimp enhanced -----they refused to go down into the tank and would only stay near water surface in the area of water flow frustrated horse owner----what do you think--Larry
<Larry, unfortunately some animals, especially those as seahorses, simply don't handle the "process so well." When an animal dies in such a short time after being introduced it can usually be traced back to trauma during transit and acclimation. This trauma causes stress amongst other things and many, many creatures are lost this way in the marine trade.......unfortunately it is just part of the game. They may have been doomed no matter how well planned and executed your plan to care for them wad. My advice? Read a little more, give the tank a few more weeks to compensate for anything "bad", keep testing and....and.....if you have courage, try again my friend. Adam J.>
 

Re: Serious Seahorse Problem    3/27/06
Thank you for your quick reply. You were right that only time would tell, and it has given me somber news. My seahorse died in my hands today. I am upset about it, but in a way I find it better for him. His life would have been rather difficult if he could no longer see that well, and now he doesn't have to worry about it anymore.
<Once these sorts of complaints escalate to being visible on seahorses, they are very hard to cure...>
I may see you guys again if have a problem with my latest tank inhabitant, a  newly hatched white spotted bamboo shark. To give you some reassurance, he is in a 250 gallon tank where he will remain, and he is also doing very well.
I thank you again..
Krista
<Real good. Bob Fenner>