New Sunburst not eating - 2008/08/24 06:01My wife and I just ordered two medium Sunbursts, and they arrived Friday. At first glance, they looked great, and we acclimated them and all was well.
Then, after an hour or two, my wife noticed one of them had a distended white bump very noticeable right above her anal fin, with a string, mucousy, milky white substance coming out of it (her anus, I imagine). She is not eating, and has expressed no interest in food. The other Sunburst appears very normal and is eating well.
Water parameters are just fine: Ammonia 0, Nitrite, 0 Nitrate unmeasurable. Ph 8.2, Specific Gravity 1.0245, temperature between 72-78 F. We've been keeping and raising H. Erectus for about two years now.
I carefully cleaned the white stuff off of her, but a couple of hours later, more is back. She is otherwise alert and acting like a normal seahorse, except for no appetite and the white stuff.
Advice, anyone?
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My best bet is that the new Sunburst that's off its feed may be having a problem with intestinal flagellates. When this happens, the affected seahorse will typically lose its appetite and begin producing white, stringy mucoid feces instead of its normal fecal pellets. In many cases, the vent or belly becomes swollen even as the seahorse is losing weight and condition.
The recommended treatment for intestinal flagellates is to administer a regimen of metronidazole, which can be used safely in the main tank, as explained below:
Intestinal Flagellates
Intestinal flagellates are microscopic organisms that move by propelling themselves with long tail-like flagella (Kaptur, 2004). Such flagellates can be found naturally in both the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts of their hosts. In low numbers they do not present a problem, but they multiply by binary fission, an efficient means of mass infestation when conditions favor them (such as when a seahorse has been weakened by chronic stress), Kaptur, 2004. When they get out of control, these parasites interfere with the seahorse's normal digestive processes such as vitamin absorption, and it has difficulty obtaining adequate nourishment even though it may be eating well and feeding heavily (Kaptur, 2004). Suspect intestinal parasites are a work when a good eater gradually wastes away despite its hearty appetite (Giwojna, Dec. 2003). Their presence can be confirmed by examining a fecal sample under a microscope, but they can be easily diagnosed according to the more readily observed signs described below (Kaptur, 2004).
The symptoms to look for are a seahorse that's losing weight or not holding its own weightwise even though it feeds well, or alternatively, a lack of appetite accompanied by white stringy feces (Kaptur, 2004) or mucoid feces. Many times the vent or abdomen of the affected fish is swollen. When a seahorse stops eating aggressively and begins producing white, stringy feces or mucoid feces instead of fecal pellets, that's a clear indication that it's suffering from intestinal flagellates (Kaptur, 2004). Treat the affected seahorse(s) with metronidazole at the first sign of either condition (Giwojna, Dec. 2003).
Metronidazole is an antibiotic with antiprotozoal properties that is very effective in eradicating internal parasites in general and intestinal flagellates in particular (Kaptur, 2004). It is ideal for this because it is rapidly absorbed from the GI tract, has anti-inflammatory effects in the bowel, and was designed specifically to treat protozoal infections and anaerobic bacterial infections by disrupting their DNA (Kaptur, 2004).
If the seahorse is still eating, administering the metronidazole orally via gut-loaded shrimp is often extremely effective (Giwojna, Dec. 2003).
If the affected seahorse is no longer eating, then it should be treated in a hospital tank or the entire aquarium can be treated (no carbon filtration, UV, or protein skimming during the treatments). Since metronidazole is only active against anaerobic bacteria, it will not affect beneficial Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter species or disrupt the biological filtration, and it can therefore be used safely to treat the main tank (Kaptur, 2004). Dissolve 250 mg of metronidazole for every 10 gallons of water in the treatment tank, and the medication will be absorbed through the seahorse's gills (Kaptur, 2004). Metronidazole is oxidized over a period of several hours, so the entire dose needs to be replenished daily; (Kaptur, 2004.) Treat the affected seahorse in isolation for a minimum of 5 consecutive days.
