pot-bellied seahorse

[jythong]

I just bought a pot-bellied seahorse, captive bred and already feeding on frozen. It is now in my reef tank, feeding well on frozen mysis within 1 day, settled at a low flow zone and temp about 23-24 C. I know that these temperate seahorses prefer 18-20 C, according to literature, but I am just wondering if 23-24C will have any significant adverse effects on the seahorse.

Also I have probloems trying to determine the sex- any experts can help?

 

[ReefNutPA]

Re: pot-bellied seahorse

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14405833#post14405833 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jythong
but I am just wondering if 23-24C will have any significant adverse effects on the seahorse.

Yes, it will not survive long term. Which is why very few are keeping them..... a chiller for the large tanks they need (75gal +) to keep the temp 62F-65F makes setting up a proper tank cost prohibitive for most, myself included unfortunately.

Tom

 

[ann83]

Tom is right, the seahorse will not survive to live out much of his lifespan. He will probably actually fall ill pretty soon, too.

FYI, he's a male. The really large pouch gives him away.

He's beautiful. I really hope you are able to get a chiller for him soon, or able to find a home for him with a large cold water tank.

Until you are able to get the chiller set up or rehome him, you can drop the temperature for him using a fan aimed at the surface and a frozen water bottles floating in the tank. His tank temperature needs to be 16 - 18 degrees celsius and he needs a 280 liter or larger aquarium.

 

[coolwaves]

For the benefit of those of us that maintain temperate aquaria-- from where did you get the seahorse?

 

[jythong]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14413490#post14413490 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coolwaves
For the benefit of those of us that maintain temperate aquaria-- from where did you get the seahorse?

I am from Singapore, and got this from a LFS, which gets these seahorses from Australia. It is very difficult to get captive bred SH here- most here are wild caught and very cheaply available, only several dollars each for common species, but understandably difficult to feed initially.
This one is now being trained to feed from a dish today- doing well so far.

 

[jd474]

yes, please do consider moving him or buying a chiller. he is not going to live very long as is.