Live MYSIS???

[meowzer]

Has anyone ever tried to keep live Mysis with their seahorses?
My not so lfs told me he can get them. I was talking about how I now feel ball and chained to my tanks (lookin for a tank sitter) ..and he suggested seeding the tank with live Mysis..He claims they will reproduce..like pods..
Anyone have any comments? Or experience with this?

 

[reefnutpa]

Live food is fine for extended vacations if you have no pet sitter. I would never recommend live food as their main foodsource for any other situation. On more than one occassion, hobbyists had their seahorses refuse frozen once they started with live foods. Live foods are a VERY expensive way to feed your seahorses.
To breed them succesfully you will need a culture tank(s) and will have to seperate the young to grow out tanks, otherwise they will be eaten by the larger shrimp. Seahorses will eat them faster than they can reproduce in the main tank.
Tom

 

[meowzer]

I'm just looking into options so I might be able to go away...So they can't breed in a fuge then? That was another suggestion from the not so lfs guy.

 

[novahobbies]

I've heard that mysis are very difficult for the average hobbyist to breed, and they are also canibalistic, so a large population will quickly collapse under its own weight.
That said, I've gone away for a 3 day weekend with a dozen live saltwater ghost shrimp in the tank, and the horses have been fine with that.....I just ask my LFS for the little baby ones so the horses don't start thinking that the peppermint shrimp tankmate might also be food.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/2985239
I've heard that mysis are very difficult for the average hobbyist to breed, and they are also canibalistic, so a large population will quickly collapse under its own weight.
That said, I've gone away for a 3 day weekend with a dozen live saltwater ghost shrimp in the tank, and the horses have been fine with that.....I just ask my LFS for the little baby ones so the horses don't start thinking that the peppermint shrimp tankmate might also be food.

Thanks you...I just don't want them to be hungry if I go away for a weekend...I am still looking for a fish sitter (LOL)