When administered properly, metronidazole is wonderfully effective at eliminating intestinal parasites, and there should be signs of improvement within 3 days of treatment (Kaptur, 2004). The seahorse's appetite should pick up, and as it does, those characteristic white stringy feces will return to normal (Giwojna, Dec. 2003).
Intestinal parasites are typically transferred from their host to uninfected fishes by fecal exposure, and good tank management and hygiene can therefore go a long way towards limiting their spread (Giwojna, Dec. 2003). You don't want seahorses eating frozen Mysis that may have become contaminated from laying on a dirty substrate (Giwojna, Dec. 2003). Using a feeding station can help prevent this as can vacuuming the substrate regularly.
Fortunately, intestinal flagellates have virtually no ability to survive outside their host's body (Giwojna, Dec. 2003). If you detect the problem early and are diligent about cleaning the substrate while the aquarium is being treated with metronidazole, the parasites should be easily eliminated from your system and chances are good the rest of your herd will remain unaffected (Giwojna, Dec. 2003).
Low numbers of these flagellates are often part of the fish's normal intestinal flora and only become problematic when a fish is stressed or its immune system is otherwise compromised, allowing them to reproduce unchecked. In this case, long-distance shipping and the stress of adjusting to a strange new aquarium appear to have tipped the balance in favor of the intestinal flagellates, but a regimen of metronidazole should resolve the problem.
Your local fish store should carry a medication designed for aquarium use whose primary ingredient is metronidazole (e.g., Flagyl, Metro-MS by FishVet, Hexamit, etc.). Just follow the instructions on the package and be sure to use the marine dose. Temporarily relocate sensitive invertebrates such as decorative shrimp until after the treatment regimen has been completed.
Metronidazole is most effective when it's administered orally via gutloaded feeder shrimp, but that won't be feasible since your female Sunburst is not eating. If administering the metronidazole directly to your seahorse tank is not effective in eliminating the intestinal flagellates for any reason, then a medication known as Paracide-D is an excellent alternative. It will not be available from any pet stores or fish stores, but it can be purchased online from National Fish Pharmaceuticals at the following URL:
In short, Jim and Jacquie, I would recommend treating your seahorse tank with a regimen of metronidazole from your LFS as soon as possible. While you are completing the regimen of metronidazole, order some of the Paracide-D so you can use it as a backup, if necessary. Even if it's not needed at this time, the Paracide-D is a good medication to keep on hand in any case.
Best of luck treating this problem, Jim and Jacquie. Here's hoping your new female Sunburst as soon eating like a horse again!
Respectfully, Pete Giwojna
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JimWelsh
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Re:New Sunburst not eating - 2008/08/25 00:07Many thanks, Pete for the quick response. We got some metronidazole from our neighborhood vet, and the sick seahorse is now in a separate tank being treated. We do have one female reidi that is eating well, but doesn't grow, and even looks like she may be getting smaller. We will treat her too. I'll follow up once there is more news to post.
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JimWelsh
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Re:New Sunburst not eating - 2008/09/15 07:42I'm sorry it has taken so long to respond to this, but you know how it goes: when there is a crisis you find the time to post, but when the crisis is past, life's other demands somehow take precedence....
Pete's advice was followed, and the results were phenomenal! Our new Sunburst with the problem was treated in a separate tank for a few days with metronidazole, and on the very first day, she was seen eating isopods off of the glass near her. I set up a feeding station for her, and the next day, she was eating frozen mysis from the feeding station. In less than a week, she was back in the main tank, and was eagerly eating frozen PE mysis along with all the other horses! Thank you very much, Pete for your quick and accurate help!
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Thanks for the update! You're most welcome to any and all of the information I can provide to help keep your seahorses happy and healthy, sir!
It's great to hear that your female Sunburst responded so well to the metronidazole and is now eating like a horse again! Now that she's got the hang of your feeding station, you shouldn't have any more feeding problems with your new Hippocampus erectus.
It sounds like you did an excellent job of administering the metronidazole and setting up a feeding station for your seahorses. Well done!
Best wishes with all your fishes, Jim and Jacquie!
Happy Trails! Pete Giwojna
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