How does this sound

[lcstorc]

I have always loved seahorses and in fact that is how my husband convinced me to get a tank by promising me seahorses. Well lots of research later it was clear we couldn't just throw them in the tank like fish and we needed to take special measures.
Last April he bought me a 24g Aquapod for a seahorse tank. It sits right next to the reef under the same hood. We raised the Aquapod lid and made it so the two tanks somehow share water. Something about a pump moving water to the reef and a syphon moving it backmif that makes sense.
I then went out and got 3 captive bred Kudas. Things went great for about 6 months and then things went downhill very very fast. I lost 2 within 24 hrs and the third was fine for a while then got something bouyaing in his pouch since he had a huge bulge which floated.
So everyone said it was the temp of the tank. my tank ran at the time about 80-81 but with very little fluctuation. I had a difficult time blaming it on the temp since the temp did not change but then again they are the experts so what do I know.
For Christmas I got a 1/4 HP chiller and put that on the system. It is plumbed so it pulls water from the sump and goes through a manifold on top of the reef. It was set aqt 76. I thought I was ready. Everything go and I got two very small female Redi. Again things went well for a time and then they both perished. No symptoms on the first to go and the second stopped eating several days before she passed on.
In both cases they were fed a combo pf mysis and Cyclopeze. The tank has some LR. some Xenia, and a couple of snails.
(I will get the question out soon I promoise.)
I have vowed not to get any more ponies until I make changes designed to imprpve the survival rate.
Everyone talks about temp. What if I set my chiller to say 74 and put the output and the tenp probe in the seahorse tank. Then the seahorse tank should stay 74 and the reef will be a more normal 78 or 79 without trying to keep the whole thing that temp.
Anyway, what do you think of the idea and any other suggestions are welcome.

[panmanmatt]

Lynn, that sounds like it should work. I would hook it up that way and see how it plays out for you. I know you dearly love the ponies and I sure hope we can get things figured out so you can keep them again.

What you have experienced is very common when folks tell me they have seahorses in their reef tank/system. All is fine for a few months and then trouble starts. It's not that the heat kills the horses,their natural habitats have been recorded in the upper 70 degree range. What happens is that in a small glass box the bacteria breed at such a fast rate at higher temperatures that eventually the horses succumb to a bacterial infection usually vibrio. In the wild, the bacteria is dilluted just by the sheer gallonage of water. Also they can move off to deeper waters where the temp may even be a few degrees cooler, no such chance in an aquarium.
Some folks think thay becasue they have a 3-500 gallon system that they will be fine. Not true, it just may take the bacteria a little longer to reach the proportions that will cause harm. No mater how large a system you have, it will never even come close to the size of their natural home.

[Melanie]

I'm interested to hear if anyone has kept a seahorse for longer than a year. My LFS said that is the best I could expect. Seahorses are beyond my experience level but they are just beautiful. I hope you get yours to succeed.

[sasquatch]

environments. For example, Vibrio coralliilyticus has recently been
described as a new cause of disease in coral. Primary author Brian
Austin said that some of these new species are similar to existing fish
and shellfish pathogens. It is not yet clear to what extent these
species affect marine animals in the wild. For access to the report, go
to:
Blackwell Synergy - Cookie Absent

Thought this was interesting tidbit on vibrio, how was the timing for the pony sickness and the euphyllia problem you had Lynn?
Matt? is this bacteria something that can be slowed with UV? or maybe its coming in with the seafood we use to feed our stock?

[panmanmatt]

Originally Posted by Melanie

I'm interested to hear if anyone has kept a seahorse for longer than a year. My LFS said that is the best I could expect. Seahorses are beyond my experience level but they are just beautiful. I hope you get yours to succeed.

I have persoanlly kept them for 3 years and know of others that are working on 5+ years with the same seahorses.

As far as a life expectancy of these guys, we're still not sure. This aspect of the SW hobby is so young yet. With the recent availablility, last 2-3 years, of true captive bred seahorses it has become easier to track them and keep records of their life.


With the right conditions we imagine you may be able to get 6-7 years or more out of these guys.

[panmanmatt]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

Matt? is this bacteria something that can be slowed with UV? or maybe its coming in with the seafood we use to feed our stock?

Vibrio is present in every system and in most cases is being carried by the horses or other livestock asymptomatically. It could possibly be in the foods we feed, but I haven't sen anything of that just yet. Once a stress factor is introduced, the fish become immunocompromised and the bacteria gets a foothold. Once it gets a foothold it continues to effect the fish unless the stress factor is removed and the fish is started on a course of antibiotics. And even then if it's not caught early enough you still may not be able to save the animal.

Stress can be caused by shipping, poor diet, inappropriate tankmates, poor tank conditions and any number of other things. Even having seahorses in a high traffic area seems to effect them. When I had my horses in the living room, they hid quite a bit and were hardly ever out. Once I moved them into my bedroom, they became much more active and are out just about all the time now.

They seem to be pretty prone to stressing, that is why it is important to research them and be very careful with what you put in with them.

So to answer the original question, yes a UV will help to slow the bacteria and is actually one of the more reccomended pieces of euiptment on a seahorse tank. Just make sure to get one that is appropriately sized and that your flow rates are within it's limits. UV will can add heat to your tank if you have the flow too low through it. Heat is your worst enemy in a seahorse tank.

[aquaman3680]

I had 7 seahorses all but one lived for 1 1/2 year until we had to give them away because we were moving. They were in their own 72 gallon tank, filled with macro algae and other things for them to hitch on.

Matt

[lcstorc]

Glad to hear my theory is at least worth trying. I also didn't know about the UV. I have one in my garage that I can hook up pretty easily. I'll add that to the hunny do list as well.
Some day I will again have these wonderful animals. They have a tank waiting as soon as I feel they have a good chance in my care.
Speaking of antibiotics etc what do you consider to be a good emergency kit for seahorses. What antibiotics etc do you keep on hand and ready.

[panmanmatt]

Well since this topic has come up, I'm gonna give a shameless plug here so bear with me.

If you are up to a small amount of reading get a copy of "Workin Notes: A guide to seahorse diseases".
It was put together by my fellow members over at Seahorse.org.

You can get by following the link below or I belive it can be purchased through SeahorseSource.com also.

Working notes: a guide to seahorse diseases > books > The Shoppe at Seahorse.org | CafePress

[lcstorc]

Thanks. I will definitely check it out. I am looking for as much info as I can get. I hate to see any animal suffer and die (yes even bugs etc) but these wonderful animals surely deserve the best we can possibly give them.

[panmanmatt]

Originally Posted by lcstorc

Speaking of antibiotics etc what do you consider to be a good emergency kit for seahorses. What antibiotics etc do you keep on hand and ready.

A good kit should include the following:

Neomycin *
Triple Sulfa *
Methaline Blue *
Formalin *
Metronidazole (flagyl)
Diamox (need a prescription ) *
Baytril (need a prescription)
IV catheter sleeve(18-24 guage) or bobby pin (for pouch evacuations) *

Most of these meds can be found at your LFS or I know for a fact that Dan carries most if not all of this stuff. (can you tell where I get most my supplies from?)

things marked with an "*" are the main ones we use.

[lcstorc]

Everything has an * Lol.
Where would I get a prescription for the ones that require it?
I will use this list when I get my ponies so perhaps I can get an all in one deal. The ponies and the meds in one shop. This is the guy in Ft Pierce you recommended right?

[panmanmatt]

Yes that is him.
As for the scripts, hopefuly you have a sympathetic vet that will write one for you. Baytril is usually used in dogs and cats. Diamox is a human med but you may be able to get your vet to write a script for that too.