Seahorse birth today!

[hypn]

Sorry to hear the news Brenda but at the same time this little male made sure he produced enough offspring to keep his family heritage growing for years to come. He was a legend in his own right. Congrats with the high breeding rate as well, truly awesome how high a success rate you had.

Andre

 

[Anemone]

The female didn't waste any time finding another mate. There have been two batches born since the male died. The two batches combined were 694 fry.

 

[LifeAquatic]

OMG, Brenda, how are you going to keep up with them at this rate!? :arghhhh:

 

[Anemone]

OMG, Brenda, how are you going to keep up with them at this rate!? :arghhhh:

I'm not. The last two batches went to a friend who is raising them. I am however preparing to raise the next batch. There is no way I can raise every batch. I may have to put a cork in him!

 

[LifeAquatic]

haha... good plan. In reading your discussion stream it seems you have to keep them a minimum of 90 days and then try to find homes, right? So both you and your friend who is helping will be very busy if you don't use that cork!

Of course I don't know the mortality rate ... with numbers like that I assume it's high in the wild. In reading the thread you wrote a 78% survival rate on the earlier 'herd'. Since you have removed predators from the equation that's still quite a lot of ponies isn't it?

 

[Anemone]

The minimum of 90 days is assuming they are eating whole mysis shrimp for a few weeks. The batch that I have has been eating whole mysis without any live food for 3+ weeks. I’ve struggled in the past getting fry to take frozen. This batch took to the frozen quickly. Once on frozen their growth rate is amazing. These guys are already over 3 inches (7.6 cm). The average adult size is 5 – 7 inches or 12.7 – 17.8 cm.


IMO they could go to new homes now, but I think I will keep them and try to get them to color up and get a little bigger first. Besides, I’m sort of interested to find out how many males I have. I strongly believe there are more males born, and not everybody agrees with me on that.


In the wild the numbers are somewhere around one in 1000-1500 that make it to adult. My 78% survival rate was based on a small batch of only 37. Live food wasn't as difficult to keep up with; the weaker were given an indefinite amount of time to pull through. Since they quickly took to the frozen, brine was reduced, then eliminated, which also reduces the bacteria that comes with the brine.


I don't know that I will have that high of a success rate on a batch of 400+. I also don't know where I would put 300+ fast growing juveniles.

 

[MistaOrange]

Lol Brenda I recon you need to put the adults in a shallow tank to cool off a bit? Well that's if you can't keep up with the increasing numbers you are getting right now.

 

[Anemone]

The first 6 went to the LFS today. It was sad driving home with an empty bucket!

 

[hypn]

The first 6 went to the LFS today. It was sad driving home with an empty bucket!

but you did incredibly well by breeding, raising and now redistributing the guys, Thats 10 points for a job well done. Be a proud mom you raised your ponies well.

 

[Anemone]

Thank you Andre! They had to go, they were flirting! :nono: They also have over 400 brothers and sisters sitting next to them wanting their tank!

I do still have 23 left, hopefully I'll find them new homes before the others need their tank.

 

[hypn]

Wow the figures are staggering - I have to admit that in all the years of keeping Sea-horses I never saw births that big, sounds like this could be a full time occupation. Maybe you should open a Sea-Horse farm and my next order can be via you. I am sure that once Sites has seen what you did to your kitchen they would have to give you accreditation.

All my paper work is still going through the system with Beth expecting delivery in September all we can do is enjoy your posts

 

[Anemone]

Wow the figures are staggering - I have to admit that in all the years of keeping Sea-horses I never saw births that big

Reidi can give birth to 1700. But they are small and more difficult to raise.

sounds like this could be a full time occupation. Maybe you should open a Sea-Horse farm and my next order can be via you.

No thanks! I’d like to leave the house for more than 5 hours at a time some day.

I am sure that once Sites has seen what you did to your kitchen they would have to give you accreditation.

Kitchen? That’s my laundry room! Granny would slice my throat if that was in the kitchen! She thinks I do a LOT of laundry!

All my paper work is still going through the system with Beth expecting delivery in September all we can do is enjoy your posts

That’s awesome! I can’t wait to see pics!

 

[hypn]

Love the comment about leaving the house for more than 5 hours at a time - a true "Sea-horse" mother

 

[MistaOrange]

The first 6 went to the LFS today. It was sad driving home with an empty bucket!

They had to go, they were flirting! :nono:

Brenda you expelled those ponies for flirting? lol nawty ponies:nono: sounds like you are getting ready for the next brood correct?

 

[jacquesb]

Awesome Brenda! I can imagine that you were heart-sore when you gave give your babies away. BUT, great job in redistributing tank bred ponies!

 

[Anemone]

Brenda you expelled those ponies for flirting?

And taking up valuable real estate.

sounds like you are getting ready for the next brood correct?

The last bunch is 12 days old now. Most are growing quickly. It’s been really hard to keep up with the food. I’ve culled/lost 19 out of the 438. I’ve started introducing frozen. I haven’t seen them take it yet. Hopefully soon!

I am expecting another birth on Monday.

Awesome Brenda! I can imagine that you were heart-sore when you gave give your babies away. BUT, great job in redistributing tank bred ponies!

Thank you Jacquesb!

 

[MistaOrange]

And taking up valuable real estate.

Running out of space is not good, it seems like the ponies need their own pony room at the rate & quantity they are producing.

The last bunch is 12 days old now. Most are growing quickly. It’s been really hard to keep up with the food. I’ve culled/lost 19 out of the 438. I’ve started introducing frozen. I haven’t seen them take it yet. Hopefully soon!

My maths is not that great but I recon 19 lost from 438 is a really great achievement & I also hope they take to the frozen soon good luck.

I am expecting another birth on Monday.

LOL those ponies really don't give you much time hey. Brenda I wish you all the best

 

[Anemone]

Daddy is giving birth again. I decided to seperate them. So momma (center) was reunited with her babies.

And some random pics of the babies:

 

[Anemone]

 

[Anemone]

Another of mom and baby: