Question on Seahorses

[Spartanman22]

I just purchased three Seahorses, from a lfs, that were labeled as Hippocampus Kellogi . I have read that they are more difficult compared to other species. These are tank raised and are eating very well. My question is how are my odds of keeping these guys happy and healthy? Right now they are in a 15 gallon fuge set up on my year old 75 reef. They will later be transfered to another, species only, tank.

Here are some pictures

 

[Spartanman22]

Also What do I use to paint the back of their future tank with?

 

[ReefNutPA]

I can't give you specific odds..... but many experienced keepers with years of seahorse knowledge/breeding/care ultimately failed with kellogi's. If I recall correctly, they basically don't grow as they should, fail to thrive/gain weight, and waste away over time even though they initially appear healthy and eat well.

I'm sure someone will have a "breakthrough" and figure out what the rest of us have been missing.....(perhaps a super deep tank?, colder water?, different diet?)......but at this time we just haven't figured it out. Perhaps you will be "the one" to figure it out.

Personally, I would keep them in QT for 4-6 weeks and de-worm them. Get them eating good quality frozen mysis and keep water quality pristine.

Best of luck.....and keep posting updates!

Tom

 

[rosebud161616]

I agree with Tom. These guys don't have a good reputation in the seahorse community.

I would get them out of the 15 gallon fuge and into a quarantine tank. What are you feeding them? If they're not on frozen, make sure you're feeding them more than just brine shrimp and work on getting them over to frozen. In the quarantine start the 9 week deworming process.

Also, you said that this fuge is part of you reef tank. What temp are you keeping the tank at? These guys should be at a max of 74* even while setting up the other tank.

I hope that helps and good luck!

 

[Spartanman22]

The reef tank is kept at around 74 i know low but thats how its been and its fine and they are eating frozen. They seem to be doing great but I have only had them for two weeks. I feed them one cube of mysis per day.

 

[pledosophy]

IMO I would treat with parasite and deworming medication. I would do a round of panacur, a round of fenbendazole and a round of metronidazole. I would also supplement there food with beta glucan and keep them at a temp a bit lower then you have now.

I also recommend feeding a bit more often as the withering away seems to be a commonality in the problems with this species. It's my guess the withering comes from internal parasites which are a larger problem given how these seahorses are raised before they get to the market.

If you get them to live they will grow to be quite a good size, over 12". I would look at a 90g tall as a minimium tank size IMHO.

HTH

 

[Spartanman22]

Where would I get these medications?

 

[pledosophy]

My LFS carries all of them. You can also get them online. Some of the meds at my LFS go by different names, for example panacur is called Prazipro, but the listed ingredient is panacur.

 

[David123]

12" er, Kevin, help me here ole mate, where the bloody hell did you get that gem.

I feel, never having kept them, but from reading a lot of them, and general seahorse knowledge: they should be treated as a temperate, ie, upper 60s not mid 70s.

 

[Spartanman22]

well two out of the three have passed on. One I think died from getting stuck to the strainer seperating my fuge tank with my sump. It seems weird since they would all sit there because they figured out that all the food will end up there, but I found him stuck to it dead. The other one died once they were moved to their permanent home. He hadn't been eating well the past couple of days. I dont know what happened. So now I have one left. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I know they are kellogi seahorses and they have less than great survival records but they barely lasted a month and were eating great? If you could give me any suggestions because I plan to order a pair of erectus(cb) online but I don't want to if I am doing something wrong. I will post params. For now they are in a 37 cube with a hob and two koralia number ones. It is lit with a 150 de mh coralife hanging pendant. the temp is kept at around 70

 

[David123]

Please don't beat yaself up here, its the normal story with these.

Its not the species per se rather where they come from, sadly, very poor quality production.

I have only ever heard of a few lasting much longer.

Get ahold of some name breeders Southern erectus, and you will have a long and happy friendship with these stunning sea creatures.