How to distinguish reidi vs erectus

[omppu]

Hello again folks!

I have started to question if my seahorses are reidis after all. I think that my 5 seahorses are a mix of reidi and erectus, which is not so good for breeding purposes.

Does anyone have a sure method to distinguish these two seahorses from eachoter or do you need pics?

 

[Seahorses]

Pics are best. It's pretty hard to describe seahorses.

 

[rayjay]

Yes, excellent quality pictures, especially direct side view close ups showing all detail will work best.
As they mature, the erectus will develop a much thicker chest area, but at all times, the coronet will differ in that with the erectus is is described as ridge like, wedge like or with sharp spines or edges.
The reidi coronet is described as large, but relatively low and convoluted.
Usually the snout of the reidi is considered long and the erectus, short, but I've come across some reidi that are also short snouted.
You can download and save the PDF file on seahorse ID so that for future reference it loads faster if you have it saved.
Because it is such a large file, it takes a long time to download the first time.
http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/si...ads/documents/pdfs/Seahorse_ID_Guide_2004.pdf

 

[tjdouglas]

Hey OMPPU, I am curious as to why hybrids would not be so good for breeding? Have Erectus x Reidi offspring been shown to be infertile?

 

[omppu]

Thanks for the info guys!

I assume that erectus x reidi is much harder to breed than reidi x reidi. My guess might be also wrong

 

[omppu]

Here are two suspects, do you think they are reidi?

 

[rayjay]

Reidi

 

[tjdouglas]

I agree with Rayjay...definitely look like very nicely patterned Reidis to me

 

[DanU]

H. reidi are among the most difficult to rear. Only a handful of people globally are considered successful with them. Hybrids of reidi X erectus are many times more easier to rear. They are also quite hardy as adults.

Dan