OK...ready now...hopefully!!

[monalisa]

Ryk arrived last evening at about 10:00 p.m. and we immediately started making plans for today.
First thing this morning we headed up to Beth's classroom to check out her tank and give Rykna a chance to visit with Flash, the firefish that Beth adopted from Ryk. Then to breakfast...we were starving by that time.
After breakfast we stopped in at the small LFS right here in town to check out possibilities for fry tanks...I didn't find anything, but Ryk scoped out a sweet little 1 gallon (keep this in mind for the rest of the post...)
Then we headed to Madison where I wanted to check out more possibilities for fry tanks...ended up with an acropora for my reef...and Rykna ended up with a beautiful pair of female kudas...YES, a beautiful pair of kudas!! Sasha and Saphire are now tucked very nicely into their brand new little 1 gallon tank...makeshift hotel for the trip home
When we got back to the Beav, we headed out to WalMart and purchased everything I need for housing seahorse fry and setting up a hatching station. Ryk and Mike put their heads together for the set, and from a simple drawing, Mike put the hatchery together toot sweet!! It looks great and I think it'll work out beautifully. I ordered some artemia which will be arriving soon...I think (I hope...I pray) I'm good to go for the next brood.
Wish me luck. Tons of thanks to Rykna!!
Lisa

 

[teresaq]

Sounds like you gus had a great time. Cant wait to see pictures of you fry tanks and R's new beauties.
TeresaQ

 

[rykna]

We had such a good time yesterday!!! Mike had the hatchery shelf assembled with in an hour! Can't wait to finish setting it up today. Lisa fixed up a little feeding dish for Sasha and Saphire. The girls were all over that with in 5 minutes!!!!!

This morning Sasha was still lingering over the food dish hoping to find any left overs.

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by Rykna
We had such a good time yesterday!!! Mike had the hatchery shelf assembled with in an hour! Can't wait to finish setting it up today. Lisa fixed up a little feeding dish for Sasha and Saphire. The girls were all over that with in 5 minutes!!!!!

This morning Sasha was still lingering over the food dish hoping to find any left overs.

Ryk left about a half an hour ago, hoping to beat Brian home (tee-hee). Her little girls made themselves right at home in their little temporary tank and were very comfortable. Both ate great this morning from the little Gerber dish that was placed in with them.
Yesterday was indeed VERY fun!! And I sure have learned a LOT!! I did do a 4 gallon water change in my reef yesterday as well, and I used some of that change out water for Ryk's horses, and to fill my new little 3 gallon fry tank. We were able to get the hatchery assembled completely and ready to go today, but I don't have it running quite yet, nor do I have it in the spot that I would like to have it...in due time.
Meanwhile Apache is having the same swimming problem he had the week before he had his first brood...I have to steal myself to stay away and let him handle things, which he's doing quite well. Hopefully this coming weekend, we'll have a whole new brood of babies.
Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH Rykna!! For your time, for making the trip, and for helping me out the way you did...here's hoping that I can raise some beautiful little kuda babies from all of this.
Lisa

 

[monalisa]

I thought that I would post pictures of my 3 gallon fry tank and the hatchery that Rykna and Mike were able to put together...very cool, I think. My fry tank doesn't have anything in at this time except for water from my reef, but I'll work on that this week putting in all kinds of fake plants and stuff that Rykna left for me...I really just wanted to make sure I kept the water warm and filtered for now.
Lisa

 

[rykna]

Looks awesome Lisa

After crawling into bed the first night,I was so excited to get started with the tanks; all I dreamed about was seahorses!!!
I had so much fun staying with your Family Lisa!!!
I got to see Beth's tank, my goodness has Flash grown. He has made himself "Head Honcho". Both Beth and Lisa's reef tanks are gorgeous!!! Lisa picked up a new coral in Madison

