New Seahorses arrived!

T

Thomas

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I just received two Reidi seahorses this morning. These are my first attempt at keeping seahorses. They seem to be doing ok. Hunting and even popped a couple of frozen myst. Maybe I'm just nervous but I want to make sure they are eating enough. I was going to try the dinner/trough feeding method but the myst I'm feeding keeps floating to the top. I'm kind of making sure it catches on some rock but if they miss it on the first attempt it comes loose, floats away and they loose interest. Is there a way to get it to sink instead of float? Maybe squeezing it underwater or something?

I've done my research but the floating food thing caught me off guard.
Any input would be appreciated. Thanks
 
congrats, were did you order them from? Pics?

Do you soak it in SW before you feed it, I have read some where that soaking them in SW changes the consistence so the food does not float away as easly.

but I want to make sure they are eating enough. said:
6-10 mysis/feeding 2 times a day is what i have always been told they should eat
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Thomas, congrats on the Reidi. When I use the shell for frozen food, I have it suspended about 5-7" below the water line and away from the filter/skimmer flow.
 
Thanks for the replies. I did soak some in saltwater to defrost and they fell. Who knows, but they did fall and some were eaten. 6 to ten at a feeding ? :? I only saw them eat about 2 to 4 before I left for work (2nd shift). They are not full grow though. About 3 1/2" long so hopefully that was a decent portion for their size and just released from shipping. I got them from liveaquaria.
They are supposed to be yellow but appear dull brown now. Hopefully they'll color up with some time. I've never posted pics because until recently I've been on dialup, but now have DSL so I'll give it a shot tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help, I'm looking forward to a new kind of fish / corral keeping 8)
 
Thomas, if you put bright colors in your tank they should turn more to that color. I have also found that our Reidi turn dark if the are stressed. The arrival could be considered stressful.
Water starts to go a little off..I don't see it on a test but with a water change they brighten up again. They are a wonderful species....I love my horses. I bought two more yesterday..Shhh, don't tell hubby.

Liveaquaria is part of the Drs fostersmith conglomerate isnt it?

I love their dog clothing. Our Girls look so cute in their tees and sweaters. Shirley
 
I feed my H. reidi a 1/4 cube of mysis per session, twice a day. 1 cube lasts two days.
 
Often times seahorses don't eat very actively when they are first put into tanks. I recently purchased an erectus who wouldn't move towards food hardly at all the first couple of days. I was really worried - if it didn't hit him on the head he wouldn't eat it. After a couple of days he got a little bit better at grabbing them but he still isn't a really agressive eater. I always make sure when I feed that he has some mysis within reach. I soak mine in saltwater and use a turkey baster to feed. I also turn the pumps off while I feed so that the mysis doesn't get all blown about. If you do that just remember to turn them back on!

Good luck with them, I think if they're eating at all early after arrival that you're doing OK. Please do post pics when you have some!

Carolyn
 
Lets see how this come out. these are the new arrivals. Their color is starting to come in. They ate a little this morning but only about 2 myst each. I'm hoping their appetite picks up. I was hoping to at some point go to a single feeding a day but there is no way if all they load up on is one or two at a time. I'll try ot get some better shots later, I know the pictures could be better.
 
Thomas, the food you are feeding - does it have a label on it? Does it really say "myst" on it? Everyone has been replying with "mysis" because that is the standard food most feed to their seahorses.
 
Thomas, did your supplier indicate how old your horses are?

I just bought two from an LFS whose supplier gave a really vague description. ie. "Tank raised seahorses." They are so small that I thought they were dwarf but no dwarf pics look like my girls/guys.

My patterns look so much like yours. I wonder now if I have Reidi Juvies.

It was mentioned on Seahorse.org that they are patterned like Reidi. I have never had juvies before so I didn't recognize them. Shirley
 
@disbjohn wrote:
Marc how is yoru sea horse doing and what type of sea horses do you have? said:
Casper is doing well. He is an H. reidi, raised by ORA.

http://www.melevsreef.com/video/casper.wmv (12 meg video)
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Great videa Marc! Casper is a good eater. If he keeps eating like that he is going to out grow that tank quickly.
 
They are in a 55gal. DAS tank that was my first saltwater tank. The kind with the built in filter and skimmer. The Biggest problem I had with it was the lack of flow. So, when I was looking to try my hand at seahorses and had this tank colecting dust, it seemed like a good fit.

The shrimp I'm feeding is mysis not "mist". Years ago when I started keeping a marine aquarium the first time I heard the term mysis mispronounsed "myst" and have had trouble diching the habbit. It is supplied by Hikari.

I didn't get any info on age, just size. They are smaller than the one in Marc's vidio and don't eat NEARLY as well. Picking them off the fly while being blown around by the pump! :shock: Mine sit with it in front of their mouth for 2 min. before they bite!
 
They are getting less interested in the mysis. Totally ignoring it now. I called Foster and smith where I purchased them. They suggested mixing a few brine shrimp to get their appetit going. It did get them to eat but they just picked the brine out! I'm going to get some garic and try soaking them in that maybe it will help. I thought their feeding would be better by now. Anybody sell the PE mysis on the Tarrant count side of town. maybe the Hikari isn't to their liking?
 
I think trying PE mysis is a good idea. My four month old seahorses just love it. They eat it a lot more aggressively then the hikari.
 
I just used up the last of mine. Amanda did a Group Buy for PE Mysis last fall. I think it came from PremiumAquatics. Since you have a seahorse that is hungry, you may have to order some immediately. Maybe a local member can give you some of theirs to help you get by for a few days.

quantam7 (Ken) knows of a asian food store that sells bulk mysis that might work. It cost about $3 a package, but it won't be loaded with nutrients like PE Mysis is. Still, if the seahorse eats it, it would tide you over for now.
 
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