Plotting Purchase of Fillies
- Thread starter rykna
- Start date
rykna
Active Member
Originally Posted by Al Mc
RYKNA..Can you give me some info on how you keep you 'horses'..I have always been interested in them but know they are tricky/difficult/time consuming to keep. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks
Sure!!!!! But you should also talk to these horse owners. We have requested a seahorse forum be made. This thread lists all the seahorse owners. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/253621/seahorse-keepers-please-check-in-here
I am very comfortable with reef tanks after 2 years of exp., but I just took the plunge into sea horse keeping.
I would first suggest that you talk with bronco regarding time consuming! He has dwarf seahorses. The DSH requires live baby brine shrimp twice a day. He has a print out of the brine shrimp hatchery factory.
The sea horse feeding is really the thing that takes more time. They are very slow feeders, but avid hunters. My 2 boys spend the majority of their time stalking pods that hide in the LR. Being a stay home Mom I have the luxury of being able to feed the boys little mysis shrimp snacks through out the day to make sure they're getting enough to eat. The other thing that surprised me, that Poniegirl told me, is that seahorses do not have a stomach!!! The have a very poor digestive system. The body absorbs nutrients(what little it can) from the swallowed food as it passes done the esophogus and directly into the intestines, and out the other end. This is why it is ensential to make sure your horses get plenty to eat.
The Sea Horse is a very unique fish! I spent 6 months during research on habitat, foods, general care of before I purchase my first Kuda(black seahorse). I have had the boys for a little over 2 weeks now.
With help and coaching from the other horses owners I am starting to gain more confidence every day. Fish keeping, in my opinion, relies mostly on experience...knowing signs of stress and disease. Which I have very little experience when it comes to sea horse...all though I'm learning. I have already gone through 2 911 calls to the forum regarding my horses. THanks to the help and support the boys are fine.
What kind of question do you have?
I'm sure everyone would be happy to give input.
RYKNA..Can you give me some info on how you keep you 'horses'..I have always been interested in them but know they are tricky/difficult/time consuming to keep. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks
Sure!!!!! But you should also talk to these horse owners. We have requested a seahorse forum be made. This thread lists all the seahorse owners. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/253621/seahorse-keepers-please-check-in-here
I am very comfortable with reef tanks after 2 years of exp., but I just took the plunge into sea horse keeping.
I would first suggest that you talk with bronco regarding time consuming! He has dwarf seahorses. The DSH requires live baby brine shrimp twice a day. He has a print out of the brine shrimp hatchery factory.
The sea horse feeding is really the thing that takes more time. They are very slow feeders, but avid hunters. My 2 boys spend the majority of their time stalking pods that hide in the LR. Being a stay home Mom I have the luxury of being able to feed the boys little mysis shrimp snacks through out the day to make sure they're getting enough to eat. The other thing that surprised me, that Poniegirl told me, is that seahorses do not have a stomach!!! The have a very poor digestive system. The body absorbs nutrients(what little it can) from the swallowed food as it passes done the esophogus and directly into the intestines, and out the other end. This is why it is ensential to make sure your horses get plenty to eat.
The Sea Horse is a very unique fish! I spent 6 months during research on habitat, foods, general care of before I purchase my first Kuda(black seahorse). I have had the boys for a little over 2 weeks now.
With help and coaching from the other horses owners I am starting to gain more confidence every day. Fish keeping, in my opinion, relies mostly on experience...knowing signs of stress and disease. Which I have very little experience when it comes to sea horse...all though I'm learning. I have already gone through 2 911 calls to the forum regarding my horses. THanks to the help and support the boys are fine.
What kind of question do you have?
I'm sure everyone would be happy to give input.
al mc
Active Member
RYNKA..Thanks for the reply/info. Sounds like a good idea to have another forum for 'horse lovers'. I know the time commitment is one of the keys
(frequent feeding) so while I would like to get involved I will have to do some more thinking about who will take care of them during family vacations...I trust someone I work with with fish/inverts but am not sure there will be enough diligence to get seahorses fed properly.
