Phycodurus eques and Phyllopteryx taeniolatus: The Leafy and Weedy Sedragon Primer

Do you think it is possible for them to be weaned onto foods alternative to the expensive live Mysids? ie:
- Frozen Mysis
- Frozen Brine
- Deep Frozen Cyclop-eeze
- Frozen Nutramar ova
- Live Nutramar Tigrio Copepods
- Live Reef Bugs
(other sygnathids would kill:uzi: for this menu) lol :lol:
 
It might be a good idea to ask yourself the suitability of the size of some (most) of the food items that you listed, in relation to the size of the sea dragons.

Some of these questions could be easily researched and thought out yourself. Not that I'm discouraging you from posting, because I am not, that is what this board is here for, but PMing people to answer hypothetical questions about whether microscopic "reef bugs" would be a good food for large, rare, difficult to obtain syngnathids might not be the best use of your time if you're trying to create a primer. Personally, I would like to see the thread stick to actual experiences with the syngnathids, and known care requirements, rather than hypotheticals and what-ifs, but maybe that's just me.

It is my opinion that whenever venturing into an area that you are not familiar with (be it keeping a new animal, or anything else you would do in your life), that you should first build a base based upon the experiences and advice of others who are more experienced than you. And then, once you are experienced, then use what you know to make educated trials and "experiments". So, rather than asking if they could be kept at warmer temperatures, or fed unorthodox foods, I'd like to see more information on what is being used successfully with them now. Am I explaining myself well?
 
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I'll talk to the aquarist @ my local zoo and post what they say. ur right, the size factor does play in here that leaves the frozen brine and mysis hmmm...
 
i would be able to supply live ghost shrimp and live brine shrimp. live mysis justisnt in the budget. :lol2:
 
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They come from the same range so the temps would be similar.
Ok, if you can afford a Sea Dragon, the cost of its fairly expensive tank and all the equipment to keep it running plus a good chiller, why would you even care about the cost of live mysis. I have seen pics of their habitats in the wilds, we are talking schools of mysis.
Are you opening up a public aquarium or something?
 
besides, what does schools of live mysis in their natural habitat have to do with feeding them in captivity? :confused:
 
They are used to large quantities of food. And yes its a continuous expense. Another reason they mostly are in public aquariums and not privately owned. Look up the Ribboned Sea Dragon, its the third member of the group which is a tropical species and might do better in an aquarium. Food is most like still the same though.
 
OMG awesome! Haliichthys taeniophorus is so cool looking. I don't think they are available in the hobby though are they? Not getting off topic though because it is a seadragon.
 
According to an article by the MN zoo, Sea Dragons may suck up to 1000 live mysids a day. I think they may be exaggerating a little, but is this what you meant by plentiful food?
 
I would never even consider acquiring a pet if I had to worry about being able to pay for its food.

And if the people who actually breed and sell these animals commercially never managed to get them to eat frozen food, I don´t see how a private aquarist (who usually has a job and a life aside from the tanks) should be able to manage doing that.
 
You can get leafy's to eat frozen mysis and there tank dont need to be 10feet tall. You do need a large tank and a chiller. They move around alot more then seahorses and should have the space to do so.
 
Haliichthys taeniophorus look like a cross between alligator pipefish and a leafy seadragon. They are really cool lookin
haliichthys--taeniophorus-02.jpg

http://a7.idata.over-blog.com/3/03/14/36/Contributions/01/haliichthys--taeniophorus-02.jpg
 
Some interesting pics!
leafy_seadragon.jpg
http://www.underwater.com.au/content/5543/leafy_seadragon.jpg
Phycodurus_eques_Rapid_Bay.jpg
http://www.seadragonfoundation.org/images/Phycodurus_eques_Rapid_Bay.jpg
 
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