Can you overfeed seahorses?

[sueandherzoo]

I feed my horses twice a day and give them what they can eat in about 5 minutes and then I stop but they continue to hunt and look for food day and night. Does this mean they are hungry or are they just hunting for amusement? I realize that if you put too much food in the tank that they don't eat it all the water will get polluted but what if they eat everything I put in there? Is there a point where I should be shutting them off or should I give them all they will eat? They always act like they are starving. The two erectus look very good weightwise but the two new reidi are small and skinny (I've only had them a week).
Sue

 

[picoseahorses2]

seahorses are usually always hungry but just try not to feed them too much because the food they dont eat may rot
i feed mine up to 4 times a day whenever the amout of food is gone
i think its better to feed smaller concentrations but several times a day

 

[teresaq]

yes they can over eat to the point of poohing food that isnt digested. Twice a day and hunting on thier own is fine. as long as you dont see them getting thin they should be fine.
How much are you feeding and do you have any fish with them.
I feed one cube for two horses twice a day.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2882361
yes they can over eat to the point of poohing food that isnt digested. Twice a day and hunting on thier own is fine. as long as you dont see them getting thin they should be fine.
How much are you feeding and do you have any fish with them.
I feed one cube for two horses twice a day.
So seahorses won't stop eating when they've had enough? I thought I remembered reading a post that they lose interest once they're full so I was worried that they were always hungry since they never seem to lose interest.
I'm not using the frozen mysis that comes in cubes, mine come in flat sheets but the chunk I break off to defrost is probably about the same amount that is in a cube. One cube's worth for 2 horses (twice a day) sounds about right to me, too.

 

[reefnutpa]

Since seahorses have no stomach....they don't know when they are full. As Teresa mentioned, seahorses can/will continuously eat until they start pooping undigested food.
A cube of food per pair twice a day is a good starting point. Make adjustments as you see fit. If your Reidi are eating like pigs but continue to look thin and not gain weight or appear to be losing weight, you may want to consider worming them (even though they are assumably captive bred and not net-pen raised).
Are the Reidi mixed with the Erectus?
Tom

 

[sueandherzoo]

Yes, the Reidi and the Erectus are in the same 46 gallon bowfront. They are all constantly on the hunt but my two originals look pleasingly plump while the newbies are small and thin but they already look much better than when they arrived. I think I'll stick to the amount I've been feeding and adjust accordingly based on their appearance. Thanks!
Sue

 

[rykna]

If you ask me...all pets know who's the sucker in the family...YOU!!!! Yes even our fish have us wrapped around their pectoral fin!!! They follow you, fins fluttering in anticipation.....especially our horses. My male Kuda,Valiant, would throw tempertantrums if I was late bringing dinner. He'd swim-pace back and forth, flaring his fins, and would sometimes have yellow highlights similar to us turning red when we're mad!!!!

 

[sueandherzoo]

LOL And the more demanding and temperamental our pets get, the more we love them. Go figure!
Merry Christmas!
Sue