Seahorse tank

Annoying said:
Hey seahorse

Tank is doing great, still in the cycling proses, would like to cycle it as long as possible. Have a few macro algaes added and thinking of adding some artificial hitching posts. Will post picks soon, I promise:whistling:. Could you please PM me the price you got on the cultured ponies, I'm still on the search for ponies and maybe I could get some... Hey while your at it, why don't you start a post about your tank... I'm suree everyone would love to see it!
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Hi Annoying - happy to announce the end of the loooooonnnggg wait is nearly finished, with a bit of luck we will have tank bred frozen shrimp eating Sea-Horses within the next 4 weeks, with bad luck 6 weeks.

Keep your eyes on the forum, I will try and run a sponsorship or add placement. 4 species will be hitting our shores

Andre
ps. Please post some pics of tanks, lets see what's out there - same for "SEAHORSE" share some pics
 
hypn said:
Hi Annoying - happy to announce the end of the loooooonnnggg wait is nearly finished, with a bit of luck we will have tank bred frozen shrimp eating Sea-Horses within the next 4 weeks, with bad luck 6 weeks.

Keep your eyes on the forum, I will try and run a sponsorship or add placement. 4 species will be hitting our shores

Andre
ps. Please post some pics of tanks, lets see what's out there - same for "SEAHORSE" share some pics
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Woohoo can't wait!
 
Hey Andre

I initially had a captive bred pair imported from Bali but sadly lost my female - at the time I was housing them in the refugium of my larger reef tank and she mysteriously disappeared :(

I am completely against importing wild caught seahorses as most people do not know enough about sustaining their natural diet. The cultured seahorses I can get are raised on frozen Mysis which is great!

'Annoying' - probably a good idea to start a thread so I can post some pics :)
Will see about taking some photos today-after a good clean and water change!

Taryn*
 
Seahorse said:
'Annoying' - probably a good idea to start a thread so I can post some pics :)
Will see about taking some photos today-after a good clean and water change!

Taryn*
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Looking forward to seeing your tank, very seldom we get to see a seahorse/pipefish tank.

Welcome to the forum. :)
 
Seahorse said:
Hey Andre

I initially had a captive bred pair imported from Bali but sadly lost my female - at the time I was housing them in the refugium of my larger reef tank and she mysteriously disappeared :(

I am completely against importing wild caught seahorses as most people do not know enough about sustaining their natural diet. The cultured seahorses I can get are raised on frozen Mysis which is great!

'Annoying' - probably a good idea to start a thread so I can post some pics :)
Will see about taking some photos today-after a good clean and water change!

Taryn*
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Real pity that you lost the female, sadly this as you know is the problematic side of Sea-Horse keeping but glad to hear that you manage to get captive sea-horses. As per Steve's request - what species did you get and then from BRAZIL. Do you still have access to your supplier because if worthwhile we can all add to the order and possibly allow him the opportunity of bringing in a few more.

I think we are all trying to get a diversity of Sea-horse species going in South Africa and you might just have a species not easily available (not that any seahorse seems to be easily available).

Have you joined the Seahorse forum, varied conflicting opinions on that group (american based) regarding sea-horses and refugiums some swearing by them and others insisting that they don't work.

Either way welcome, nice to have you on-board and looking forward to sharing future seahorse info. Seems that we are finally building a stronger Sea-Horse support base:thumbup:
 
Hi :wave2:

Sorry no photos yet, will get on it asap...

Steve, I have a male Black Hippocampus Kuda - possibly adopting another two Common Seahorses at the end of the month, but will need to set up a QT as I'm not sure of where they are coming from.

Andre - The supplier I have brings in the Kudas, and so far there have been none i have seen with any illness or worms. They come in at an average price of R800 each, steep but well worth a healthy pony!

Any ideas on a QT setup?

Taryn*
 
Seahorse said:
Hi :wave2:

Sorry no photos yet, will get on it asap...

Steve, I have a male Black Hippocampus Kuda - possibly adopting another two Common Seahorses at the end of the month, but will need to set up a QT as I'm not sure of where they are coming from.

Andre - The supplier I have brings in the Kudas, and so far there have been none i have seen with any illness or worms. They come in at an average price of R800 each, steep but well worth a healthy pony!

Any ideas on a QT setup?

Taryn*
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Hi Taryn,

Kuda's are good, but hard to raise the young. I think Steve can back me up on that. R800.00 for a seahorse is pricey for a fish but the stock I receive will be retailing at the same price. Seahorses are unfortunately a lot more work to get especially when importing captive bred, the documentation is mainly to blame for pricing, stacks of applications on either side every time a sea-horse moves.

As far as QT goes once again we need to call on Steve, I am also setting one up for the Dwarfs as some will be tank bred and some not. Always better to put them through a de worming process for their own health and the tank mates.

