Seahorse Neck Blister?

[Avrohom]

Hi all,
One of my ponies has developed what looks like a neck blister. Does anyone know what it is, how serious it is, what can be done for it, or if it’s contagious? Any and all info would be appreciated of course. Vid and pics attached. I noticed it today and he ate today...

 

[MadReefer]

Anything sharp it could have got cut on? Looks more like a parasite but hard to tell.

 

[Avrohom]

The blister opened and sloughed away, leaving a hole. And the pony is starting g to get lethargic. From what I read o line it might be Glugea which is incurable and a quick killer. I hope it hasn’t infected the others

 

[Avrohom]

This is the pic

 

[Paulie 069]

Is his breathing heavy and how bad does he look. I’ve never heard of the illness you mentioned before but if you think it’s effecting the other ponies then you might have to put him to sleep, sad to do but better than letting him suffer, if you choose to go that route this is what to do
Take a couple of paper towels n fold in half then get em wet, take pony place in middle then fold it up then wrap another paper towel around him then put in FREEZER. I’ve had to do this myself a couple of times and each time I did I cried seahorses are so pure n mystical and when something happens to one it brings sadness and couple of teardrops

 

[Paulie 069]

Is his breathing heavy and how bad does he look. I’ve never heard of the illness you mentioned before but if you think it’s effecting the other ponies then you might have to put him to sleep, sad to do but better than letting him suffer, if you choose to go that route this is what to do
Take a couple of paper towels n fold in half then get em wet, take pony place in middle then fold it up then wrap another paper towel around him then put in FREEZER. I’ve had to do this myself a couple of times and each time I did I cried seahorses are so pure n mystical and when something happens to one it brings sadness and couple of teardrops

What’s going on with the pony

 

[Avrohom]

Lights go on at 12 (and off at 12) I see this morning he is subdued but his breathing is In the range of normal and I saw him snick at least twice. The wound looks bad and I’m not sure it isn’t developing another blister... but I don’t think I’ll euthanize him if he is still eating and breathing well...
Here is a current pic

 

[Avrohom]

Also I installed a UV to afford a tiny level of protection for the herd, who were exposed to whatever this guy was exposed to also

 

[deetu]

It looks like Gas Bubble. It will be best to QT with medication like EM. (Diamox is usually used but it is extremely hard to get) I would also lower the temp in your tank to about 68 if it's not already there. It seems like bacteria lives in the warmer water.
This is from seahorse.org - A Guide To The Most Common Seahorse Diseases and Medical Conditions
Unless the cause of EGBD is not rectified, it will often return within days or weeks. Changes to the tank setup may have to be made if the condition does indeed return. First, try a series of large water changes. Often bad water conditions can trigger external gas bubble disease. Secondly, a power head can be aimed at the surface of the water, providing surface agitation and gas exchange. If the condition continues to recur, the tank setup itself may need to be revaluated for parameters including height, etc., that can affect external gas bubble disease.
Hope he gets better

 

[Avrohom]

Thank you very much for this info... I’m going to see if I can possibly set up a second QT tank and get ahold of EM... where would I look for it?

 

[Avrohom]

Is it something that is contagious? Obviously whatever conditions affected one and can the others but I mean is the big itself contagious?

 

[deetu]

Is it something that is contagious? Obviously whatever conditions affected one and can the others but I mean is the big itself contagious?

I found out this out after I no longer had seahorses, that it was mostly that I kept the tank warmer then they needed. Misinformation at the time. This causes bacteria to grow and them to not be able to deal with it.
from SeahorseSavy:
Temperature is very important with seahorses! For most species of seahorse such as H. erectus, H. reidi, H. kuda, H. comes, H. zosterea (Dwarf seahorses), and other species (not cold-water species such as H. abdominalis) we highly recommend keeping your aquarium between 70-74 F. This is a cooler temperature ranges than recommended for most saltwater aquariums. Most saltwater aquariums and reef aquariums are kept at 76-80 F. Seahorses have a primitive immune system. For this reason are more susceptible to bacterial related issues compared to other fish. Keeping your aquarium temperature in this cooler range will help keep down harmful bacterial counts such as Vibrio sp. and therefore reduce the likelihood of your seahorses coming down with bacterial related issues. A lot of bacterial strains multiply exponentially with every temperature degree higher. Keeping the temperatures in this cooler range also seems to reduce stress in our experience.
from Marine Depot:
Seahorses do best in temperatures a bit lower than reef aquariums. Hippocampus erectus prefer temperatures between 68° F and 74° F. Other tropical species like H. reidi, H. comes, and H. kuda like slightly warmer temperatures between 72° F and 74° F. It is true that wild seahorses can be found at higher temperatures in the wild, but since tropical Vibrio bacteria thrive and become more virulent at temperatures above 74° F, captive seahorses do best at or below 74° F. If you’re keeping sub-tropical or temperate seahorses, ask the breeder or a seahorse expert what the correct temperature is for that species.
This is information from just two trusted sources.

 

[Avrohom]

Thank you so much deetu. As a matter of fact, when Paulie gave me the ponies he was very careful to tell me to never go above 74, and I don’t. The tank is set to 72 and it’s not in a warm room. I am thinking about lowering it to 70 (it goes by 2s)

 

[Paulie 069]

Thank you so much deetu. As a matter of fact, when Paulie gave me the ponies he was very careful to tell me to never go above 74, and I don’t. The tank is set to 72 and it’s not in a warm room. I am thinking about lowering it to 70 (it goes by 2s)

70 would be good for them when I had only seahorses no coral my tanks were 68-70 and the loved it. I personally don’t like chemicals and meds,, but that’s just my opinion I’m no expert but I have had many ponies for many years
The only treatment I would ever ever do is iodine. Get the iodine and two bowl’s with good fresh water then place your pony in palm of your hand (don’t squeeze) then take a Qtip with iodine on it apply gently to infected area and place him in one bowl,, 5 minutes later repeat the process and put in 2nd bowl for min or two (it’s just to rinse off excess) then return to tank
Also wouldn’t hurt to do a 25-30% WC

 

[Avrohom]

Thank you. I may try that... his first blister is all but healed, but the second blister got bigger... still energetic and eating tho so here’s hoping and praying

 

[Avrohom]

And I lowered the heater to 70

 

[Paulie 069]

And I lowered the heater to 70

So happy with the way you love those ponies. That’s what their for. SMILES

 

[deetu]

Thank you. I may try that... his first blister is all but healed, but the second blister got bigger... still energetic and eating tho so here’s hoping and praying

Sorry, Chewy has E M Erythromycin. I also found it at PetSmart