Do Seahorses get narcolepsy?

[sueandherzoo]

As of this morning she is still alive, still lying on the bottom, but breathing. I don't feed before work in the morning but hope to see her eat when I go home for lunch.
The tip of the tail (while looking with a flashlight since the lights don't go on till later in the morning) was somewhere between white and colored-up..... not glaring white like yesterday at noon but not totally colored, either.
Amazing the tiny details we search for when one of our critters is ill..... any "normal" person listening to this conversation would be convinced we're nuts!
Sue

 

[meowzer]

So the tip of the tail is changing some???

 

[sueandherzoo]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3114424
So the tip of the tail is changing some???
Yesterday during lunch the tip of the tail was a solid white like it had been dipped in bleach. By the end of the lunch hour it was colored back up - hardly any white at all. This morning it's somewhere in between.

Sue

 

[meowzer]

I am surprised no one has asked for a pic yet.....is it possible to get one? I know I won't know what it is, but maybe Ann or Tom will.

 

[bender77]

I know I'm new to the seahorse thing, and don't even have horses yet, but from what I've been reading about them that sounds like it could be a bacterial infection and maybe the beginning of tail rot. I would definitely try to get a picture and PM Ann and Tom.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Actually at lunch yesterday when I first spotted the white I grabbed for the camera and started snapping photos but I don't think any of them are close enough or clear enough to give you a vailid depiction. I'll see what today brings and try again.
Sue

 

[ann83]

Sue, tail rot isn't going to go back and forth between pale and coloring back up. The white from tail rot is from lack of blood flow and dying tissue... If the tail is pale, pink, white, etc. and staying that way, that's one thing, but this wavering back and forth is just not something I'd expect from tail rot.
But, I do think the lethargy is a problem, and I don't think that the fact that she can muster energy to eat means she's healthy, just that she's not as sick as she could be. I still recommend you move her to a hospital tank for closer observation. The lowered temperatures, peaceful environment, and extra attention during meal times in the hospital tank could actually help her.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Hi Ann. I agree that the fluctuating color of the tip of her tail doesn't fit the criteria for tail rot (thank goodness!) but yes, it's apparent that SOMETHING is bothering her. You would swear she is dead the way she lies on her side on the sand but when she sees or smells the frozen mysis, up she comes and boy can she still move! But almost immediately after seeing that all the food is gone, she is back on her side on the bottom again. If it weren't so worrisome it would be comical.
I am so torn between putting her in a hospital tank and leaving her where she is. Granted there are advantages to having her isolated but I can't help but worry that moving her would do her in. Not only would the strange environment be stressful but the water parameters of the 10 gallon might not stay as stable and pristine as the tank she's in now. The temp in the tank is down to 69, she gets plenty of food (I use a turkey baster to send the mysis right down to her after I place a big bunch on the other side of the tank for the other piglets) and no one is bothering her.... it's a very quiet, docile tank. The main reason I think I SHOULD move her is because she may be contagious, but if that's the case, the damage is probably already done.
I just find it so discouraging (and sad) when I read of the trials and tribulations of what so many dedicated keepers go through to try and heal a sick seahorse and I don't recall reading many (if any) success stories. So then I wonder if they would have been better off remaining in their accustomed environment? Obviously with some illnesses you absolutely have to remove and QT them but since we don't even know what's ailing this girl I don't know what to treat her for. I was so close to setting up the QT last night and decided against it..... let's see what tonight brings. Regardless of which way I go I will second-guess myself and assume I should have decided on the OTHER choice.
Thanks for being here.
Sue

 

[meowzer]

I just find it so discouraging (and sad) when I read of the trials and tribulations of what so many dedicated keepers go through to try and heal a sick seahorse and I don't recall reading many (if any) success stories. So then I wonder if they would have been better off remaining in their accustomed environment?
OH BOY...SUe I know what you mean by that

 

[sueandherzoo]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3114818
OH BOY...SUe I know what you mean by that
I had a feeling you would certainly be able to relate -- what you and that horse went through for so long was incredible.... no one can EVER say you didn't do EVERYTHING possible, and unfortunately it still didn't have a happy ending. Sometimes you have the gut feeling that you just HAVE TO stick with the fight because you won't be able to live with yourself if you don't, and other times it's more like "should I let it go peacefully and not prolong the suffering?" I'm somewhere in between those two right now so I'm going to follow my gut, at least until I can get some inkling as to what it is I'm trying to treat.
Sue

 

[meowzer]

I also felt very guilty taking it from it's "friend" and putting it in that strange cold place

 

[ann83]

Is there any chance you can get a picture?
Whatever you do, obviously I'll support however I can, but once the temperature is down in the display and it still isn't helping... I'm all for advocating dropping the temp in the display and adding airlines to see how it goes, but once you see how it goes, and it doesn't go well... Anyway, everyone has their own way of doing things.

