seahorse with snout rot

seahorses2013

New Member
We are new to seahorses but not to fish/reef aquariums. We recently purchased 2 seahorses, later that evening we noticed that one had snout rot and died by morning. I know it was nothing that we had done since we only had her for 3 hrs before we noticed her snout. I am now concerned about our other seahorse. Is there anything we need to do to prevent him from getting snout rot? He is eating well.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by seahorses2013 http:///t/396403/seahorse-with-snout-rot#post_3531979
We are new to seahorses but not to fish/reef aquariums. We recently purchased 2 seahorses, later that evening we noticed that one had snout rot and died by morning. I know it was nothing that we had done since we only had her for 3 hrs before we noticed her snout. I am now concerned about our other seahorse. Is there anything we need to do to prevent him from getting snout rot? He is eating well.



Hi, Welcome to the site.

A few questions:
  • What type of seahorses do you have?
  • What else is in the tank with them?
    Where did you get them?
    What type of equipment and test kits do you have?

Seahorses need a cold tank...a chiller set at 74 degrees for tropical species such as Kuda or Erectus, but it depends on the type of seahorse, the cold water ones such as Potbelly horses need temps at 67 degrees or lower. It's always best to buy from a breeder you know, or a reputable place such as Seahorse Source. Captive bred eating frozen Mysis.

Seahorses are very susceptible to diseases if kept at warmer temps.
 

seahorses2013

New Member
Honestly I don't know the breed of seahorse. He is brown. I will find out though.
Purchased from a local salt water fish store.
I have a sailfin goby, twin spot goby, spotted mandarin, some snails and crabs.
Wanting to get a couple of cardinals so they can eat the food that floats in the tank. I am afraid that the food that sits around will raise the ammonia level.

We are testing with an API kit.
Have a JBH 30 gallon tank the pumps came with the tank but only using one pump due to the flow that both pumps produced. A heater to keep the temp at 74. We took the carbon and something else that came in the filters and replaced with Matrix.

I have a few trees(yellow finger gorg, purple feather, purple ribbon, mangrove and white lightning sponge) in the tank for the seahorse to attach and we have some algea(I don't know the name--hubby does) that we took out of my husband's refugium for the copepods to live.

The seahorse is eating frozen mysis well, swimming and hitching well.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by seahorses2013 http:///t/396403/seahorse-with-snout-rot#post_3531999
Honestly I don't know the breed of seahorse. He is brown. I will find out though.
Purchased from a local salt water fish store.
I have a sailfin goby, twin spot goby, spotted mandarin, some snails and crabs.
Wanting to get a couple of cardinals so they can eat the food that floats in the tank. I am afraid that the food that sits around will raise the ammonia level.

We are testing with an API kit.
Have a JBH 30 gallon tank the pumps came with the tank but only using one pump due to the flow that both pumps produced. A heater to keep the temp at 74. We took the carbon and something else that came in the filters and replaced with Matrix.

I have a few trees(yellow finger gorg, purple feather, purple ribbon, mangrove and white lightning sponge) in the tank for the seahorse to attach and we have some algea(I don't know the name--hubby does) that we took out of my husband's refugium for the copepods to live.

The seahorse is eating frozen mysis well, swimming and hitching well.


Hi,

Crabs and the sailfin goby have no business in a tank with seahorses. It isn't that the fish are mean, but they eat faster then the seahorse, so they won't get the amount of food they need. The nitrate test in the API kits are no good, so you need a different nitrate test. If the seahorse is eating well, it doesn't sound like snout rot, can you post a picture? A really good site for seahorse info is seahorse.org. Those folks know everything there is to know about them.

Here is a word of advice you can hang your hat on...NEVER, EVER ask any LFS for advice on critters or equipment. They don't know your level of knowledge, they don't remember everything they sold you for your tank, or what critters you have, they are a business and need to make a sale, not all store keepers or workers are as knowledgeable as you may think. . Go into the LFS knowing what you want or need
. Sites like this one, friends with the same hobby, and books is where to obtain your information, so that you will know what you want and need from the store.

An established tank with mangroves and macroalgae in a refugium , has no need to worry about ammonia spikes unless something drastic happens. Here is a compatibility list from seahorse.org
http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/tankmates.shtml
 

seahorses2013

New Member
The seahorse that I mentioned in the post died--see first post. The other one that I mentioned that was eating well was the mate. I feed him twice a day(most of the time more than that) from a syringe(will be purchasing a pipette this weekend . He will come to the syringe and grab the food from the tip. I want to get him to start eating from a feeder, but have not found one at our local stores. I do make sure that "Apple Jack" is fed, so I know he is getting what he needs and what he doesn't eat the sailfin goby, twin spot goby and crabs eat the rest or what falls to the bottom. I am concerned about the waste that isn't eaten, that is why we have the crabs in the tank--I read somewhere that the red foot crabs are okay. I only have like 3 in the tank.

I am curious as to how much to fed him.
I am raising some brine shrimp just to have him something to eat between feedings--Yes I do know they have no nutritious value, but I can not feed him 3 and 4x a day every day.

BTW we will be receiving a replacement for the one that died.

Also the mangrove trees and macroalgae are not in a refugium they are in the actual tank.
 
S

saxman

Guest
This is one of the problems with buying SH from a LFS. The specimens they buy are generally touted as "tank-raised", but the tanks are generally open-system vats that are connected to the ocean water, so these SH come in with all the same pathogens as wildcaughts (WC). SH are very prone to getting bacterial infections (usually Vibriosis), so as Flower mentioned temperature is a HUGE contributing factor. At 75*F, the bacterial count in a closed system goes thru the roof, which is the reason behind the lower temps for SH.

