Male Seahorse died...are my others at risk?

[ssantac]

HI everyone,

So the story begins a few months ago. Some may remember I posted about a female that I took on (from the breeder I got my original 2 from) that had been prev. injured. I think she was used to being in a tank alone because she was very skiddish and hardly ate. She was eating, and looking real skinny, but she eventually died.

My male had switched and her his favorite female. When she died he didnt take it to well as he started to not eat real well too. But a few months went by and we thought he was in the clear...eating 'better' and back to mating with his original female. We got 3-4 broods from him and yesterday we found him dead in the morning.

My question is: is my female going go into "seahorse depression" and die too, and is that going to lead to her daughter dying also? They still both eat like hogs and are actually what I would say is fat.

[namxas]

SH are fish...they don't mate "for life" per se', altho they do often have an established "mate" in a group. We've had SH die with no effect on the others. In fact, our single reidi male now mates with our single erectus female. My wife has even had mixed species females try to flirt and mate.

Because these fish are high in "cute factor" to many folks, I think they get anthropomorphized a lot more than other fish.

[ssantac]

Ok...then maybe I need another answer. I thinks its more of a coincidence that this started when that other female died. Prior to that he ate pretty well. I dont know what to look for physically, but I know what they normally look like, and there is nothing out of the ordinary.

Now...he died 2 days ago...and my surviving 2 females are not acting right. Both have always eaten like hogs. They are very aggressive eaters, I target feed and a lot of the time they snick at the baster before the food comes out. They also chase me down for food, and are pretty fat.

Today they each started hiding like he did, which he started right after the other female died, which is what she did all the time. They also are not eating very much at all, which was his same problem after that female died. They ate very little this morning, and nothing tonite.

Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but I dont want them to die so any ideas whats up????

[namxas]

Look closely at them...are there any lesions, even small ones anywhere?

What temp is your tank at?

[ssantac]

there are no lesions or sores, and my tank typically 76 degrees...can the dead bodies release some sort of disease or toxin? it wasnt in the tank for long

[ssantac]

Awe man....talked to walken1 and showed him the horses, and it seems it may be a bacterial infection. So were medicating in a hospital tank...hopefully they both pull thru!

[timinnl]

Now you found the reason behind the deaths I think. What kind of SH are these? Are they CB or TR ones?