 

[novahobbies]

my thoughts and prayers are with ya, Sue. I'm hoping it's not an internal infection...pretty sure that's what mine passed from. Does her belly look pinched at all??

 

[sueandherzoo]

Thanks everyone - no matter what happens it's nice to be in a place where others understand and relate to each of our challenges. It's so odd that she isn't getting worse or better - I thought once seahorses became afflicted with something they went downhill pretty fast. Same routine tonight - I tapped on the glass, she sat up, swam around sucking up food, and when it was gone she laid back down. So contradictory to be so "weak" yet still have the desire and ability to eat.
I'll try to get a photo tomorrow of the tail but everything about her looks perfectly normal, except for the1/4" of white tail tip.
There are a lot of bristleworms in the seahorse tank - could the white tip be a worm sting?
The temp in the tank is pretty consistently 69 degrees as long as I leave the glass top open. I don't want to go any cooler than that, do I?
Sue

 

[meowzer]

I wish I could help you.....I would probably go a little cooler...it can't hurt, and if it is something contagious it may slow it down for the others....

 

[teresaq]

Sorry to hear your horse is ill. Wish I had something more to add, but

I know nothing about treating illness.
T

 

[ann83]

Sue, I had another thought, don't run with it yet, but...
How long has the temperature been at 69*? Is there a chance it is dropping lower, maybe at night? Does the new behavior by any chance correlate with the temperature dropping lower than usual?
Our aquarium thermometers aren't exactly the most accurate, and low temperature has been associated with neurological symptoms. Typically, it would be a much lower temperature, but she could be less tolerant of lower temperatures than others... the downside to this theory is, if she is in fact suffering from a bacterial or parasite problem, the lowered temperature is probably keeping it at bay.
Speaking of, how coordinated is she when she does get up to feed?
And, how long did you have her, acting normal, prior to this new "napping" behavior?

 

[d-man]

I don't know much about sea-horses and I here their hard to keep, but I was wondering how much time is it spending "sleeping"? I understand it's at odd times but how much time is it? and will it go right back to "sleeping" after feeding?

 

[sueandherzoo]

Hmmmmmmmm..... interesting theory regarding the decreased water temperature. We had a new cooling system installed throughout our house about 2 weeks ago which is keeping the house MUCH cooler than it used to be. With the old system (window units) the seahorse tank was always at 73-74 degrees and maybe a little higher at night when I turned the unit off in that area. Now that we have a new system the house is staying a lot cooler and since it's such an efficient and quiet system we are even leaving it on at night. The seahorse tank water is now always at 69, give or take a degree (not sure how accurate those digital probe thermometers are).
I received these three juvies on June 19th so I've had them exactly two months.... they've all been great except for these past few days. The one who is lying down all the time doesn't seem to be growing as fast as the other two but maybe it's because she's a female? She's also stayed a very dark color where the other two have lightened up significantly. I guess that means something is stressing her? Or who knows -- maybe she is just genetically pre-disposed to have different coloring.
At the very least I hope we all can learn something from whatever she's got so maybe when it afflicts some other horse we'll have a clue what to do about it.
Now I need to decide if I want to close the glass lid (to warm up the water a little) or leave it at 68-69. I have other critters in there - I worry about the cold water affecting them (bangai cardinals, firefish gobies, yellow watchman).
And in answer to your question, she swims absolutely fine when she gets up to hunt for food, graceful, quick, looks effortless, but then is on her side at the bottom as soon as she realizes the food is gone.

If I were to decide to QT her tonight, what would I treat her with?
Sue

 

[ann83]

Where did you get the horses? Dan and Abbie? Beth?
Hmmm... if she were my horse, I'd put her in QT and see if that changed anything just moving her to an empty space with hitches. If that didn't change anything, I'd up the water temperature in the QT about a degree every 4-8 hours until I hit 72 and watch her closely to see how she reacted. Based on that, I'd decide what to do next.
Assuming she's CB unexposed to other tanks, I'd go bacterial rather than parasite, because I wouldn't expect parasites picked up in your tank to take hold so quickly. That means I'd treat with something like Furan-2 or Neo+Trisulfa. But, personally, I'd wait to see how the water temperature affects her before I started treatment with antibiotics.