Air in the pouch

[gflat65]

We've had a rash of air in the pocuh issues in both males (one is holding eggs, but I don't expect any living babies Wednesday). What can cause this? I think we are to the point of a pouch flush. It's been two to three times a week for each one of them.

 

[Peka]

Sometimes it just happens. When it is reoccurring, I believe it is a water quality issue. I would check all your parameters and do a very large water change on your tank. I would do a pouch flush with fresh salt water nxt time, although, if you have Diamox on hand, I would do a flush with that at this point. If you do not have it, I would start arranging to get it. It is a prescription drug so you might want to contact a veternarian and see if they will prescribe it for you.

 

[gflat65]

Will do. I've been lax on WC's and cleaning the skimmer, so time to get off my butt. I'll get a lead on some Diamox. I've got a friend at a local vet that used to keep tanks and understands the crazy needs of reefers.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

+1 again for Peka getting to the buzzer. (well done, mate!)

PLEASE do the Diamox treatment and know that I rarely recommend meds withotu clear signs indicating it. The likelyhood its called for here is great enough and rapidity that Sygnathids typical fall to pathogens leaves very little wiggle room. Wait and see is not the call here. Pouch flush and meds ASAP.

 

[gflat65]

Thanks Anthony and Peka. Waiting on the meds now. What is the best option for performing the flush in regards to the delivery into the pouch?

 

[Peka]

When you say delivery in the pouch, do you mean the horse is pregnant.. If so, the horse is more important than fry so I would take care of him and make the fry the second priority. If you mean how to deliver the diamox into the pouch without the needle is the way to do it. You dilute the diamox in some salt water and use that saltwater solution to do the pouch flush.

Seahorse Source if you order any, order a couple so that you have them when you need them.

 

[gflat65]

Well, despite my best efforts, I've now lost both males... Got the diamox and needles. No signs of air in pouch for at least three weeks before they died. Our AC went out about a month ago, and one of the males got pop eye. Removed him to a hospital tank (got AC fixed, too, which seems to have been the cause) and his eyes returned to normal within a week. Two weeks later everyone seemed back to normal, except that the pop eye male wasn't eating well. Had a friend feeding them over Easter. Sat at 6:30 all were eating. Easter Sunday at 2:30 when we got home, the male that had been very active and eating well (nice looking belly) was floating in an upright orientation, but dead. Hit fins seemed to be rotting from the top to the base. Pouch was very pinched. Three days later, the other male (the one that had been having babies consistently) was laying dead on the sand... Both females appear to be fine, but so did the males prior to their deaths. Having a hard time knowing that two previously healthy males died under my care... Should I get the females out, too, and maybe give diamox baths? Worried about a potential bacterial issue. Does that make sense? They actively feed every time I feed (even the one female who used to only hang out on power cords within 1/8" of the water surface-did that for the people I bought her from, too).