Before buying them always try and get the Pet Shop to show you that they are eating - they will take most live food and he should have some Brine-shrimp on hand. If you notice a thrashing behaviour from the Sea-horse (shaking themselves consistently) it might be better to leave them.

Also remember if he gets a few keep your eyes open for possible mating pairs. Under normal circumstances the male strays away from the female during the day (she stays in the back) but the best pair I ever purchased were clinging on to each other like long lost lovers. They mated gave birth and lived in my tank for several years before passing away from age.

Andre
 
Hi Andre and Taryn

I am off sick with flu this week and will only be able to go through the information I have collected next week, from what I remember deworming is a definite.

Apart from the dwarf's, other foods than brine shrimp should also be provided. Usually live foods such as amphipods, mysis, small shrimps and possibly fish larvae. Living close to the sea is a definite bonus, but inland freshwater shrimp and possibly new born guppies and mollies (possibly adapted to seawater) are possibilities. I know Calvin had freshwater shrimp breeding to use with his seahorses at one stage and maybe still does.
Often the seahorses in LFS's will not have been receiving adequate nutrition for quite a while and seahorses have a very simple gut system.
Another factor with some WC seahorses may be their being nocturnal, especially Tiger tail seahorses (H. comes) which then necessitates copious amounts of live food being left in the tank. Apart from the stripes on the tail another easy feature to find on H. comes is the two cheek spines. They are the species I have seen most commonly at LFS's, generally for about two or three hundred Rand, but I would not advise buying them as the young need rotifer as a first food and appear to be harder to raise in my experience (unsuccessful):016:
Yet another factor with WC's is the size limitations of CITES only allows seahorses of a minimum size to be traded to quite rightly ensure that they have been given the opportunity to breed in the wild, this combined with the short lifespan of wild seahorses means you are getting a seahorse that is already quite old. Although lifespans of captive seahorses can be longer they often do not breed after two years or so, even if they live for four or five years. This might be less of an issue with CB, but I would imagine more of an issue with WC.
 
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MistaOrange said:
Which species are you looking for Andre? Ghost, Red Cherry, Amano? A friend breeds them & he has a bright blue one really nice looking almost like an electric blue lobster/crawfish. I'll find out if he's selling any if you want?
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Please inform your friend the fine is R100 000 and/or 10 years in prison for keeping illegal animals. The freshwater crayfish are EXTREMELY invasive and should be distroyed
 
HenkHugo said:
Gents - please remember all freshwater shrimps are illegal in SA
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HenkHugo said:
Please inform your friend the fine is R100 000 and/or 10 years in prison for keeping illegal animals. The freshwater crayfish are EXTREMELY invasive and should be distroyed
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Thanks Henk, as a result please refrain from discussing freshwater shrimp due to their illegal status in this country, any further posts will be deleted, thanks guys.
 
HenkHugo said:
Please inform your friend the fine is R100 000 and/or 10 years in prison for keeping illegal animals. The freshwater crayfish are EXTREMELY invasive and should be distroyed
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HenkHugo said:
Gents - please remember all freshwater shrimps are illegal in SA
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You of all people shouldn't talk right? I am aware of the animal laws & the penalties if caught.
viper357 said:
Thanks Henk, as a result please refrain from discussing freshwater shrimp due to their illegal status in this country, any further posts will be deleted, thanks guys.
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Sorry won't say anything more my bad.
 
hypn said:
Have you joined the Seahorse forum, varied conflicting opinions on that group (american based) regarding sea-horses and refugiums some swearing by them and others insisting that they don't work.
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Andre, have you noticed the Queen of England waving at you when you log onto the site? :wave2: The forum is not American based! :razz:
 
Anemone said:
Andre, have you noticed the Queen of England waving at you when you log onto the site? :wave2: The forum is not American based! :razz:
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Is this not the very same site that had a Christmas theme the other day :p, I thought the moderators spent too much time with their sea-horses and too little with reality :lol:

Permits approved, seahorses ordered, shipments being packed - now we need yo get you to South Africa to help us maintain a breeding stock :thumbup:
 
hypn said:
Is this not the very same site that had a Christmas theme the other day
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Most likely! It’s not the first time they’ve had the Queen decorated with Christmas lights when it wasn’t even close to being Christmas.


hypn said:
Permits approved, seahorses ordered, shipments being packed
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Good to hear! Can’t wait to see pictures!

hypn said:
now we need yo get you to South Africa to help us maintain a breeding stock
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That may be a little costly! But it’s not your breeding stock you need to worry about…it’s the thousands of fry you are going to have soon that you may need help with! ;) I've now had to seperate all the males from the females. In my juvi tank I check daily for any developing pouches. As soon as I see a pouch he gets moved over to the boy's dorm! :lol:

My little golden child has remained golden, and has not developed a pouch! :thumbup:
 
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