ann83
Member
Originally Posted by SueAndHerZoo
http:///forum/post/3120020
Does the infected tail become stiff or hard to use?
Yes, it definitely can. It is losing circulation (not that it had great circulation to begin with), and can definitely become stiff and immobile. Hopefully, though, she is able to hitch with the upper portion of her tail. Do you have any large diameter hitches in the tank with her? Or, better yet, big bushy fake plants that she can "sit" in?
Also, do you have any wound control, bio-bandage, or gel neosporin that you can put on the tail tip? I should have thought of that sooner, but that happens to be something I usually forget...
She seems to do a lot of jerking, and it almost seems like she's struggling to gain altitude. She succeeds, but it's not an easy, graceful thing.
[insert whatever curse word you imagine I just said here] *sigh* Okay. Does she seem bloated at all? Fat? Is her tail getting thicker? Are her trunk rings still clearly defined, or is she filling out to where the area between her trunk rings is flush with the trunk rings themselves? Does any of that make sense even?
The tail looks as it always did..... should I expect to see any improvement or will it always be discolored and thinner at the tip?
You'll see one of two things, either the tail will slowly and gradually regain color and mobility (though this takes time to heal even after the infection is dealt with), or the tip of the tail will turn whiter and fall off (which isn't as bad as it sounds, really). It just depends on how far the tissue damage has gone, but either way can result in a healthy seahorse.
She seems real interested in food but then she doesn't snick at them even when they smack her in the face. I've wondered a few times if she's gone blind or something.
Try live foods. Seahorse's get pickier when they're sick and it is common for them to go off frozen for a while. Live shrimp like ghost, glass, mysis, etc. even if freshwater, are best. If you are unable to get that, you can try amphipods and/or live adult brine shrimp. Remember, 4 days without eating means it's time to tube feed, so you don't want to get to that point if you can help it.
Also, you can add vitamin B12 to the water (or to the tube feeding gruel if you get to that point). It helps stimulate appetite. And beta glucan is an immune booster so adding that (preferably to food) can help her heal.
If there's anything else I should be doing, please let me know!
Sounds like you're doing great. Good luck!
http:///forum/post/3120020
Does the infected tail become stiff or hard to use?
Yes, it definitely can. It is losing circulation (not that it had great circulation to begin with), and can definitely become stiff and immobile. Hopefully, though, she is able to hitch with the upper portion of her tail. Do you have any large diameter hitches in the tank with her? Or, better yet, big bushy fake plants that she can "sit" in?
Also, do you have any wound control, bio-bandage, or gel neosporin that you can put on the tail tip? I should have thought of that sooner, but that happens to be something I usually forget...
She seems to do a lot of jerking, and it almost seems like she's struggling to gain altitude. She succeeds, but it's not an easy, graceful thing.
[insert whatever curse word you imagine I just said here] *sigh* Okay. Does she seem bloated at all? Fat? Is her tail getting thicker? Are her trunk rings still clearly defined, or is she filling out to where the area between her trunk rings is flush with the trunk rings themselves? Does any of that make sense even?
The tail looks as it always did..... should I expect to see any improvement or will it always be discolored and thinner at the tip?
You'll see one of two things, either the tail will slowly and gradually regain color and mobility (though this takes time to heal even after the infection is dealt with), or the tip of the tail will turn whiter and fall off (which isn't as bad as it sounds, really). It just depends on how far the tissue damage has gone, but either way can result in a healthy seahorse.
She seems real interested in food but then she doesn't snick at them even when they smack her in the face. I've wondered a few times if she's gone blind or something.
Try live foods. Seahorse's get pickier when they're sick and it is common for them to go off frozen for a while. Live shrimp like ghost, glass, mysis, etc. even if freshwater, are best. If you are unable to get that, you can try amphipods and/or live adult brine shrimp. Remember, 4 days without eating means it's time to tube feed, so you don't want to get to that point if you can help it.
Also, you can add vitamin B12 to the water (or to the tube feeding gruel if you get to that point). It helps stimulate appetite. And beta glucan is an immune booster so adding that (preferably to food) can help her heal.
If there's anything else I should be doing, please let me know!
Sounds like you're doing great. Good luck!