And I scooped up two beautiful female Kudas. When I knelt down to take a closer look at the horses, the 2 females swam right up to the front, curled their tails together, and sat there looking at me...Pleeeeeaaaaaase take us home with you...I tried to resist...but horses know a sucker when they see one. Saphire and Sasha are hitched and fast asleep after stuffing themselves from the food dish Lisa gave me. Her food dish design was a instant hit with the girls...took them less then 3 minutes to find dinner.
Latter that night Mike and Lisa treated me to a whole bunch of DVD's loaded with movies from their scuba diving adventures

I found out that Mike is a certified Dive Master, and Lisa is a certified Rescue Diver. The movies of the dives they've taken were out of this world!!!!!!! Sharks, eels, pipe fish, octopi, barracudas, every kind of coral you could ever imagine...and then just around the next reef shelf was something you hadn't seen before!!!!!!!!! They also dived to several ship wrecks, dived with dolphins, saw angels and coral beauties 3-4 feet long that could swallow a medium sized dog!!!! Triggers, puffers....I was on cloud nine!!!!!!
This morning we finished the hatchery set up, and Lisa kept a close eye on Apache. Poor guy, with all those babies wriggling in his pouch he was having a heck of a time hitching, swimming, and especially making it to the food dish. Lisa has been feeding him extra just to make sure he's getting enough to eat. She said this morning he ate a huge amount of mysis and much to her relief, Apache managed to get a firm grip, hitched up, and took a much needed nap. Lisa is predicting babies this week end.
I would have stayed the week if time had allowed, but I finally packed the girls up and headed home. I made it home just in time to slip the girls inside and get them settled before Brian got home. After we had put Aria to bed I showed Brian Sasha and Saphire. He smiled, gave me a hug, and said "They're beautiful".

That made my day

Thank you again Lisa for a very fun vacation.

 

[monalisa]

You're very welcome Ryk!!
Tonight I finally talked myself into getting a nice water change done in my sh tank. With Apache in his "condition" I've kinda put it off, but I was able to accomplish a nice 4 gallon change and cleaning of the sponges on one of the filters and on the power head. Looks much better now, and will hopefully be much healthier again for Apache and his girls.
I was able to feed Apache tonight by planting some mysis in the plant leaves that he was hitched to (luckily he was accustomed to eating the shrimp from the dish, ie. not having to chase it around the tank). Still not satisifed that he'd had enough to eat, he was later hitched to a plant near one of the filter sponges, so I planted some mysis on that. He definitely ate enough tonight...whew.
Side note: Apache is not only pregnant...he's VERY pregnant!! I just hope he can get through all of this safely and with good health. I'm going to get online to find out how to go about neutering/spaying seahorses...j/k.
Everyone please send out good, positive thoughts this way. I'm doing what I can. I hope it's enough...
Lisa

 

[rykna]

Sounds good! Hang in there Lisa

I know Apache and his girls are in good hands

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by Rykna
Sounds good! Hang in there Lisa

I know Apache and his girls are in good hands

Yeah, I'm hanging in there fine as long as Apache does the same...this is going to be happening every 2 WEEKS???? Mmmmm....I would like to find way to separate Apache and Navajo but still let them enjoy their relationship to an extent...probably won't happen.
Lisa

 

[rykna]

How are things going? Did the artemia arrive yet?

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by MonaLisa
Yeah, I'm hanging in there fine as long as Apache does the same...this is going to be happening every 2 WEEKS???? Mmmmm....I would like to find way to separate Apache and Navajo but still let them enjoy their relationship to an extent...probably won't happen.
Lisa
Maybe you could slip some type of birth control into the mysis? Worth looking into...couldn't hurt

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by Rykna
How are things going? Did the artemia arrive yet?
No, I've been corresponding with Abby Underwood on the phone, the artemia won't be arriving now until this coming Wednesday...some kind of a FedEx problem. That's fine, since kuda newborns will do better with rotifers (which I have on hand) at the beginning.
I also talked to her about the swimming problem Apache is having (yeah, he's still having problems), and she (and Dan) suggested to try to ride it out for now because of the probability that he's pregnant. It's really, REALLY hard. I'm so tempted to place him in the 3 gallon tank, but just about the time I decide to do that, Navajo pokes around, and I figure she'll help him out. I'm afraid for him.
I'm seriously thinking about trying to place Navajo and Apache in a home where they can be better tended to with regards to their mating and the fry and all. IDK.

