Vibrio? Skin lesion? Scrape?

[1Meshy]

So I just noticed this little hole on my seahorse today. Have no idea how long it's been there or what it is.

She's been eating fine, acting fine, breathing fine, etc. The other seahorse in the tank is doing fine as well.

Should I treat it as an infection and put her in a hospital tank? If it's something potentially serious I want to treat it ASAP! I don't want to lose my precious pony!

 

[1Meshy]

Would love to have your input, @Jay Hemdal !

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I just noticed this little hole on my seahorse today. Have no idea how long it's been there or what it is.

She's been eating fine, acting fine, breathing fine, etc. The other seahorse in the tank is doing fine as well.

Should I treat it as an infection and put her in a hospital tank? If it's something potentially serious I want to treat it ASAP! I don't want to lose my precious pony!

Looks to be light bacterial and often neomyacin will help with this. While I see this cavity, I see no real concern as it has not reached the point of skin erosion. Prevention is always best and maintain good water quality

 

[1Meshy]

Looks to be light bacterial and often neomyacin will help with this. While I see this cavity, I see no real concern as it has not reached the point of skin erosion. Prevention is always best and maintain good water quality

So what do you suggest I do?
Place her in QT? What meds should I use?
I currently have Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone powder for bacterial infections.

 

[1Meshy]

Here's another pic of her forehead. Not the best quality, but you can see the little hole better here. It doesn't seem to be getting bigger, and she doesn't seem to mind it at all.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So what do you suggest I do?
Place her in QT? What meds should I use?
I currently have Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone powder for bacterial infections.

I believe furan should work

 

[1Meshy]

I believe furan should work

So you mean the nitrofurazone powder? If you're thinking of furan 2 then I don't have that one because it was discontinued unfortunately

 

[vetteguy53081]

So you mean the nitrofurazone powder? If you're thinking of furan 2 then I don't have that one because it was discontinued unfortunately

NITROFURAZONE ACCEPTABLE

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Would love to have your input, @Jay Hemdal !

The location of the lesion, on the head like that is problematic if it goes deeper.

Any chance this as an injury, did it show up suddenly?

The problem here is that seahorses are prone to vibrio and protozoan infections (Uronema) that can cause lesions like this. To make matters worse, there can be both at the same time.

If you have a microscope, you could do a careful skin scrape and look at the wet mount at around 80x power. If you see oval protozoans moving around, that’s Uronema. The treatment for that is chloroquine at 15 ppm in a hospital tank. For vibrio, you should go with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic.

 

[1Meshy]

The location of the lesion, on the head like that is problematic if it goes deeper.

Any chance this as an injury, did it show up suddenly?

The problem here is that seahorses are prone to vibrio and protozoan infections (Uronema) that can cause lesions like this. To make matters worse, there can be both at the same time.

If you have a microscope, you could do a careful skin scrape and look at the wet mount at around 80x power. If you see oval protozoans moving around, that’s Uronema. The treatment for that is chloroquine at 15 ppm in a hospital tank. For vibrio, you should go with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic.

Yes, it did show up pretty suddenly. I didn't see this last week, actually. I've been thinking it may be an injury as well. Also, all my livestock is quarantined so I'd hope is not uronema.

So for the wet mount, how do I obtain that? I'm afraid of hurting her skin further if I scrape her forehead too hard/much.

 

[1Meshy]

Anyone else have advice? I'd really appreciate it!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yes, it did show up pretty suddenly. I didn't see this last week, actually. I've been thinking it may be an injury as well. Also, all my livestock is quarantined so I'd hope is not uronema.

So for the wet mount, how do I obtain that? I'm afraid of hurting her skin further if I scrape her forehead too hard/much.

It’s tricky on seahorses because they don’t have a lot of mucus-

Gently scrape some of the spot with a probe or scalpel put it on a slide, and add a bit of seawater and a coverslip.

If you don’t see an motile ciliate protozoans, then you can assume it is bacterial.

 

[1Meshy]

It’s tricky on seahorses because they don’t have a lot of mucus-

Gently scrape some of the spot with a probe or scalpel put it on a slide, and add a bit of seawater and a coverslip.

If you don’t see an motile ciliate protozoans, then you can assume it is bacterial.

Oh my goodness, I'm nervous about having a scalpel so close to her head and eyes.. is there anything I can do for now without having to get a sample?

 

[1Meshy]

It’s tricky on seahorses because they don’t have a lot of mucus-

Gently scrape some of the spot with a probe or scalpel put it on a slide, and add a bit of seawater and a coverslip.

If you don’t see an motile ciliate protozoans, then you can assume it is bacterial.

Oh, another way I may be able to help my seahorse is by taking her to the UC Davis vet hospital for small animals. Apparently they treat aquarium fish there??

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Oh, another way I may be able to help my seahorse is by taking her to the UC Davis vet hospital for small animals. Apparently they treat aquarium fish there??

IDK - transporting it is going to add to stress, and I’ve worked with many vets, and to be honest, most have too heavy of a hand taking samples.

However, I’ve done thousands of skin scrapes, so maybe I’m too cavalier about other people doing it. Maybe there is a YouTube video you could watch?

 

[1Meshy]

IDK - transporting it is going to add to stress, and I’ve worked with many vets, and to be honest, most have too heavy of a hand taking samples.

However, I’ve done thousands of skin scrapes, so maybe I’m too cavalier about other people doing it. Maybe there is a YouTube video you could watch?

I suppose I could look up how to do a clean scrape of her skin.. I just have to be very careful!

If I find out it's bacterial, which medication should I use? Kanaplex, nitrofurazone?

If uronema, what medication? Chloroquine phosphate? I don't have that on hand.. where can I buy some?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I suppose I could look up how to do a clean scrape of her skin.. I just have to be very careful!

If I find out it's bacterial, which medication should I use? Kanaplex, nitrofurazone?

If uronema, what medication? Chloroquine phosphate? I don't have that on hand.. where can I buy some?

Yes - chloroquine for external Uronema, and any broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic for bacteria - kanaplex or Neoplex are my two top choices.

That said, if the lesion is stable in size, it might just be an injury and you could just wait.

 

[1Meshy]

Yes - chloroquine for external Uronema, and any broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic for bacteria - kanaplex or Neoplex are my two top choices.

That said, if the lesion is stable in size, it might just be an injury and you could just wait.

Okay. I think I'll wait maybe a day or two and see how it's doing. If it gets any bigger, spreads, or just looks worse in general then I'll put her in QT.

Where do you suggest I buy chloroquine phosphate?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Okay. I think I'll wait maybe a day or two and see how it's doing. If it gets any bigger, spreads, or just looks worse in general then I'll put her in QT.

Where do you suggest I buy chloroquine phosphate?

Chloroquine is tough to source since covid. Try searching “ American aquarium marex”

 

[1Meshy]

Chloroquine is tough to source since covid. Try searching “ American aquarium marex”

I found what you're talking about, but Marex also contains Pyrimethamine; is not pure chloroquine phosphate. Is that okay for my purpose?