Novahobbies' 37g Seahorse Tank Journal

novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Here are better shots of the Rainford's Goby in QT.



As you may have noticed, there is sand and rock in the "QT." It's all dry. I wanted him to have something to hide in, and sand to sift. If the fish shows signs of ich, I'll start hypo, otherwise it's a 3-4 week observation period for this dude!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
HEY I didn't know you got one of them.....I love mine.....It is a very pretty fish....I notices it not only sifts sand, it grazes on the rocks too
good luck with it
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I started thinking about it when Flower mentioned all the benefits of her Hector's. I wanted something that was a little more obvious in the water column, but I wasn't a huge fan of the colors on a Hector's. When I read that Rainford's Gobys have almost the same habits (filamentous algae, sand sifting) I decided that was the fish for me. Brought the lil' bugger home today.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Thanks! Still alive as of this morning. He has a white patch on his flank that looks like the product of some pecking order violence (he was in with a lot of other Rainfords, Hectors, and orange spot gobies) so I'll watch to see how it heals or if I need to move to an antibacterial food.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
I've never used it, BUT....Dr G's has a new line of foods that have been soaked in or loaded with different medications. There is a broad-spectrum antibiotic food that has metronidazole and kanamycin. Might be worth a look. Otherwise I'll just treat the tank like I always do.
There's also an "anti-parasitic" food that has chloroquine phosphate in it, and an "deworming" food that has praziquantel included.
(That wouldn't work for horses, as we usually use a 3-tier method with different medications for de-worming horses.)
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Supposedly, yes. Says it doesn't affect the nitrifying bacteria. The Anti-Parasitic one has a lot of warnings on it; don't let it settle on your corals, don't let it rot in the tank, etc. Makes sense. I still say the best defense against ich, etc is good old QT.
IF I use it, I'll report in.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Flower, if you look at the last picture you can sort of see the sore. Follow the line down from the dorsal fin eyespot, then the white spot right underneath, then underneat that there is a spot that in the pictures looks a little pale. IRL it looks more like a lesion.
I have yet to see this little squirt actually eat. Mysis is too big for him, and the spirulina-loaded brine is being ignored. Might try a nori sheet tomorrow to see if he's going for something more veggie-like. Or he could be eating when I'm not looking. As fussy as a seahorse, I tell you. He's gonna fit right in.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by novahobbies http:///t/366648/novahobbies-37g-seahorse-tank-journal/560#post_3460391
Flower, if you look at the last picture you can sort of see the sore. Follow the line down from the dorsal fin eyespot, then the white spot right underneath, then underneat that there is a spot that in the pictures looks a little pale. IRL it looks more like a lesion.
I have yet to see this little squirt actually eat. Mysis is too big for him, and the spirulina-loaded brine is being ignored. Might try a nori sheet tomorrow to see if he's going for something more veggie-like. Or he could be eating when I'm not looking. As fussy as a seahorse, I tell you. He's gonna fit right in.
Sorry...I have bad eyes, I see his spots but no sore place.

My Hectors goby only eats algae he nips from the rocks, and I know he sifts the sand because I see a few grains fall from him. He never eats the food (mysis shrimp) and I have never offered him nori sheets. I have had him for a while (over 5 months) and he is very healthy....since seahorses are messy eaters they make lots of algae on the rocks for him.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Yes, I see this one sifting sand too, so I hope he's scooping a spirulina-loaded brine shrimp now and then. But your comment gives me an idea...I happen to know where an algae-filled tank is, and I think I can go borrow a rock from it tomorrow. He'll be in hair-algae heaven with just ONE rock from that tank!
Once he's in the horse tank he should be fine; there's lots of infaunal critters in the sand, and there's enough hair algae here and there for him to pick at. I'd be THRILLED if he cleaned off the yellow gorgonian. This is the longest I've ever kept a yellow gorg alive, but I'm CONSTANTLY brushing HA off of it with every water change. It'd be nice to have an animal do that chore for me.
One the other subject; it's not your eyes, it's the pic. I can barely see it in the photo also. Trust me, it's there.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by novahobbies http:///t/366648/novahobbies-37g-seahorse-tank-journal/560#post_3460429
Yes, I see this one sifting sand too, so I hope he's scooping a spirulina-loaded brine shrimp now and then. But your comment gives me an idea...I happen to know where an algae-filled tank is, and I think I can go borrow a rock from it tomorrow. He'll be in hair-algae heaven with just ONE rock from that tank!
Once he's in the horse tank he should be fine; there's lots of infaunal critters in the sand, and there's enough hair algae here and there for him to pick at. I'd be THRILLED if he cleaned off the yellow gorgonian. This is the longest I've ever kept a yellow gorg alive, but I'm CONSTANTLY brushing HA off of it with every water change. It'd be nice to have an animal do that chore for me.
One the other subject; it's not your eyes, it's the pic. I can barely see it in the photo also. Trust me, it's there.
Rub the HA off a little, mine likes the tender short stuff. If he is sifting, he is eating or at least looking for food....a sign of health.
I hope his booboo heals soon.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
First week of QT is drawing to a close, and I STILL haven't actually seen this little mofo eat! The spot I mentioned is exactly the same as well. Since I haven't seen him eat anything, I'm going to Furan the tank after a water change this week and treat him that way. Just a prophylactic measure, but I don't want any nasties introduced into the seahorse tank. On the other hand, he hasn't shown any evidence of ich, either. He's definitely sifting the sand...I see clean spots on the sandbed, and the rocks have sand on top. I can only hope he's eating while I'm away at work.
I have a lot of wood to lay tomorrow, but I should be able to squeeze some water changes in as well.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by novahobbies http:///t/366648/novahobbies-37g-seahorse-tank-journal/560#post_3461511
First week of QT is drawing to a close, and I STILL haven't actually seen this little mofo eat! The spot I mentioned is exactly the same as well. Since I haven't seen him eat anything, I'm going to Furan the tank after a water change this week and treat him that way. Just a prophylactic measure, but I don't want any nasties introduced into the seahorse tank. On the other hand, he hasn't shown any evidence of ich, either. He's definitely sifting the sand...I see clean spots on the sandbed, and the rocks have sand on top. I can only hope he's eating while I'm away at work.
I have a lot of wood to lay tomorrow, but I should be able to squeeze some water changes in as well.
I wouldn't dose him if you don't have to. I though seahorses were immune to ich. Get a rock with algae on it, and put it in the tank with him, you will see him nip at the rock for food if he is eating.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Don't have to worry about it... Fish was dead this morning. I'm upset, I KNEW I shouldn't have shopped there. Effing place is barely better than *****. Flower, I have two rocks with ha on them. Never saw him eat anything, bit he definitely had a bacterial infection. That was the reason I qt, besides ich. Ich may not easily transmit to horses, but bacterial bugs DO.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by novahobbies http:///t/366648/novahobbies-37g-seahorse-tank-journal/560#post_3461679
Sorry if I sound pithy....I'm just irritated about this fish right now.
I'm so sorry...I assume no guarantee either...
The first Hectors I ordered arrived DOA, it was replaced with the little fellow I have now. Foster & Smith, Live aquaria. I always try and order from SWF first, but they so seldom have what I'm looking for at the moment I'm looking. I like a guarantee...both do 14 days. If you decide to try for another one, I would try one of those places.
 
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