I'll have to wait to see what happens with this brood...I'm expecting Apache to deliver either tomorrow or Sunday...given he's able to with what's going on with his bouyancy.
Please keep the good thoughts coming this way!!
Lisa

 

[monalisa]

I had a brainstorm tonight. Since kuda babies are born pelagic...without the capabilty to hitch for about 3 weeks, I planted my 3 gallon fry tank with tons of plastic plants that float at the top of the tank. I am hoping that this will minimize the possibilty of the fry making it to the surface to snick air. I don't know if this is something that will work, but I'm working on other theories.
Lisa

 

[teresaq]

Lisa, If you dont want to try and raise the fry, ask on the other sh place. There is ussually some one willing to adopt them. dont feel to bad about loosing broods. most breeders only raise a few to maturity. Its not just you. I have read and read, and most say they do better and better with every brood. Shoot, ask dan if he want to raise them.
T

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
Lisa, If you dont want to try and raise the fry, ask on the other sh place. There is ussually some one willing to adopt them. dont feel to bad about loosing broods. most breeders only raise a few to maturity. Its not just you. I have read and read, and most say they do better and better with every brood. Shoot, ask dan if he want to raise them.
T
yeah, that's what my thought was. I think that Dan and Abby would be a good choice for helping me out with my fry.
I would ask on the big sh site, but I've found that site to be VERY clique-ish...if you're not in the circle there, your posts are NOT worth answering...that's just my casual opinion. I've found it very difficult to get anyone to help me out there. That's ok though, I have my other sources which are much more willing to correspond with me, and that's been a tremendous help!!
Thanks Teresa!!
Lisa

 

[monalisa]

Apache seems to be back to normal this morning...hopefully. I haven't seen him swimming yet, but he's hitched lower in the tank and is hunting along the rocks and sand. I did "spoon feed" him this morning again as I have all week, and his appetite has been great through all of this, luckily.
I'm expecting that he'll have his babies very soon.
Lisa

 

[mcbdz]

In regards to maybe giving him a break from breeding for a little while maybe try a plexi tank divider. They could still see each other but no touching. Maybe worth a try.
Also just asking, could be stupid idea, but is there anyway to do a cover and submerge a net on top to block the fry from reaching the top and air? what about a breeder net that is under the water for the fry so they can't reach the top?

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by mcbdz
In regards to maybe giving him a break from breeding for a little while maybe try a plexi tank divider. They could still see each other but no touching. Maybe worth a try.
Also just asking, could be stupid idea, but is there anyway to do a cover and submerge a net on top to block the fry from reaching the top and air? what about a breeder net that is under the water for the fry so they can't reach the top?

Actually I've thought of both of those ideas as well. As far as putting in a plexi divider, well, they're only in a 37 gallon tank, and I just can't see cutting down their swimming area that much and risk stressing them that way.
With putting the netting in the fry tank...why wouldn't that work? I'll be feeding enriched rotifers from the start working up to enriched artemia. I'm pretty sure that given the correct lighting at feeding time...the food should be able to make its way past the netting.
Question, is there going to be a problem with the netting getting fouled from the feedings? I would need to get netting small enough so the fry can't get caught (pretty small).
IDK...still thinking about it. Thanks a lot mcbdz...brainstorming...keep posting as you come up with ideas for me. I'm definitely open to hear wha'cha got.

Lisa

 

[monalisa]

Thank goodness, Apache is definitely back to his old self again. I actually had to feed the dish 3 times today instead of 2 because of constant monitoring he was doing...and all mysis got eaten. I did take the dish out this evening to clean it just in case, as always, but it was clean as a whistle. Navajo and Inca seem to be delighted that he's back again too.
Tomorrow I will monitor for babies. We'll see.
Lisa

 

[rykna]

Good to hear Apache is feeling better

can't wait to see pics of the babies!