New seahorses

[ssaunders]

We just got our 2 new seahorses - 1 male and 1 female. The female is eating pretty good but the male not so good. He seems that he wants to eat - he follows the food and gives it a good look but doesn't seem willing to eat. He's getting kind of skinny. We're worried. Any suggestions?

 

[meowzer]

How long have you had them? Mine didn't seem to want to eat at first either...do you have copepods living in the tank....If you just got them, best advice is to be patient...LOL..that sounds funny coming from me...

 

[ssaunders]

We don't have copepods in the tank. The male just ate 4 shrimp tonight. How long do they usually go without eating when you first get them? The male is pretty skinny. That's what worries us. The female is doing fine.

 

[meowzer]

Do you mean the little mysis shrimp? I know they were eating cause I do have copepods, and they constantly seemed to be hunting and eat them...as far as them eating from me...the mysis, it seemed like a week before I saw one eat..I put the mysis in their food bowl, and I am pretty sure they were eating it when I wasn't looking...Now The male will come right up to the feeder thingy and take the food right off it...the female still will not eat from me. Just be sure they have food available, and if possible, get them copepods to pick on.

 

[ssaunders]

Yes. The mysis shrimp. I will get the copepods. Maybe the male is eating while we're away at work. This morning he didn't eat anything. The female did. He looks so skinny. He's also bouncing around in the morning. Do you know what that is all about? This seahorse keeping is a brand new experience for us. Hope we do right by them.

 

[meowzer]

I'm not that experienced either, but I do know it took a while for them to look comfortable...Did you ever tell me how long you had them?

 

[ssaunders]

We've had them a week now. I think he is a secretive eater. She's more out there with her eating. He seems to eat more in the late afternoon than in the morning. In the morning we have their light turn on automatically at 4:30 a.m. so we can feed them around 5:30 a.m. because we leave the house for work around 6:15 a.m. They get fed again around 5:30 p.m. when we get home from work. He does seem to eat more then, but not a whole lot. I guess we'll just see how it goes.

 

[meowzer]

Well my female is the same way..I almost never see her eat while the male is a piggy...LOL....If it is only a week...just be patient...

 

[ret talbot]

Originally Posted by ssaunders
http:///forum/post/2860968
Yes. The mysis shrimp. I will get the copepods. Maybe the male is eating while we're away at work. This morning he didn't eat anything. The female did. He looks so skinny. He's also bouncing around in the morning. Do you know what that is all about? This seahorse keeping is a brand new experience for us. Hope we do right by them.
Hi there! I wanted to direct you to the blog entry on copepods (titled "What are Copepods and How Do You Use Them in the Tropical Marine Aquarium") that I just posted on www.Saltwatersense.com (that's Saltwaterfish.com's featured blog). It has some good info from Erik Stenn (founder of AlgaGen). I assume you already know this, but Saltwaterfish.com has a "Buy One, Get One Free" special on ReefPods right now.
Good luck, and please keep us posted!