Upside down seahorse

[Bliksem]

Hi all.

1 of my 5 horses appears to not know up from down and is swimming about upside down like. What would cause this? His abdomen appears to be a little bloated?

Any advise appreciated.

[Viv]

sounds like gas bubble disease.

Best if you post something in the seahorse section- sailfin would be able to advise you better.

IME, my kudas never recovered when they had this.

[Joanna]

Have a look at this link. http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/GBD.shtml

Joanna

[Sailfin]

Hya

have you noticed any breeding activity lately (I'm assuming you have read the link Joanna put up)

It sounds very much like he has trapped gas in his pouch. In the first instance I would massage the pouch with the back of your thumb nail (very gently) Grab hold of him and let him wrap his tail around your finger. This is to try and release any trapped gas through the hole in the pouch. If your lucky (you say the pouch is only slightly swollen) you will see bubbles being released and the pouch should go flaccid (sp)). If there is resistance and the pouch won't give stopas they are increadible sensitive organs and easily damaged. I have just been treating a male comes with this problem and it can be nerve wracking. If you see bubbles come out let him go and if its worked he should go back to swimming normally. If this happens hand feed him (with tweezers/forceps) after about an hour as he wouldn't have been eating while suffering with this.

When the pouch becomes very swollen the hole can swell shut in which case you will need to gently insert a soft pippette/syringe into the hole (just at the opening not into the pouch itself) to open it to release the pressure. You could also use this method to flush the bubbles out but I would try gentle massage first and we'll look at this as the second stage if necessary.

[Sailfin]

Hya mate

I have no idea if the copper helped somehow (I doubt it but...) Seahorses can recover on their own but its quite unusual ime. If he has then nice one! Your one lucky ..... As mentioned, keep an eye on him with the copper. I really hope he has fully recovered, but keep a close eye on his pouch, at the first sign of floating start massaging because once it gets infected its a whole different ball game.

Good luck!

[Bliksem]

Ok, it appears my post about the copper and the sudden dissapearance of the bloated pouch has been removed? Anyway, the pouch is again swollen. We have tried to deflate using a pipette, but are unsure of exactly where the pouch opening is. I have done a google search and have not been able to show any useful diagrams. Any advise appreciated please.

[denise.gardner]

the opening to the pouch is at the top of the fleshy part,dont insert anything into the pouch itselftry the massage method first you have to be firm but not to rough. start from about three quarters of the way down the pouch working upwards.hopefoly some bubbles will escape if not then use pipette by pushing gently slightly to the side at the top of the pouch and try again remember to keep the seahorses head underwater.in the states they use a medication called acetazolamide/diamox which is put in the water but i dont know if you can get it over here.i had this with one of my kudas he did recover but it came back twice. i hope you can get him sorted out as i know how horrible it is when they are ill.

[Bliksem]

i have managed to get the air out twice now using a pipette, but it keeps coming back :(

[Sailfin]

Hya

If it keeps coming back then although you are evacuating the pouch either: all the gas is not being expelled or the original cause is still present (bad water conditions can trigger EGBD what are your params? What is your O2 reading? Is there much surface agitation on the tank?

You can get diamox over here from your vet and its best administered via food although you can do a pouch flush as well/instead of. If the pouch massages are still successful short term I would do a few more of these, how soon is it before it comes back? Do a few more, make sure he's eating (hand feed if necessary) and make sure all water params are spot on (inc O2). After all the above if it comes back go for the diamox treatment, either inject it into the mysis or fluch the pouch out with it.

[denise.gardner]

hi,how many bubbles are coming out and is he going flat afterwards,when you let him go is he swimming off and eating.it does not always work the first few times i would do what sailfin says as she seems to be the most knowledgable. double check your water and airation.can i ask what type of seahorse is it as i said i had this problem with one of my kudas touch wood ive only had one case of it.that was in a none breeding male i actually brought him with it and he was only a juvenile but as i said before he did recover.anyway goodluckhope he gets better soon