I need a Seahorse expert--new feeding dilemma

The copepods that seahorses eat... they are on surfaces, not swimming in the water.

 

While I know there are pelagic copepods getting drawn into the skimmer intake, there is also migration of other pod life forms to the skimmer. My skimmers are full of them. However, most copepods aren't even looked at by adult seahorses as they are too small. Larger foods like amphipods and Gamarus are more likely to be hunted down.
As for the original problem, Ann has just replied to a similar situation on the org and recommended quinine sulphate for treatment.
The thread is here.

 

Skimmers are more important on a seahorse tank than the loss of a couple of pods, IMO. If there are a lot of pods in the skimmer, then there's ample amounts in the tank itself and I wouldn't worry about the minicle loss in the grand scheme.

 

IME, the pod life in the skimmer is much more dense than in the DT.
Seahorses pick off the ones they eat in no time at all so all that is left is an occasional snack.
The mainstay of the feeding protocol is still going to be the food you add to the tank.
Pods and mysis grow too slow to have a sustaining population even for one seahorse, and culturing them on the side, in sufficient quantities was too much work for me.

 

I have none in any of my skimmers. The benefits outweigh the the bad, albeit I don't see anything bad. My tanks with skimmers are beautifully populated with pods. Placement maybe? I don't know, but it's not a complaint you hear too many talking about. Numbers could decline, however as your tank becomes cleaner and their food source dwindles.

 

The only stuff filtered by a skimmer in organic waste. To put it simply the charged ions of the waste are attracted by the oppositely charged bubble and are attracted to it. It clings to the bubble and captured in the cup. I see dozens of pods in my skimmer body but never any in the effluent when I dump it out because they can't/won't be carried up the neck on the surface tension of a bubble.

 

Well I have re-checked all parameters and everything seems fine in that department. I observed her "trying to feed" today. I usually suck up a few PE mysis shrimp using a turkey baster. It seems like she has appetite as she approaches the food no problem but has difficulty striking as she used to, or it is a feeble strike in which she doesn't even hit the target. Very weak in feeding. I don't see anything wrong with her mouth? I signed up to seahorse.org but still have not been given approval to post. Is there a disease that affects the mouth?

 

It takes a bit of time until the mod that allows new members their rights gets online but it will happen.
In the meantime, you can still read what is already there so did you read the post Ann replied to that I linked to above about treating with quinine sulphate?
It is definitely similar to your situation and Ann's advise is better that most in this hobby as she has undertaken to specialize in treatments.

 

Mine quite eating . I went to more of a variety of food and he is eating like a beast again. I have never heard that skimmers remove pods. That is a new one.
Pods also need food. I use phyto in my tank and it seems to help the pod pooulation. Seahorses can mow down a pile of pods each day. Mine love brine shrimp once but i only feed these on mondays, mysis is a ggod food if enriched. Try hanging a big mysis on a string in front of seahorse. He should eventually take it the he should go looking for more

 

Well, the issue is that she has what I have recently researched as weak snick. She used to eat PE Mysis like a champ twice a day. So she still is interested and drawn to the food but she has lost her ability to snick.

So I have successfully tube fed her now for 2 days. I'm hoping that it is just a temporary thing like a bristle worm bite or spike or small piece of sand that may have irritated her snout. I'm taking it day by day. She is a fighter as she still is quite strong and has no problem hitching.

I have finally been able to post on seahorse.org but am very disappointed in that in 3 days or more no one has replied. :-/

Anyways, I'm doing my best and will do whatever I can to get her back to properly snicking and feeding. Between the internet and having a knack for salt water keeping I should be able to help her.