I will ponder on this more.......thanks for the reply...I will keep the thread
you referenced. :thinking:
(frequent feeding) so while I would like to get involved I will have to do some more thinking about who will take care of them during family vacations...I trust someone I work with with fish/inverts but am not sure there will be enough diligence to get seahorses fed properly.
I will ponder on this more.......thanks for the reply...I will keep the thread
you referenced. :thinking:
rykna
Active Member
Al Mc,
Another thing to consider is that pods are about 55% of a horse's diet. So if you have a mature LS bed with tons of pods...I would feel comfortable with leaving my horse for a 4 day weekend at most. Mostly likely I would hire the next door neighbor's kids, their Dad has a salt tank too. But I think 4 days would be okay.
Also check this book out!
"Seahorses" by Frank Indivilio. I got it at borders for 10 bucks! Best $10 I've spent on the hobby in a long time.
Look forward to hearing about your setup!
Another thing to consider is that pods are about 55% of a horse's diet. So if you have a mature LS bed with tons of pods...I would feel comfortable with leaving my horse for a 4 day weekend at most. Mostly likely I would hire the next door neighbor's kids, their Dad has a salt tank too. But I think 4 days would be okay.
Also check this book out!
"Seahorses" by Frank Indivilio. I got it at borders for 10 bucks! Best $10 I've spent on the hobby in a long time.
Look forward to hearing about your setup!
monalisa
Active Member
Rykna,
Since these guys need to be fed more frequently, and consequently pooping more frequently, than those in... say a reef tank, is the time committment also in monitoring water and doing changes? That's just a thought I had. How often do you need to do water changes in a sh tank? I'm used to the once a week routine with my reef, will that also be okay with the sh tank?
I got the coolest coral skeleton from my LFS last week for my sh tank. It is going to be hitching post city in there!!
I'm SO looking forward to getting this thing up and running and cycling.
So, are you thinking of purchasing your fillies from SWF.com?
Post pics of your guys...I love to look at them!!
Lisa :happyfish
Since these guys need to be fed more frequently, and consequently pooping more frequently, than those in... say a reef tank, is the time committment also in monitoring water and doing changes? That's just a thought I had. How often do you need to do water changes in a sh tank? I'm used to the once a week routine with my reef, will that also be okay with the sh tank?
I got the coolest coral skeleton from my LFS last week for my sh tank. It is going to be hitching post city in there!!
I'm SO looking forward to getting this thing up and running and cycling.
So, are you thinking of purchasing your fillies from SWF.com?
Post pics of your guys...I love to look at them!!
Lisa :happyfish
rykna
Active Member
Originally Posted by MonaLisa
Rykna,
Since these guys need to be fed more frequently, and consequently pooping more frequently, than those in... say a reef tank, is the time committment also in monitoring water and doing changes? That's just a thought I had. How often do you need to do water changes in a sh tank? I'm used to the once a week routine with my reef, will that also be okay with the sh tank?
I got the coolest coral skeleton from my LFS last week for my sh tank. It is going to be hitching post city in there!!
I'm SO looking forward to getting this thing up and running and cycling.
So, are you thinking of purchasing your fillies from SWF.com?
Post pics of your guys...I love to look at them!!
Lisa :happyfish
Hi,
I haven't noticed any excessive changes to the water or any signs of excess waste. I think the main problem that would cause water changes would be due to left over food. On average when I feed Valiant 10 mysis, he usually catches 3-4.
My methods of tank maintence are off the beaten path. I design my tanks so that they take care of themselves mostly, with a mixture of detrius clean up crew and such. I mostly top off my tanks instead of water changes. THe bio filters that I have on the tank do the majority of the cleaning.
As for the new horses....not from SWF. The sight I'm am getting them from guarantees gender.
