Seahorse feeding methods

flower

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I just ordered and received my two new females from a lady named Penny. She rigged an interesting way of feeding her horses. She attached a concave shell to a magnet via silicone, and then attached the frozen cube by rubber-band...as it melts the hoses feed. Of course that eliminates the ability to rinse the food...but at the same time it also eliminates the amount of waste. She said her horses have no trouble getting used to that method, and she uses it for all of her seahorses. Since her horses already eat that way, it wouldn't take much for my boys to follow along...I hope.

I'm thinking of making a simpler method on the same idea....the Two little fishes clip that already has a magnet attached, and use a piece of wide mesh to hold the frozen food cube in place instead of the rubber-band, such as what I had used for a regular veggie clip to feed tangs.

I have been releasing food like I'm feeding fish, because the tube method I used with the Erectus won't work for either seahorses, they freak out at the tube and hide away and won't eat. They are happy enough to chase their food down, but the waste is outrages, and I'm feeding cyanobacteria and bristle worms besides the horses.


I welcome any comments, and other methods that might work, I really liked the feeding dish I had with the Erectus, and I'm a little bummed the others just won't take to it.
 

kiefers

Active Member
Hi Flower! Staying warm in the land of Da bears? Lol
I ordered to females one time and had to send them back. Darn mail order brides, they are all mouthy. Glad to see your still lovin the ponies.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiefers http:///t/397118/seahorse-feeding-methods#post_3538576
Hi Flower! Staying warm in the land of Da bears? Lol
I ordered to females one time and had to send them back. Darn mail order brides, they are all mouthy. Glad to see your still lovin the ponies.

Hi,

LOL...Did you really order two horses then sent them back, or were you kidding?
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Maybe one of those plastic soap dishes. The ones with the suction cups that you stick in the shower?
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Thanks you guys....

LOL...Kiefers, you should know by now I'm too dense to play mind games with.

...Silverado, the soap dish wasn't a bad idea for the back part of Penny's contraption

...Gemmy the sealed plastic box open on one side only, attached to the side of the glass by a hammerhead magnet scraper, looks like a great thing to try. No waste at all if it all stays in the box for the horses to eat...I have a mag float already on the 90g the big one works great, but the smaller one on the 56g is too weak to hold the plastic .... I'm going to get the hammerhead as soon as I can find one to purchase...so I'm off to look on-line for the best deal on one.
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Thanks you guys....
LOL...Kiefers, you should know by now I'm too dense to play mind games with.
...Silverado, the soap dish wasn't a bad idea for the back part of Penny's contraption
...Gemmy the sealed plastic box open on one side only, attached to the side of the glass by a hammerhead magnet scraper,  looks like a great thing to try. No waste at all if it all stays in the box for the horses to eat...I have a mag float already on the 90g the big one works great, but the smaller one on the 56g is too weak to hold the plastic .... I'm going to get the hammerhead as soon as I can find one to purchase...so I'm off to look on-line for the best deal on one.
don't forget to look where I suggested for things like that.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Alright...Silverado, you know I live right next to Aquacave...you said the next time I want some gadget to check it out, well they have the hammerhead scraper...it's pretty pricey $65.00 each, but that's better then the $80.00 that the original thinker of this method got theirs for.

Anyway, I don't know the store hours, I looked on-line and couldn't find any store hours, or if I have to make an order and pick it up, which I didn't see an option for at their check out....so enlighten me on how to go about shopping there...
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Thanks you guys....
LOL...Kiefers, you should know by now I'm too dense to play mind games with.
...Silverado, the soap dish wasn't a bad idea for the back part of Penny's contraption
...Gemmy the sealed plastic box open on one side only, attached to the side of the glass by a hammerhead magnet scraper,  looks like a great thing to try. No waste at all if it all stays in the box for the horses to eat...I have a mag float already on the 90g the big one works great, but the smaller one on the 56g is too weak to hold the plastic .... I'm going to get the hammerhead as soon as I can find one to purchase...so I'm off to look on-line for the best deal on one.
don't forget to look where I suggested for things like that.
 

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397118/seahorse-feeding-methods#post_3538616
Alright...Silverado, you know I live right next to Aquacave...you said the next time I want some gadget to check it out, well they have the hammerhead scraper...it's pretty pricey $65.00 each, but that's better then the $80.00 that the original thinker of this method got theirs for.
Anyway, I don't know the store hours, I looked on-line and couldn't find any store hours, or if I have to make an order and pick it up, which I didn't see an option for at their check out....so enlighten me on how to go about shopping there...
They don't list their hours because they're mainly an online store but you can pick it up between 9-6 Mon-Fri. Sat 12-2. First, look at the listed price and see if it's "In Stock". If it is, (It is. I just looked it up.) you can pick it up the same day. When you place the order click on Shipping Method. It will give you the choices: General Delivery, Expedited, Next Day or Will Call. If the item is "In Stock" click on will call. It will drop the shipping cost from the total price. There should also be a message board. Just type in when you will be there to pick it up then send the message. They should send you two emails. One to confirm the order. One to let you know it's ready for pickup.

Also at the top of their web page you'll see a tab that say's "customer Service". Click on that and it will give you a Customer Service list. Click on Will Call and it will give you the hours, phone number and address. You can even get directions. Wa La! There you go girl!
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397118/seahorse-feeding-methods#post_3538621
If you have problems, call me and I'll go online with you and walk you through it.

It's Sunday, so I can't do anything until tomorrow anyway...but I did try what you said, and although I see "will call" there was no way to click on that option. So maybe tomorrow you help me get it.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Alright, I managed to get the hammerhead float...it is a strong enough magnet to hold the plastic to the glass. So far the horses are not even slightly interested in the plastic box, but the shrimp are....some food did indeed seep out and they ate it...but what's inside the box is just laying there. The shrimp won't come out from under the rock until dark, so they are not bothering it yet.

I went to the dollar store and got the plastic box...it had a flip lid, I removed the flip part and that left an opening, so I didn't have to cut it at all. Also one side had the flip opening so the lip is deep enough to keep the food from flowing out. I spent $69.00 on the magnet. Any ideas on what I can do to get them interested in it...one female looked at it real hard, but wouldn't actually go inside. Between this not working and the sump out of commission, I'm more then a little bummed out today.
 

gemmy

Active Member
What about using a mesh breeder box? The one side will be completely open and the mysis can float out. Over time the seahorses will become accustomed to box and you can use another piece of mesh and sew the opening to be a little smaller. Just a thought.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///t/397118/seahorse-feeding-methods#post_3538718
What about using a mesh breeder box? The one side will be completely open and the mysis can float out. Over time the seahorses will become accustomed to box and you can use another piece of mesh and sew the opening to be a little smaller. Just a thought.

I have one of those mesh breeders in my garage...

I will try a different plastic box first, and see if it will work. It's more open because it had a screw top...it has a very small lip and won't hold the food as well as the other box would, but it's more clear, the other had a frost to it.

These horses have always wanted to just chase the food down like a fish does, but the Mysis eventually settles and then they are left to search the rocks for it all day...it's creating a nutrient nightmare. Not to mention the whole tank is on life support, and I can't run my skimmer. I got a tracking delivery date of Wednesday, then I can at least get the sump back on line.
 
Top