New Seahorse

[Black96WS6]

Hi gang,

I'm hoping someone can assist in identifying what species of seahorse I just purchased.

I signed up for SeaHorse.org, but I can't get to any of the forums. I haven't been validated by the admin yet, so that may be why.

Here is a pic:

I purchased him/her tonight from the LFS for $50. He/she (from now on I'll just say "him") is a captive bred specimen.

I knew enough to ask the store what they fed him, and they gave the right answer in "enriched frozen mysis shrimp". I also asked that they feed him for me so I could watch. All the seahorses in the tank (there were about 5) looked healthy, and they all readily snapped up the large frozen mysis shrimp.

So, I picked the smallest one, picked up a large frozen "platter" of mysis shrimp, and a bottle of GVH fish food soak (Garlic, Vitamins, HUFAs).

I placed him in my main tank, a 35 gallon tall hex aquarium. He's doing fine so far, I even saw him eat a copepod off the floor of the aquarium, reminded me of a grouper or lionfish, slow until close enough and then...WHAM! Sucked right up!

I read the care articles on seahorse.org, however I don't see a place where they said how often they should be fed. So if anyone knows what species I have, and how often they should be fed, let me know!

Thanks!

 

[FragMaster]

Its an hippocampus Erectus. They are quite common in black, and splotchy black with brown colorations. They like water temperatures from 68 deg F to no more than 74 deg F to keep them healthy. Contrairy to popular beliefe they are a subtropical species.
It is more than likely wild caught so your gonna have to feed it live food until it gets used to frozen. It will eat frozen silverside's chopped up in to 1/4" x 1/8" or so sections. Just place them in a plastic dish in front of him and wait. Make sure there is somthing near for him to hitch to while he feeds though.
You can easly tell if its male or female by looking carefully at its lower abdomin. If you see a slit it's a male. If there is no slit its a female.

 

[Black96WS6]

Thanks for your post FragMaster!

I took some more pics, I don't think it's Erectus, it's either Reidi or Kuda, still not sure! I don't see a bunch of thin lines, just spots (I know it's impossible to tell in that photo).

I took some more shots, but because he's moving around this morning exploring his new territory, they all came out blurry. Here are the best three:

Still can't get to the Seahorse.org forums at all...

 

[FragMaster]

I still say young erectus. Erectus develope the lines as they mature, they can have have spots AND Lines too. Or even just barely visible lines and pronounced spots when they are mature. When they are young they will look like prodominntly one solid color. I believe your darker colored horse is a femal and the lighter horse is the male as well. Hard to tell but the sharp turn back on lower abdomin on the darker horse makes me think its female. The lack of this makes me think the lighter one is male.
Kudas have a shorter snout.
Erectus have longer snouts
Reidi have spots but are usualy two tone in coloration and much brighter with an even longer snout than the erectus.
Here is a link with pics and descriptions of each speceis.
http://www.syngnathid.org/articles/idGuide.html

 

[Anonymous]

I can tell you for one thing that you need a different substrate. Fake gorgonians would be approriate. Live rock is a little to bulky for horses to easily hitch on.

As for feeding, try and find some Piscine Energetics brand mysis shrimp. Very very high quality.

 

[FragMaster]

YOu know what, after taking more time out to compare them I think they might be Reidi's after all.

 

[Anonymous]

The public aquarium I volunteer at has a colony of H. reidi that breeds every few weeks or so.

 

[FragMaster]

So when are you going to send some my way? When I move every thing to the 100g My 29g is gonna be a seahorse tank. I have a dawrf tank but I am about sick of them. They require newly hatched brine EVERY FREAKING DAY!! After 4 solid years of them it is starting to suck. ALOT!
You may see them at a local LFS soon if any of you live in the Cinc'y area!

