Algae on seahorses?

[djc1026]

Is it fairly common for algae to grow on seahorses? If so should one worry about the growth and if you do, is there a removal method?

Dave

 

[horsewhisperer]

It's normal. If you have a cleaner shrimp they will keep the horses clean.

 

[djc1026]

Thanks for the reply, I'm waiting for the LFS to get a batch of smaller cleaners, my horses are juveniles and the large ones that are available I think would be too aggressive. I suppose I could try peppermints, but my experience with them is that they are pretty inactive.

 

[horsewhisperer]

Yeah, I don't know about the peppermints either. I agree, the larger cleaner shrimps are too rough and my juvies didn't like it.

 

[jcatblum]

I use a turkey baster, and blow the algae off---in real extreme cases I use a soft toothbrush--some of my seahorses are ok with it, but others hate it!!!! I have 2 horses that hitch in front of the powerhead and let it blow the algae off of them. The first site of this scared me to death, but I have learned to cope with it!!! They look so funny hanging on getting blown all around, but they really seem to like it.

 

[sarahbab]

my cleaner shrimp doen't clean my horses.

 

[Veganman]

My cleaner shrimp tried to clean my horses, but they did NOT like it. I replaced it with peppermint shrimp, which the horses quickly ganged up on and ate. (expensive snack)

I do as jcatblum does-turkey baster or toothbrush if absolutely necessary.

 

[pledosophy]

I have kept peppermints for years with no problems of horses eating them. Maybe they were just small peppermints? My horses do eat the shrimp fry.

The algae is only a nuissance to you. In the wild many seahorses ahve algae growing on them. It aids them with there camo.

I have never had to remove any from my horses. They grow a bit now and then but nothing severe.

 

[djc1026]

That's what I figured, but just wanted to check to see if it caused problems in the home aquarium.