Seahorse Galore **ARRIVED**

[tgoeujon]

depending on cost ill be in for a few

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by tgoeujon

depending on cost ill be in for a few

+1 I'm very interested in a pair of the red's depending on the cost. Would like to have them shipped with those feeder shrimp if they come in on time.
Levi

[kien]

is everyone setting up (or already has set up) a seahorse tank, or are you just putting them into your mixed reef?? Just curious :-)

[Leah]

Kien

That is funny you should ask that... I am thinking of adding a couple to my reef tank... I have gone the separate tank thing... but now think it is time to take the plunge and try them in my reef.....Oh, I am living on the edge here... If Sphelps can do it....then so can I........maybe

[Borderjumper]

Ive had bright yellows and in no time they turn black.. whats the secret in keeping the bright colors?

[kien]

Originally Posted by Leah

Kien

That is funny you should ask that... I am thinking of adding a couple to my reef tank... I have gone the separate tank thing... but now think it is time to take the plunge and try them in my reef.....Oh, I am living on the edge here... If Shelps can do it....then so can I........maybe

I would like to put one or two in my shallow lagoon but I feel like there is way too much flow in there. He would get blasted around the tank. Plus I read that they like lower temperatures. I know lots of people put them in normal reef temp tanks like 77-81, but don't they prefer 75 ish ?

[Leah]

When I kept them before I had the temp set at 80 deg same as all my other tanks..my temp does not fluctuate. They did great till one fateful blond moment of stupidity ...long story!

Your right though depending on how much flow and guessing you may have a lot...they may just fly around rather than swim. I have a MP20 placed up high so don't see it as a issue

[Triggz]

Originally Posted by kien

I would like to put one or two in my shallow lagoon but I feel like there is way too much flow in there. He would get blasted around the tank. Plus I read that they like lower temperatures. I know lots of people put them in normal reef temp tanks like 77-81, but don't they prefer 75 ish ?

Thats correct... Most seahorses do better at a temp of 68-75. When you go over 75 you are more likely to run into bacterial infections.

[rayjay]

Originally Posted by kien

is everyone setting up (or already has set up) a seahorse tank, or are you just putting them into your mixed reef?? Just curious :-)

I have 5 tanks set up for seahorses now, with more to be coming online as I increase my herd.
At the moment I have reidi, erectus, comes (tigertails), angustus, and barbouri.
I raised reidi fry that are now just over a year old from fry I got from Triggz when he lived in London.
To expand on the temperature, most of the seahorses available to us are normally found in waters warmer than 74°F in their natural habitats.
Unfortunately, waters of those temperatures are ALSO ideal for the growth of bacteria, like vibriosis for instance, that multiply exponentially with each degree rise in temperature, especially after the 74 mark.
Seahorses are extremely susceptible to these bacterial infections and treatment success is very limited even when caught in time.
Long term keepers on the "org" have found that temperatures ranging from 68° to 74° provide the greatest degree of success, but no guarantee.
Seahorses can withstand low medium and at times, higher flow but need to have all these areas with hitching so that they can choose what they want when they want.
They have limited means of mobility and, moving is very stressful to them as it consumes a lot of energy compared to a normal fish. They can be sucked into power heads very easily unless protected.
Most seahorses can be stressed merely by fast moving fish, and, other fish for the most part will outcompete for feeding as most seahorses are slow, very picky eaters.
That can also lead to water quality issues that without excellent husbandry, can lead to major algal issues or coral problems.
Seahorse should not be kept with stinging corals or with anemones.
Clams sometimes will close up on their tails, causing damage that leads to fatal bacterial infections many times.
Now, all this being said, it is not all the information one needs to know, but just the most important that I can think of based on my research and seahorse keeping over the last many years.
Does it mean you can't keep seahorses in a reef tank setting? NO!! It doesn't mean that, it means that your odds of success are very low and indeed there are horses out there in such settings.
However, for every success, there are many many failures.
Just check around an area selling seahorses to see how many are still there of what has been sold.
These true captive bred ones offer the best chance of success as the ones bred or raised using ocean water, while much cheaper, have the same parasites that wild caught seahorses have and survivability of ocean water raised are normally very poor.
For the best information available for you to give the best care to your new seahorses, go to seahorse.org and check out the extensive forums and the articles in the library and you should have an excellent chance of success with your seahorses.

[BlueWorldAquatic]

Just a few pics FYI;

1 day at the breeding facility

4 days

2 weeks

3 weeks

3 months





Ken - BWA