sea horse

[coast2coast7390]

could you guys provide me with basic info about seahorses

i recieved one for my birthday from a couple of friends and dont know a whole lot about them

thanks in advanced

 

[ann83]

Could you post a pic of it for us and tell us about where you are keeping it at the moment?
First, make sure the temperature in the tank it is in is 74 degrees or lower. That is the max for tropical seahorses. If it turns out to be subtropical or temperate, the temp will need to go lower.
They need the same basic params as other fish, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, low nitrate. They shouldn't be kept with aggressive feeders or fast swimmers, as that can stress the SH into disease and also prevent it from getting enough food. They need to be fed 2-3 times per day, frozen mysis if they will eat it, otherwise live ghost shrimp or live mysis shrimp. Steer away from brine as their digestive systems are not complex enough to get nutrition from it. They are easily injured because they like to drag their tails and hitch to everything, so no stinging corals, anemones, clams, crabs (other than small hermits like scarlets and left-handed) , etc. Heaters and powerhead intakes also pose a danger so heater's should have a heater guard and powerhead intakes may need to be covered.
To be honest, your 30 gal does not sound like a very good home for a seahorse because they're systems need to be specialized and they are easily outcompeted for food. The anemone is especially dangerous to the SH.
There are several articles on www.seahorse.org in their library that may help you with the basics.

 

[coast2coast7390]

its floating in one of those breeder things in my pond only because there are 3 maine lobsters and a mean SOB Garibaldi
im going to make a separate section of the tank so it is by its self

what is the coldest temp they can be kept at
oh i think it is a spiny seahorse H. histrix

 

[ann83]

Histrix? In socal? Maybe, but I'd be suprised. What was it sold as? Any chance you can get a picture? Ask your friends where they got it and what it was being sold as and whatever else information you can get out of them.
If it is a tropical SH, like histrix, the lowest I would take them would be 68, but I'd be more comfortable at 70. Don't drop the temp more than 4 degrees a day.
If in fact you do have H.histrix, you should be aware that there hasn't been much success keeping them. The Waikiki Aquarium gave up their project to breed them. They are a deep water species that are pelagic their whole lives. Basically, there isn't a lot of information out there on keeping them. I'll hold out hope that you actually have an easier species.

 

[ann83]

Oh, look at a pic of barbouri and see if that fits it better.

 

[coast2coast7390]

why it isnt sold in so cal alot???
well the store that they went to carries some things that arent usually seen in other stores in the area
ill get a pict tomorrow

 

[coast2coast7390]

ok i looked at that species and some pictures it looks like it hard to tell

but what should i know if it is H. barbouri

 

[ann83]

Its not just not sold in socal alot, its not sold anywhere alot, but it does turn up wild caught in Hawaii, so I would have been less suprised if that was where you lived. H.barbouri is also tropical, so the same water temperatures apply, and all the same basics I said in my first post about general species care. They are not as hard as histrix, but still a sensitive species compared to erectus, reidi, and kuda. If your seahorse is wild caught, you will need to look into deworming it, which will require six weeks in quarantine. You can find the info on deworming in the wild caught seahorse forum on www.seahorse.org. Have you read the articles in the library at seahorse.org yet? Also, what is he eating?

 

[coast2coast7390]

hasnt eaten yet i think its still stressed...i already tried ghost and mysis shrimp i dont have any brine on hand...

 

[coast2coast7390]

 

[ann83]

Would really need a shot of the side of the side of the head & body in order to I.D. Can't tell at all from that angle. The coronet is really important to the I.D. I'm also not great at I.D.'s beyond the basic Kuda, Reidi, Erectus. You'll probably have better luck posting a profile shot on seahorse.org where there are more people with experience in different species.

 

[ann83]

What are your plans for this SH? It won't do very well if you keep it in that breeder box for long. Do you have an immediate plan for it or are you going to bring it back to the LFS? It needs a tank away from any aggressive fish and a place to hitch to ASAP. I wouldn't expect it to eat in that breeder box, and an SH can only go 4 days without food before its digestive system shuts down and it starves.

 

[coast2coast7390]

do you think my garibaldi will pick on it...also do yo think it is possible to feed it in my pond

 

[ann83]

I think the pond with the garibaldi and lobsters is a bad idea. The garibaldi will definately stress it, and will also prevent it from getting any food, and there is a good chance you would lose the SH to the lobsters also.

 

[Nano-Nag]

Coast2coast7390,

It would really be best if the seahorse was in a separate tank. If this is not possible at this time, you might be able to pull it off temporarily if you can section off an area (with adequate hitch, compatible temperature, no stinging corals, etc.).

I am also concerned with the seahorse not eating. If you don't have a quarantine tank, it might not be a bad idea to set up one in a clean rubbermaid with an air-pump, and something for the seahorse to hitch on. You will be able to monitor what and how much it is eating, and treat the seahorse for possible parasites.

Downside on this, waterchanges, waterchanges, waterchanges...

Good luck,

Shay

 

[coast2coast7390]

well i got some ghost shrimp...and it looked really interested...im going to try to find a place that sells live brine...just so i can get him eating

 

[ann83]

Get him in a seperate tank and add a copepod culture and some live mysis ASAP. Five days is too long to be not eating (digestive system will be shutting down for good right about now), and I'd be willing to bet he is not eating because he is in a breeder box hanging in a pond with a garibaldi. If you can't put him in a seperate tank now, he will die. So, seperate tank or back to the LFS are his best chances.

 

[coast2coast7390]

i took him out and put him this divider thing that i made out of that egg crate thing with some Tonga Branch Live Rock...he cant catch the Ghost shrimp and isnt interested in frozen

 

[ann83]

Injure the ghost shrimp so they are easier to catch, and get him some copepods. Where is the divider thing located? He can be stressed by other fish if he can see them, even if they can't get to him. Bare bottom would be better right now so that you can see his poo and make sure he is at least getting something to eat.

 

[coast2coast7390]

what part do i injure???the tail

it is in my pond its the tank with the best water quality and i can watch him

they dont bother him they have better things to do...the divider thing fell over...before i reinforced it...and he was un protected for a while