djsurfs

I wish I was closer to have a look/help out... it is hard to visualise what is going on, even with still shots Is he not sitting/floating upright because his bottom half is too bouyant or is it because his upper body is sinking and heavy & he just seems too weak? Is it possible the upper body "bloating" is infection/edema and not actually air? Have you felt it? hardlumps or squishy/moveable? I am having trouble "seeing him" on his side if there is no air in his pouch, and wonder is his top half heavy. what happens when he is unhitched? fall on side? sink? bob to surface? sorry for all the Q's! just tryin to help I'd offer live food if possible and if he doesn't eat, immediately start hand feeding (tube assist or gently forced) and keep him in hospital to observe output (poo! lol) and also isolate in case of infection or need for further medication, be it more diamox or antibiotics. That's what I'd do, But totally understand if all that is in the "too hard basket" and you need/ want to go an alternative route. Best wishes

gahhh, I thought i posted last nite... but it vanished ( iprob 4got to hit button :roll: ) anyhow... No worries! just payin it forward, passin around, wateva... there's a great bunch on here, aye! OK, I meant to ask last nite, have you touched his tail or whatever/made him let go of hitch to see how well he can swim and whether he bobs up & can't get back down or can swim well or seems to sink? how does his bouyancy look? once normal bouy'y has returned, quit the diamox so he will get appetite back ( hopefully) even try some live food to entice if you can get it.

sorry i did not dig that stuff out and send quicker, and not able to explain better as was out of town... I would not use those chemi/ice/blue whatevers either, for fear of leaking. Even freshwater frozen bottles are better than that; if they leak it is no biggy, not enough to change salinity drastically. probably some fresh topoff with this heat wouldn't hurt anyhow as fan pointed at the tank does help too but speeds evap. My guy took 5 days to get normal bouyancy back. The Diamox unfortunately does tend to suppress appetite. there is some dispute as to how long to go before needing tube/force feeding. on the SH org they say 3 days no food and systems start to shut down & unable to restart digest. I'm sure my SH's have gone longer before resorting to that, but I have also successfully tube fed. I would say if he has not eaten Anything for 5 days, tube feeding needs to be started. Have you seen any poop in the hospital? purple poop is good, it means he has eaten. no or white stringy poo is not good/border starvation. If the swelling doesn't go down by day 5, it could be an infection causing the gas. I don't really know, it is beyond my comfort-zone/knowledge advising on antibiotics... ( though i have used them) I am not good at wording stuff like the folks on the seahorse.org! You mentioned lots of water changes. Is that because no bacterial filtration/LR in hosp? The Diamox loses it's "whatever" magic after some time in saltwater, so adding the new dose without prev WC will not OD him. But by all means change water 1st if you are concerned about ammo/nitr. good on you for trying. sorry if it's for nought. but there still is hope!

Hey, how is the little guy going? I sent the chiller on my way out of town friday morning....

I did a QUIck chekc and the little chilly seems to be working still.... though it doesn't cope well with super hot weather, just keeps the water a few degrees below ambient air. so still good to keep tank in coolest location possible & have icebottles handy. before I had the chilly, like Zev said , frozen bottles can do the trick when in a pinch. I found having lot's of extras in the freezer is good cuz it seems they melt faster than they freeze... and if you can still fill the bottles with saltwater it helps too....

Hey, does that small tank happen to be an Aquaone AR380?... I had/have small thermo/elect chillers rigged for mine... been ages since used... not sure if still working... trying to pack for outta town tomoorrow... lemme know...

Hey Seahorsecrazy, too bad my internet was down all morning before trip to town... BUT anyhow, I had a dig through all my SH stuff and found I have a stash of Diamox! equivalent of 9 pills in total. (some are broken) another BUT: they were obtained 26/11/2007. so I don't know if they are too old to use now.... If you would like to use them, PM me your address ASAP. as I am heading out of town tomorrow morning and could post them while going thru... Remember generic name is Acetazolamide. my vet had them on hand because they can be used for dogs with certain conditions, and it is actually a "people med" used to treat glaucoma among other things, so the chemist should have them if your Dr. can write you a script. You ARE going on a high altitude mountain trek soon and will need them to help prevent altitude sickness, RIGHT? P.S. my Big Bouy Potbelly was easy to pouch evac (with bobbypin) in comparison to my little kuda who was verrrrrrry difficult. It didn't seem like the air was really in his pouch either, kinda like yours... so ya might want to give another go tilting upside-down if it doesn't stress him too much. just in case. Because that SH was smaller & tense the bobby pin was not working so I used a soft plastic catheter sleeve (like a mini straw) which did help get some air (not all) out and the diamox helped him the rest of the way back to normal bouyancy. If your boy is still in the main tank it may still be beneficial to lower temperature and add an extra air line with big bubbles. Sorry. I been there & know how it is... try not to stress out too much. OK? so, your hubby has the smokes, you got the cake.... I think I'll have a vodka! teehee :lol:

P.S. I should add that I had several problems trying to rescue kuda at different times, and did lose 2 despite my efforts as other complications & just too far gone. But I did save my 1 SH using just the Diamox. and it took 5 days of treatment in the bath, so get extra pills! P.P.S. the live rock in hospital is OK only with the Diamox. If you do need to treat for infection with antibiotics, be prepared to remove the LR and have lots of saltwater on hand for numerous waterchanges to keep ammonia levels down. P.P.P.S. For obtaining the Diamox I found that printing out the Gas Bubble Disease article in the library, and going to the vets personally, helped my cause greatly. (though I did have to go to 5! ) persistence pays... --> http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/GBD.shtml That is all I can say to help. I am no expert! again, the emergency forum on SH.org may be of help... Good luck, I hope your SH pulls through

Post #2 Copied from http://forum.seahorse.org/index.php?showtopic=42497&hl=diamox+dosage *ACETAZOLAMIDE is the generic name for Diamox* Group: Global Moderator Posts: 3,914 Joined: 14-December 06 From: Missouri Member No.: 8,392 ACETAZOLAMIDE (immersion) Dosage and Preparation Instructions for a 10g/38L Hospital Tank Active Ingredient: Acetazolamide Indication: gas bubble disease, edema, popeye Brand Name: Diamox Dose at 250mg per day for 3 days. Replace the medication in ratio to the amount of water changed daily as needed to control ammonia. Day 1 of Treatment • Crush one 250mg tablet into a fine powder. • Use a mini-blender or small hand-blender to thoroughly mix the powder with about 1 cup of marine water. • Allow the mixture to set for a few minutes. • Gently pour off the dissolved portion of the mixture and discard any residue that has settled at the bottom of the container. (Do NOT add the residue to the hospital tank). • Pour the mixture into a high-flow area of the hospital tank. Days 2 – 3 of Treatment • Perform 50% water change. • Repeat "Day 1" instructions. ACETAZOLAMIDE (pouch flush) Doseage and Preparation Instructions Active Ingredient: Acetazolamide Indication: persistent and recurring pouch emphysema Brand Name: Diamox Dose at 0.5mL of a 62.5mg/cup solution. Supplies: narrow gauge irrigating cannula or narrow gauge IV catheter sleeve, 0.5 or 1mL syringe without needle. • Mix 62.5mg of Diamox (1/4 of a 250mg tablet) with 1 cup (approx. 237mL) of marine water with specific gravity, pH, and temperture matching that of the aquarium. • Let the mixture settle. • Fill the syringe with about 0.5mL of the solution, avoiding the residue that has settled to the bottom of the container. • Hold the seahorse according to the procedure for pouch evacuations. Insert the catheter sleeve slowly and gently a small way into the pouch opening. • Inject the solution slowly into the seahorse's pouch. Leave the solution in the pouch.

sorry again! something funky going on with my keyboard aaaaaaarrrgggg Diamox is a carbonic anahydrase inhibitor, NOT a antibiotic. SO, it does not hurt the benficial bacteria. Still for administering the med, you want a small hospital, but you can borrow a sponge or some liverock from your main tank to keep from getting ammonia spiking in the hospital adding complications and worries. Diamox can suppress appetite, so it is good you have some yummy treats to entice eating. OK, be back soon hopefully with dosage for the Diamox BATH.