Just don't rush things! I had my 90 gallon cycling for 3 months before I added the horses
As for pics I'll get some tomorrow. The boys got their first fresh water dip today...Valiant is very forgiving...and came propely to the food dish for dinner...his new friend on the other hand mad a b line for the LR and has be lurking in the shadows since the bath! :happyfish
Rykna,
Since these guys need to be fed more frequently, and consequently pooping more frequently, than those in... say a reef tank, is the time committment also in monitoring water and doing changes? That's just a thought I had. How often do you need to do water changes in a sh tank? I'm used to the once a week routine with my reef, will that also be okay with the sh tank?
I got the coolest coral skeleton from my LFS last week for my sh tank. It is going to be hitching post city in there!!
I'm SO looking forward to getting this thing up and running and cycling.
So, are you thinking of purchasing your fillies from SWF.com?
Post pics of your guys...I love to look at them!!
Lisa :happyfish
Hi,
I haven't noticed any excessive changes to the water or any signs of excess waste. I think the main problem that would cause water changes would be due to left over food. On average when I feed Valiant 10 mysis, he usually catches 3-4.
My methods of tank maintence are off the beaten path. I design my tanks so that they take care of themselves mostly, with a mixture of detrius clean up crew and such. I mostly top off my tanks instead of water changes. THe bio filters that I have on the tank do the majority of the cleaning.
As for the new horses....not from SWF. The sight I'm am getting them from guarantees gender.
Just don't rush things! I had my 90 gallon cycling for 3 months before I added the horses
As for pics I'll get some tomorrow. The boys got their first fresh water dip today...Valiant is very forgiving...and came propely to the food dish for dinner...his new friend on the other hand mad a b line for the LR and has be lurking in the shadows since the bath! :happyfish
poniegirl
Active Member
Originally Posted by MonaLisa
Rykna,
Since these guys need to be fed more frequently, and consequently pooping more frequently, than those in... say a reef tank, is the time committment also in monitoring water and doing changes? That's just a thought I had. How often do you need to do water changes in a sh tank? I'm used to the once a week routine with my reef, will that also be okay with the sh tank?
You should be able to keep the same schedule for routine testing and maintenance with a SH tank that you do for a reef.
Part of the key here is that, while frequent feeding benefits the SH, a light hand is also needed. If the SH is fed consistently twice daily, and it has the opportunity to hunt tank critters (pods or red shrimp) it should use the food and not pass any more waste than any other fish. I don't know about the live food being a certain % of their diet, since in a home aquarium it is not easy to monitor. Additionally, the pod population are such lovers of night-life that I would guess the SH feed on them at times when we are not usually focussed on the tank. My lunar lights were my SH favorite addition.
The SH digestive system is efficient, but it processes quickly. The simple explaination is that they cannot "store" food. If a SH is overfed, it is a waste in a couple of different ways. Food will pass through the seahorse undigested and contribute to a decline in water quality, if it happens consistently. You are not doing the SH or the tank any favors by allowing that scenario.
Rykna,
Since these guys need to be fed more frequently, and consequently pooping more frequently, than those in... say a reef tank, is the time committment also in monitoring water and doing changes? That's just a thought I had. How often do you need to do water changes in a sh tank? I'm used to the once a week routine with my reef, will that also be okay with the sh tank?
You should be able to keep the same schedule for routine testing and maintenance with a SH tank that you do for a reef.
Part of the key here is that, while frequent feeding benefits the SH, a light hand is also needed. If the SH is fed consistently twice daily, and it has the opportunity to hunt tank critters (pods or red shrimp) it should use the food and not pass any more waste than any other fish. I don't know about the live food being a certain % of their diet, since in a home aquarium it is not easy to monitor. Additionally, the pod population are such lovers of night-life that I would guess the SH feed on them at times when we are not usually focussed on the tank. My lunar lights were my SH favorite addition.
The SH digestive system is efficient, but it processes quickly. The simple explaination is that they cannot "store" food. If a SH is overfed, it is a waste in a couple of different ways. Food will pass through the seahorse undigested and contribute to a decline in water quality, if it happens consistently. You are not doing the SH or the tank any favors by allowing that scenario.