The best thing you can do to prevent bacterial infections is to lower your temp a bit. 74*F should be the absolute max temp in a tropical SH setup, but they'll tolerate cooler temps, as low as 68*F for tropicals. Keep an eye on the SH, and if you see a lesion forming (check the tail as well), you'll definitely want to drop the temp, get it into a hosp tank and treat the SH. Furan 2 is the current antibiotic of choice.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by seahorses2013 http:///t/396403/seahorse-with-snout-rot#post_3532192
The seahorse that I mentioned in the post died--see first post. The other one that I mentioned that was eating well was the mate. I feed him twice a day(most of the time more than that) from a syringe(will be purchasing a pipette this weekend . He will come to the syringe and grab the food from the tip. I want to get him to start eating from a feeder, but have not found one at our local stores. I do make sure that "Apple Jack" is fed, so I know he is getting what he needs and what he doesn't eat the sailfin goby, twin spot goby and crabs eat the rest or what falls to the bottom. I am concerned about the waste that isn't eaten, that is why we have the crabs in the tank--I read somewhere that the red foot crabs are okay. I only have like 3 in the tank.

I am curious as to how much to fed him.
I am raising some brine shrimp just to have him something to eat between feedings--Yes I do know they have no nutritious value, but I can not feed him 3 and 4x a day every day.

BTW we will be receiving a replacement for the one that died.

Also the mangrove trees and macroalgae are not in a refugium they are in the actual tank.


Hi, I didn't see the died by morning, sorry. As Saxman (our SH expert) said, temps are important.

Be the macros and mangroves in the refugium, or main tank, makes no difference, they get the job done, which is keeping the tank parameters pristine.

Once the seahorse will eat from the syringe it will follow it anywhere...lead it to whatever shallow dish you decide to make into the feeding dish. Large empty clam shells, a glass seashell, or just a shallow dish...all will work as feeding places. Squirt the remaining food into the dish, and the seahorse will learn that it's the place to be fed, providing the other tank mates don't gobble it up from the feeding dish before they can feed. That's why only certain fish can live with SHs, because they are so slow to eat.

I have 4 Kuda SHs in a 56g tall tank, and 5 Potbelly horses in the 90g. In the 56g, I have a pipefish and hectors goby, along with varies snails and peppermint shrimp to eat leftover food. In the 90g I have a Blue/green Chromis, peppermint shrimps and varies snails. The nassarius snail is not an algae eater, it feeds on leftover food, and because they like to burrow in the sand, they also keep the sand bed nice and stirred.

My tanks are both loaded with macroalgae, and I have no problems with ammonia, nitrates or phosphates...SHs are very messy eaters, and waste so much food, but you have to be very picky on what you have in the tank with them. I turn off the pumps for an hour (bubble lines running) while they eat, otherwise the filters suck up the food before they have eaten enough. Once they abandon the feeding dish...turn back on the pumps, and let the CUC take care of the uneaten stuff.

I have all of my power heads and pumps on a single power strip, which makes a single switch to turn everything off or on, all at once. Oh and don't feed the horses brine shrimp...stock the refugium with amphipods...they LOVE
amphipods, and will spend the day happily hunting them for a wonderful healthy snack.
 

seafishlover

New Member
I have eight seahorses in my tank along with ocellaris clowns, firefish and 3 yellow tangs and 3 blue hippos. My seahorses came from Hawaii. Everyone is getting along fine. My ponies will feed right from my hands. If you are serious about getting and caring for seahorses you need to go to Ocean Riders in Hawaii. They raise all kinds of seahorses...give tours, etc. I would trust no one else. Four of my ponies are mated pairs....they are very interesting to watch and at times can be very comical.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by seafishlover http:///t/396403/seahorse-with-snout-rot#post_3532264
I have eight seahorses in my tank along with ocellaris clowns, firefish and 3 yellow tangs and 3 blue hippos. My seahorses came from Hawaii. Everyone is getting along fine. My ponies will feed right from my hands. If you are serious about getting and caring for seahorses you need to go to Ocean Riders in Hawaii. They raise all kinds of seahorses...give tours, etc. I would trust no one else. Four of my ponies are mated pairs....they are very interesting to watch and at times can be very comical.

Welcome to the site,


What size tank do you have 3 yellow tangs, 3 hippo tangs, and 8 seahorses together????? Keeping them in the same tank, your "ponies" won't last long. The only acceptable critter in the tank with your horses is the firefish, the others are all dangerous to keep with them. Seahorse.org is a great place to go for help when seahorses begin to get sick or die, they can help...keep that site handy, you are going to need them, and soon.

NEVER, EVER ask advice from the LFS...not for critters or equipment. Know what you want or need before you go to the store. I'm not being mean and I hope you don't get mad....Your horses may of come from Hawaii, but whoever sold you the rest to go into the tank with them doesn't know what they are doing.

What temperatures do you keep the tank at? Tangs are tropical and need the temp no lower then 78, tropical seahorses need the tank no warmer then 74 degrees. You have a problem.
 

seafishlover

New Member
Thanks alot for your input...no I'm not mad. You may love seahorse.org. But I will not trust anyone but Ocean Riders who are located in Hawaii..which is a big organization that spends so much time researching and educating the public about the seahorses and what they need to survive. I have listened to them and guess what my reef tank has been up and running for over 5 years now. No problems, so I guess they know what they are talking about.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by seafishlover http:///t/396403/seahorse-with-snout-rot#post_3532301
Thanks alot for your input...no I'm not mad. You may love seahorse.org. But I will not trust anyone but Ocean Riders who are located in Hawaii..which is a big organization that spends so much time researching and educating the public about the seahorses and what they need to survive. I have listened to them and guess what my reef tank has been up and running for over 5 years now. No problems, so I guess they know what they are talking about.


What size tank do you have?
 
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