You did say in the beginning it was not in pouch.. Sorry! was hoping for the simple solution... Yes, I have used Diamox on my kuda before (successfully) He was having recurring pouch air and bubbles in the tail as well. I would not recommend increasing temps. In fact I would suggest the opposite, as I would think the people on seahorse.org would . If there is some infection going on causing the gas buildup, they always say to lower temps as bacteria thrive in higher temps. Adding an extra airline helps oxygenate, aiding gas exchange. ( getting rid of CO2, not just "air") and it also can help raise lowish pH. If you can, add an extra bubbler, no stone needed; I just use open airlines with big bubbles. I can't remember off the top of my head the dosage for diamox; will search on the SH.org asap. and get back to you. Meanwhile, the people (usually Ann) are very active and helpful if you post in the "emergency" forum. Unfortunately the syngnathid forum in Oz is currently offline... Off the top of my head, I will bet you will need an extra airline, a hospital tank ( I use my old AR380, but a bucket will suffice!) a way to keep it cool, and some diamox. You will need to get that from your vet. The diamo

It's been a long time since I've had to do a pouch evac; but as LA said use something smooth,thin & blunt. We don't want to accidentally puncture or tear their delicate skin! ( I used one of those "bobbie" hair pins with the round plastic coating on the end...) Hold the horse as LA describes; I also found once the instrument of choice is on the pouch opening, a little sideways pressure (lightly) helped to tease the pouch open and the bubbles then came streaming out. Don't rush it, it may take some time try to get the horse to relax & "unclench" that pouch opening. You are not really trying to get the instrument in the pouch, but rather just using it to help them open up the path for the air to escape. Good luck!

Awww, sorry you lost them. Just don't take it too hard,as it is a very difficult task raising them (and learning how). Better luck next time!

Thanks LA, i will harrass the hubby to take the boat out so I can try krilling. for some reason I can send things south and they arrive O'nite, but it seems to take at least 4 days in the reverse (grrrr RD!) so probably end upa stinky mess. But THANKS for your offer

A great bit of advice Good Luck! :bounce: I am so excited for you Thanks LA! yeh, ever since a certain suppliers mysis stock vanished and BS quality plummeted, I have been fishing & freezing my own wild mysids. Just seems to be a slump at the mo and don't have many of the tiny ones that Lele (little kuda) like slurping up. Hopefully there will be some new hatches soon! There are heaps of the larger shrimp which are no problem for my pots to tear to bits. LOL I still can't get over how big a shrimp they can down in 1 gulp! Hmm, I never tried krill... must see how to rig up ??? a miniature seine??

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: Thanks for sharing your news & Congratualtions!!! awwwwwww, they are SO cute! no maternity leave?! hmphh now for the hard part as LA has already mentioned.... LOL... bsbsbsbsbswcwcwcwcwbsbsbsbsbwcwcwcwcwc umm, is this new mysis a private stock or can it be found in shops somewhere? any inside info PLEASE. my seahorses would love a change and boost to their diet

awesome! thanks for sharing your excitement & pics :bounce:

Yah, but it was also a Bluemoon night! that doesn't happen often on New Year's Eve; much less than once in a blue moon ... you Missed it? and will have to wait until 2028!

Oh where is the drooling smilie?! :lol: some great new (to me) recipes. yay! * checks the tide* *runs off to go get some mussels!

Definitely! my house is usually fairly cool, but the chiller has still been kicking in heaps with this weather we've been having lately I would be stressing out about my native critters without that chiller

They are fairly hard to come by... there was a new shipment of tropicals 2-3 months ago, so if you hunt there might still be some around. I can't seem to find his latest post and can't remember which shop had them... but try PMing Alf as he got several. Oh! and of course Livingart probably knows where to get a few Alf, where are you??? :bounce: we (I, LOL) need an update on those SH!! are they still happy and eating? and have you found a decent source for food? I will probably be coming down again just prior to Christmas to pick up Mum....

Thanks Mystic, Happy Xmas to you to Lele is a very picky and slow eater. I like to put her food in the dish so I can see that she is indeed eating enough, and also to reduce the likelyhood of her accidentally snicking a baby bristleworm or bits of sharp substrate. Before I had the dish, a couple years ago she snicked something bad and could not eat on her own. It took a long time to tube feed her and nurse back to health; *fingers crossed I don't have to do that again!

Yes, tis prob a hectic time for most, but will keep an eye on this thread for updates. It would be fun to see what other people keep! We too are a bit far from town for "the crawl" ... (45 min) and my tanks are pretty simple/not much to look at. but you happen to be heading out Helena Bay way & want to see my seahorses, send a PM

Thanks. Have fun with your families! :bounce: I have no children hence way too much time, so here is another fun shot I hope you & the kids enjoy... Lele, checking out her Christmas stocking

decorated the tank today.... Merry Christmas!