another ID request, if you please

[jayelblock]

I found this little gal at a local store with no identification. She is a tiny thing, perhaps 1.5" from crown to the base of the body (excluding tail). Fortunately, she is eating well and feeds right from the tip of the turkey baster.

I've tried to identify her, but no picture seems to quite match her features. Perhaps she is too young, or a hybrid? In any regard, please excuse the crappy color of these pics--she's basically yellow.

thanks for your time and any opinions you might offer.

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[TamiW]

Hippocampus cutiepantys

Okay, seriously, I'm not sure. She looks like the so called "kelloggii" which I don't think are, but I also don't know what else they are and haven't seen an adult. I suspect, you're going to have to wait until she's (or he, at that size it could be an undeveloped male).

On that note, if it is H. kelloggii, you've got your work cut out for you. In general, they haven't fared very well for a lot of people. I am assuming that's not a quarantine tank, which is unfortunate. If it were me I'd remove her and have her in quarentine for a good 4-6 weeks where I could also monitor eating habits. At the very least, I would feed 3 times a day, and have some live mysis on hand if she decides to stop eating at any point.

 

[Peka]

Hippocampus cutiepantys

I'd have to agree on that one

This is one area that I try to stay out of since I am not that good at identifying but I do have to say, she is really a beautiful horse. I agree with Tami on the QTing of her though.. regardless what type of horse she is, especially since you got her from an LFS, I would say it should be a minimum of 4 weeks QT....

One thing that I am pretty good at from raising all of the babies, is guessing what sex they will be ... I'm pretty sure from the picture, even for as small as this one is, that she is meant to be a girl...I'd be interested to hear in a couple of months if I am correct with my guess ...

 

[jayelblock]

She is quite the cutie-patootie, and I'm shocked by how tiny she is. My guess was h. fuscus because of the small size and shorter snout, but her body doesn't look chunky enough.

Fortunately, I have a 10-gallon tank set up with only coral and one tiny red-headed goby, so while it's not precisely a quarantine tank, it's pretty close.

I'm having a hard time finding info on h. kelloggii, but I will continue to search. In the mean time, I will take your advice and monitor her food intake carefully. I've also seen her hunting pods, which are plentiful in my tank since it has only the one little goby. So far, so good...

 

[TamiW]

I should have clarified. I don't think the seahorses often sold as H. Kellogii actually are. They look nothing like properly described specimens. However, I've only seen juveniles so its tough to say if they haven't grown into there features yet. They look a lot like H. reidi but not quite. I'd really like to see some adult specimens to better id, do please update as she grows.

 

[jayelblock]

Ah, got'cha. I think I misread your post the first time.
Well, perhaps as she matures her characteristics will become more defined. I'll post pics as she changes.

 

[MX#28]

My money is on Hippocampus reidi...

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

I'm thinking maybe kuda. I don't think reidi because of the "horn" shaped bump on the head.