Seahorse Got Her Tail Stuck

Zach Vs Ponies · 05/20/2012, 11:15 AM

I have a 55 gallon seahorse tank with live rock. Whenever I picked out the rock for this tank, I never checked for tiny holes in rocks, because I've never heard of them being a problem.

Anyways, I've recently figured out they are. This morning I woke up to find one of my female seahorses with her tail stuck in a small hole in a piece of live rock. At the time, I had no idea how to react. I only found one other person online who had a problem with their seahorses tail being stuck in the water, and they didn't list on how to get it out. So, acting in panic, I picked up the rock (It was a very small rock) and tried to break it (Keeping it in the water, of course). This didn't work so I felt my only choice was to pull her out of the rock. With two fingers, VERY gently, I put them around her tail, and VERY gently pulled a little bit. I continued, VERY GENTLY and VERY SLOWLY, and eventually pulled her out far enough so that she could swim away herself.

Now, that she's out, she's basically bobbing vertically at the surface. Her tail isn't wrapped in the normal coil formation that a seahorse is normally in, but it's wrapped in a big circle. It also looks as if part of her skin has come off on one side of the tail. I haven't really seen her move her tail since she's come out, and am concerned that her tail is completely paralyzed.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can help her?

PS: Pictures in the next post..

Zach Vs Ponies · 05/20/2012, 11:23 AM

This is an image of her at the surface. She's now completely still. You can see how her tail isn't in the normal curled position, but is basically in a big circle..

A close-up on her white (Bone) tail.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

rayjay · 05/20/2012, 03:17 PM

The first move is to place the seahorse in a hospital tank and lower the temperature to 68° to slow any bacterial infestation of the wound.
Others may have differing opinions, but I treat the wound first with Bio Bandage
and then treat the hospital tank with Furan II.
Make daily water changes but replace the proportionate amount of Furan II for the amount of water removed.

mustard · 05/30/2012, 04:57 PM

The damaged part of the tail will probably fall off, like it did on mine. I have dwarf seahorses, though. Mine is still going strong, after nearly eight months after the injury.

mtc1966 · 05/30/2012, 05:24 PM

any updates

Zach Vs Ponies · 06/01/2012, 08:00 PM

Unfortunately, she died. She was moved to quarantine, and only got worse. I couldn't get her to eat. I thank you all for your assistance.

The rock has been removed and placed into the sump of my reef tank. Ironically, the day before this incident took place, I emailed the person I buy my seahorses from to see what she had in stock. I might hold off a bit on buying another.

Thank you all for the help.

mtc1966 · 06/01/2012, 08:04 PM

sorry to hear that.

kudagirl · 06/02/2012, 07:25 AM

so sorry to read about your loss
Sue

05/20/2012, 11:15 AM	#1
Zach Vs Ponies Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Mars Posts: 95	Seahorse Got Her Tail Stuck I have a 55 gallon seahorse tank with live rock. Whenever I picked out the rock for this tank, I never checked for tiny holes in rocks, because I've never heard of them being a problem. Anyways, I've recently figured out they are. This morning I woke up to find one of my female seahorses with her tail stuck in a small hole in a piece of live rock. At the time, I had no idea how to react. I only found one other person online who had a problem with their seahorses tail being stuck in the water, and they didn't list on how to get it out. So, acting in panic, I picked up the rock (It was a very small rock) and tried to break it (Keeping it in the water, of course). This didn't work so I felt my only choice was to pull her out of the rock. With two fingers, VERY gently, I put them around her tail, and VERY gently pulled a little bit. I continued, VERY GENTLY and VERY SLOWLY, and eventually pulled her out far enough so that she could swim away herself. Now, that she's out, she's basically bobbing vertically at the surface. Her tail isn't wrapped in the normal coil formation that a seahorse is normally in, but it's wrapped in a big circle. It also looks as if part of her skin has come off on one side of the tail. I haven't really seen her move her tail since she's come out, and am concerned that her tail is completely paralyzed. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can help her? PS: Pictures in the next post.. Last edited by Zach Vs Ponies; 05/20/2012 at 11:23 AM.

05/20/2012, 11:23 AM	#2
Zach Vs Ponies Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Mars Posts: 95	Pictures This is an image of her at the surface. She's now completely still. You can see how her tail isn't in the normal curled position, but is basically in a big circle.. A close-up on her white (Bone) tail. Uploaded with ImageShack.us

05/20/2012, 03:17 PM	#3
rayjay Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,957	The first move is to place the seahorse in a hospital tank and lower the temperature to 68° to slow any bacterial infestation of the wound. Others may have differing opinions, but I treat the wound first with Bio Bandage and then treat the hospital tank with Furan II. Make daily water changes but replace the proportionate amount of Furan II for the amount of water removed. __________________ 490g soft lps clams tangs b'flies clean wrasses, seahorses. All tanks lit with N.O.fluor., most Berlin method. No clean up crews. See website for N.O. fluor. pics. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses, Reef, and Fish only

05/30/2012, 05:24 PM	#5
mtc1966 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: middletown,ct Posts: 5,777	any updates __________________ 65g seahorse tank 20g sump with a reef octopus skimmer ,tlf 150 reactor, red sea ozone generator controller,cpr hob fuge with light and 2 China led lights one 42x1 w and one 24x3 w. occupied by 4 ecectus seahorses a couple small gobies and cuc. Current Tank Info: 58g main with 20g sump

06/01/2012, 08:04 PM	#7
mtc1966 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: middletown,ct Posts: 5,777	sorry to hear that. __________________ 65g seahorse tank 20g sump with a reef octopus skimmer ,tlf 150 reactor, red sea ozone generator controller,cpr hob fuge with light and 2 China led lights one 42x1 w and one 24x3 w. occupied by 4 ecectus seahorses a couple small gobies and cuc. Current Tank Info: 58g main with 20g sump

05/30/2012, 04:57 PM	#4
mustard Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Posts: 34	The damaged part of the tail will probably fall off, like it did on mine. I have dwarf seahorses, though. Mine is still going strong, after nearly eight months after the injury.

06/01/2012, 08:00 PM	#6
Zach Vs Ponies Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Mars Posts: 95	Unfortunately, she died. She was moved to quarantine, and only got worse. I couldn't get her to eat. I thank you all for your assistance. The rock has been removed and placed into the sump of my reef tank. Ironically, the day before this incident took place, I emailed the person I buy my seahorses from to see what she had in stock. I might hold off a bit on buying another. Thank you all for the help.

06/02/2012, 07:25 AM	#8
kudagirl Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Windsor/UK Posts: 44	so sorry to read about your loss Sue