Originally Posted by
zeke92
http:///forum/post/2569876
yeah 69 is a bit cold unless he is just tryin to terminate every little parasite but i would suggest a few degrees higher. like 72-74.
wow thats just the QT? there spoiled o.o
I was kind of planning on these seahorses being in not so great shape when I received them, based on the circumstances surrounding.
Turns out unfortunately I was right.
One of the two seahorses arrived dead. There clear evidence of snout rot and tail rot, classic signs of vibrio, and after 6 hours of being dead in a holding container, parasites starting coming out of her body and massive discoloration began on her trunk.
IMHO 69F is not to cold as this species lives in colder water in parts of the winter season.
I chose the temp specifically. In research by Dr Belli, Jeff Mitchell and numerous others who research vibrio population in the seafood industry, it has been found that the same strains of vibrio common in seahorses actually stop reproducing at temps under 69F.
If the temp is under 69F then the living seahorses immune system would only have to deal with the bacteria present in it's system and not have to fight off any new bacteria. I am assuming that since one of the two seahorses was infected with parasites and vibrio that the other seahorse who was kept with her also has been exposed to the same. At temps between 70-74F the vibrio bacteria can reproduce however it is a less virulent strain and actually releases different proteins then at temps 75F and above.
I plan on keeping the living seahorse at 69F for at least the next 6 weeks and treating for parasites with prazipro and fenbendazole while in the QT tank. Then raising the temp a degree a day until I hit 73F which is the final temp she will be kept at. I would go up to 74F but my chiller has a 1 degree flux so 73F will give me that room to make sure the seahorse is always in ideal water temp.
Ya I am a freak and my seahorses are spoiled. It's the least I could do. I love these guys so much. If I want to keep them I will give them the best care, even if I eat mac and cheese and they eat prime rib.
I have never read anything regarding temp and parasite reproduction. If you have any links I would be most appreciative if you could post them. I'm sincere. I love this stuff. After 8 years, of keeping, 4 of reading at least an hour or two a day some days way more, i now know enough to know I know nothing at all.
I'm a believer in strong flow with "quiet" areas, but don't you think a 1200 to be bit strong Kevin? Is there much turbulence when you tested it? BTW, good luck with your new charges.
The MJ 1200 is the return pump from the sump. It is not in the tank. In a tank that size I think it would be way to much in normal use. But as a return pump I'm getting less then 200 gph and I broke that up with loc line into two flare nozzles. Both of the returns are on the far right side of the tank and even with the water line. The chains in the tank do not even move. I put one in my reef, it laid on it's side. I also have siphon breaks in the loc line which take some of the flow away as well. IME the flow from the MJ 1200 after being pumped up 4 feet, then being split with loc line into two flare nozzles, each having syphon hole might not be enough flow, but it works for a QT.
I am also doing a 5g water change every day. I suck out all the extra food and detritus before it can decay. Then replace it with 5g of water from my reef. I put the new water into the reef. The reef water is pretty perfect but the seahorse QT does not need the same trace elements as the reef, and well the reef will love a 5g change a day. I spoil all my tanks. We don't even want to get into what I do for my dog. Happy animals makes me happy. It's my nature, I don't have kids so I spoil my dog and fish.
