Gas Bubble Disease Polls

[FishGrrl]

Gas Bubble Disease is an affliction that affects syngnathids, mostly seahorses. Gas forms in the seahorse's body; either just below the surface of the skin, inside the body cavity, or in male seahorses, the accumulation of gas in the brood pouch.

There is much speculation about the cause of Gas Bubble Disease, with very few answers. Its been speculated to be caused by air stones, gas supersaturation, water quality, and much more. Currently, there is much speculation about protein skimmers causing it.

There is very little evidence to back this up one way or the other. Currently, the only other survey is on seahorse.org, and it only encompasses the conditions of the aquarium at the time Gas Bubble Disease occurred. Public aquariums have also have done work regarding it, though very little about what causes it, and most about what doesn't cause it.

The following polls are an attempt to gain more information about the problem.
Please fill them out regardless of if you have had gas bubble disease occur.
This will help gauge what kind of conditions it occurs in.

Do you use a skimmer on your seahorse system?

Gas Bubble Disease and Skimmers

Disclaimer: It is important to note a few things. These polls are just looking for correlation between one possible cause of gas bubble disease. Correlation does not equal causation. What that means is just because a & b are found together does not mean a causes b. The only want to know for sure would be to test the link once there is enough data to support it as a possible cause.

This poll also only encompasses a limited population. The population of people reading reefcentral.com may or may not be more predisposed to using skimmers. This could skew the answers.

The point of the disclaimer is no poll or survey should be taken as the definitive answer. Finding the cause and ultimately a way to prevent it will take much more information and testing.

[spankey]

FishGrrl,

I will be watching these results very closely! I am in the process of getting my seahorse tank up and running and as I did with my Reef tanks, I am reading my butt of. One thing I did come across is GBD has happened to people both running skimmers and those who do not.

I myself think a skimmer is a way to go, and think water quality remains much better with an efficiant skimmer running.

Just my 2 cents..

Good luck with your poll and I can't wait to see the replies.
Spankey

[StickFish]

its not a disease.

Its the bends. rapid expansion of compressed gasses in the blood that expand when brought up too fast, i.e not properly decompressed.