Food?
- Thread starter cranberry
- Start date
jerryatrick
Active Member
Are seahorses more active then what I have seen in local fish stores? They seem just to cling on to something and chill.
BTW, great looking horse
BTW, great looking horse
cranberry
Active Member
At the LFS they do not exhibit normal behaviour. They are usually in a very inapropriate environment... inappropriate tanks mates, inappropriate temps, too strong a flow. Sometimes they don't even have hitches. But usually when they stay in one spot for a long time the flow is too high.
But I do have one seahorse that is a loner. He won't even look you in the eyes. I know that sounds weird... it's a fish after all. But most seahorses will dance like crazy when you come near the tank, this guy will turn his head away from me. I go to the other panel and he'll turn away from me again. The only bit of friendliness I ever see otta him is he goes pale when I put the feeding tube in the tank... he loves his feeding tube.
Maybe it's because he knows we laugh at him all the time... he's very ugly. Poor ugly seahorse.
But I do have one seahorse that is a loner. He won't even look you in the eyes. I know that sounds weird... it's a fish after all. But most seahorses will dance like crazy when you come near the tank, this guy will turn his head away from me. I go to the other panel and he'll turn away from me again. The only bit of friendliness I ever see otta him is he goes pale when I put the feeding tube in the tank... he loves his feeding tube.
Maybe it's because he knows we laugh at him all the time... he's very ugly. Poor ugly seahorse.
jerryatrick
Active Member
I hear you on the fact that most local fish stores don't care for this species all to well. But I have a great LFS that really knows what they are doing. I didn't sit there and stare at the seahorses for hours so I guess my perception is off.
cranberry
Active Member
They do have their "quiet" times. But actually the main reason are the ones at the LFS are either wildcaught or pen raised. Mine are captive bred and have been dealing with people all their lives. They are trained to know what a person coming near the tank could possibly mean. The WC or TR ones know humans pull them from the water, bag em up and transfer them all around.
Now, if an LFS gets in pure captive breds and puts them in a tank with LS/LR and even appropriate tankmates and environment, they could still freak and cling for awhile. They were raised in barebottom plastic tanks without rocks or "friends". All they know are plastic hitches and PVC... and that humans = food. They will hitch all over your hands.
But most fish... any fish, don't show their natural behaviour at an LFS anyways.
Now, if an LFS gets in pure captive breds and puts them in a tank with LS/LR and even appropriate tankmates and environment, they could still freak and cling for awhile. They were raised in barebottom plastic tanks without rocks or "friends". All they know are plastic hitches and PVC... and that humans = food. They will hitch all over your hands.
But most fish... any fish, don't show their natural behaviour at an LFS anyways.
