A journal of an attempt to raise Seahorse Babies

howdy20012002 · #1 11-02-2006, 07:09 PM

Due to several requests, I am going to try to create a journal of my experiences of trying to raise Baby seahorses.
I have done a fair bit of research on the subject.
However, I don't have any expectations on the viability of actually able to raise any of this wonderful little guys and gals.
Here is the story.

howdy20012002 · #2 11-02-2006, 07:30 PM

At approx 5 pm, a neighbour pointed out a baby seahorse in my SH tank.
Upon closer inspection I noticed approximately 50 baby seahorses floating around the top of the tank.
I honestly dont' know whey they were actually born as I personally did not witness it.
Although I do have a baby fish and SH setup that I am trying to engineer, I wasn't expecting these arrivals and had to improvise.
I grabbed a 3 Gallon fish bowl and placed it into a 10 gallon tank.
I then filled the fish bowl with water from the main seahorse tank.
Using a cup, I gathered up the babies as unobtrusively as possible and placed them into the fish bowl.
I then placed a couple of cupfuls of rotifers from my rotifer cultures and basically that was it.
I must say, very cool looking creatures.

howdy20012002 · #3 11-02-2006, 07:39 PM

the setup basically is a 3 gallon plastic fish bowl in a 10 gallon tank.
I put fresh water in the 10 gallon tank so not to waste salt.
I placed the heater in the 10 gallon tank portion so that I could have better control over the heat. I didn't want to place the heater directly into the fish bowl fearing that I would cook them.
I then placed a air hose with a air stone in the fish bowl.
However, after talking to Beverley I changed that to a just running a air tube into the tank and put a valve on the airtube. I now have approximately 2 bubbles per second going into the tank.
If you look at the pic and wonder what the shutoff valve is for, basically I took the tank off the system that I was developing where all the tanks drain into one main sump.
the reason for the fish bowl verses the 10 gallon tank as it condenses the babies into a smaller space so that I don't use as many rotifers and they stay at a higher concentration.
As well, with a fish bowl, the babies don't have the abilty to get stuck to the side of the bowl at the surface because the walls fall away verses straight down which may cause some of them to become stuck to the wall and expire.
Again, this setup is from the research I have done online.
To say that it is a work in progress is an understatment.
If anyone has any suggestions at all, PLEASE let me know

howdy20012002 · #4 11-02-2006, 07:44 PM

So far so good.
I awoke to no bodies in the tank.
I placed a cup of rotifers in the tank before going off to work.
I also had a friend come in at noon and place another cup of rotifers into the tank.
After talking to Beverly, I did a 30 % water change at night using water from the main Seahorse tank.
I also placed a cup of rotifers into the tank at around 4 and 9 pm.
I was also placed some Phytoplankton into the tank in the hopes that the rotifers will continue to reproduce and help provide a constant food source for the babies.
As well, I now have a light along the bottom of the tank (again a Beverley suggestion) so to attract the seahorses and Rotifers in more of a condensed area. As well, I think that it will make the rotifers easier for the seahorse babies to see and hunt down.
They are becoming darker, which from what I have read is a good thing.

howdy20012002 · #5 11-02-2006, 07:51 PM

Well, I don't belive it but there were no casaulties in the morning.
I did another 30 percent WC in the morning and placed a cup of rotifers in the tank at 4 am and at 7 am before going off to work.
I am also putting a fair amount of Prime in the water everytime I do a WC so to help control the ammonia and nitrites and will be doing an approx. 30 % WC twice a day. I am going to continually test to ensure that the levels of ammonia and nitrites stay low.
I am continuing to do water changes directly from the main seahorse tank and will be doing approximately a 30 % WC twice a day. I am going to continually test to ensure that the levels of ammonia and nitrites stay low.
I don't know if this is the right thing to do.
However, I feel that the main tank will be able to process the waste in the water and the Babies won't be shocked by putting freshly made water into their tank.
I am able to see lots of rotifers swimming around in the bowl, which is perfect.
Simply put, if the water is good and the food is there, I may actually be able to keep some of these guys alive.
Please once again, any suggestions will gladly be accepted. Just dont' be upset if I don't implement them. This is will be one of many to come batches of babies and I am trying to come up with ways to maximize the outcome.
any comments or questions so far?
Neal

howdy20012002 · #6 11-02-2006, 10:38 PM

I thought that I would show the proud parents
Tranvictor, these guys should look familiar.
they used to be yours.

howdy20012002 · #7 11-02-2006, 10:40 PM

thought that I would show the main tank set as well

howdy20012002 · #8 11-02-2006, 10:43 PM

got home from work
YEAH, Still all alive and swimming
Looking good.
see for yourself
Neal

michika · #9 11-03-2006, 03:40 PM

Looking good!

Joe Reefer · #10 11-03-2006, 04:35 PM

They are so small!, Keep up the good work.