 

[Anonymous]

So when are you going to send some my way? When I move every thing to the 100g My 29g is gonna be a seahorse tank. I have a dawrf tank but I am about sick of them. They require newly hatched brine EVERY FREAKING DAY!! After 4 solid years of them it is starting to suck. ALOT!
You may see them at a local LFS soon if any of you live in the Cinc'y area!

It's a LOT of work raising them. I don't think the aquarium can give them away to hobbyists either. Not sure though.

 

[Black96WS6]

So when are you going to send some my way? When I move every thing to the 100g My 29g is gonna be a seahorse tank. I have a dawrf tank but I am about sick of them. They require newly hatched brine EVERY FREAKING DAY!! After 4 solid years of them it is starting to suck. ALOT!
You may see them at a local LFS soon if any of you live in the Cinc'y area!

Newly hatched brine every day? Ouch! Makes me appreciate the frozen mysis!

"She" took about 4 or 5 big (relatively speaking) mysis shrimp before becoming dis-interested last night. I believe she's full from the pods and mysis. She spends all her time slowly cruising around the bottom and the live rock. She slowly scans EVERYTHING! I mean every INCH before moving on. She's interested in anything small moving around on the rock. I've never seen anything like it. I fear for my pod population!

 

[melas]

i'd second the Reidi . . . i have several captive bred adult Reidi that eat from the end of a large syringe (no needle). some are solid black, others are black with yellow bars, and have one that is mostly a light color beige with brown mottling. very interesting and hardy species! you will definitely want some branches for your pony to hang on to.

 

[Anonymous]

I think there is an H. erectus in this picture too, but otherwise all H. reidi. Many of these are offspring of the oldest pair.

 

[melas]

so is that an artificial gorgonian? if so where do you get those. . . it looks very life like (if its not ) very cool!

 

[FragMaster]

Thats just a dead gorg. skeleton. You can use fake plants to.
Pic the crappiest LFS you know of in your area and Ibetyou will find allyou can carry in dead gorgonian skeletons :lol:
Or you can go to a Hobby Lobby or other craft stores and buy some there.

 

[melas]

i'd rather not purchase carcasses and support the removal of invertebrates for jewelry and decoration. . . was hoping they were fake because they seemed pretty convincing. . . guess that's why. . .

 

[FragMaster]

Your not nesciarily contributing to anything if you buya skeleton from a crafts store. most of that stuff (save for the dried out seahorses and star fish) are from beach combers. I know they are from Hobby lobby anyways for sure ( I looked into it.)
If your getting it from a crapy LFS your not contributing either. They did.
They will give you a dead skeleton.
You can find other things such as fake coral for them to hitch to if you like though. I dont think there are many fake gorgonins available though?

 

[melas]

yeah most of the artificial marine decorations look. . .well. . . artificial. . .matt had mentioned using artificial gorgonians previously in the post and i got all excited. :roll:

If your getting it from a crapy LFS your not contributing either. They did.

By purchasing skeletons you are enabling the "crappy" LFS to make these kinds of mistakes in the future. if no one buys them no one would sell them. it might make them think twice before purchasing these creatures in the future knowing that they would be unable to at least "break even" on the skeleton. I have a real one for my seahorses now. . . i found it on the beach in Hawaii. I'd like to get something much larger and more ornate like the one pictured above. . . i'll have to keep looking. . . thanks for your help! :lol:

 

[FragMaster]

You dont have to buy them. They will give them to you.
Even if they did sell them they would be loosing money versus what they paid for the live specimen I would assume. They wouldnt want to keep buying them and losing money I wouldnt think?
The one in the photo was once live as well.

No problem. I will see if I can come up with a link or two where you can find some fake gorgs. .

 

[FragMaster]

Here are a couple links with good selections:

http://www.rockandwatercoral.com/corals_22-32.htm

http://www.aquatichouse.com/corals_and_ ... gnplay.asp

 

[melas]

Thanks! Some of those don't look too bad! I don't know of any LFS around here that would give away anything for free. . . i've seen gorgonian skeletons for as much as $17 . . . youch!