Pouch emphysema !!!

LisaD · Apr 30, 2013

Well I've had my ponies for 8 months now and came home to someone swimming upside down. He was obviously upset about it cause he was bucking like the wildest bronco you've ever seen. Quick google led to some life saving intervention!!! We are fine now but man that was scary! Gotta figure out why my filter is putting out micro bubbles today.

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SeahorseKeeper · Apr 30, 2013

Glad you were able to save him. What symptoms was he showing? What did you do to save him?

LisaD · Apr 30, 2013

Well he was fine this morning but when I got home from work he was literally swimming upside down. Throwing his tail around in obvious distress. Then he would look fine when he hitched on something. His pouch looked swollen too. I just googled "seahorse swimming upside down" and everything side the same thing.

Got him out in a bowl of tank water and let him hitch around my little finger. Then took a dull catheter (I'm a nurse so I had one from an IV start kit)... And just coaxed the opening of the pouch open. Not put the catheter in it but just get it to relax enough to open. He felt better immediately when the pouch went down and so did I!!

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LisaD · Apr 30, 2013

Be super careful with air bubbles in your tanks guys

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mike007 · Apr 30, 2013

Wow thats crazy.

cacarnold3 · May 14, 2013

Unfortunately, I've been there too. We have a Barbouri that seems to constantly get gas build up in the pouch. We now have to do a pouch evacuation about once a week. I had the same problem- for some reason, my filter started producing some microbubbles. I have now added a spray bar to the tank so hopefully it will stop the bubbles and it has added extra flow to the tank.

LisaD · May 14, 2013

Fortunately he hasn't done it again but I understand that once they do it, it's more prone to happening again. My bubbles seem to have stopped as quickly as they started. Steady working on my new seahorse build... Just buying a little at a time. Gonna work on my floors so when that's done hopefully I can throw that tank up and start it cycling.

On a happy note I plan to bring home a Kuda pair this weekend

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cacarnold3 · May 14, 2013

I am glad to hear that you seahorse hasn't had the pouch problem again. I have a pair of ORA Kuda as well. Knock wood; I have had no problems with the male Kuda. It seems Barbouri are more prone to pouch issues. At least it is easier to do the pouch evacuation now. The first time was difficult because we worried about doing something incorrectly. There is less fear now.