Baby seahorses!

heranatomy · Feb 18, 2010

Don't know how to embed a video, so here's the link:
[youtube]v-0b7a99wS8[/youtube]

The video was shot when they were 2 days old. Today, they are 3!
I've never raised baby seahorses before so my goal is to raise at least 1!

I'm super excited!!!!

Any advice?!

benny z · Feb 18, 2010

Seahorse.org (Powered by Invision Power Board)

ficklefins · Feb 18, 2010

[YOUTUBE=0b7a99wS8] Baby Seahorses [/YOUTUBE]

What a great video. Thanks for sharing

EDIT:
I thought I could embed the video but it doesn't seem to work on my PC

Paul_N · Feb 18, 2010

Nice video! About how many you think are there? You gotta get at least one out of all those. Keep us updated.

heranatomy · Feb 18, 2010

benny z said:
Seahorse.org (Powered by Invision Power Board)

I've been all over that site before I got seahorses. I was just asking for any key pieces of advice, here so that we can have a database going here as well. Thanks =)

ficklefins said:
[YOUTUBE="0b7a99wS8"] Baby Seahorses [/YOUTUBE]

What a great video. Thanks for sharing

EDIT:
I thought I could embed the video but it doesn't seem to work on my PC

You're welcome! I can't figure it out either...maybe somebody will chime in with some answers! lol

Paul_PSU said:
Nice video! About how many you think are there? You gotta get at least one out of all those. Keep us updated.

I have no idea! Over 100, but I was always off with that "Estimate how many jellybeans are in this jar" question, so really I don't know lol.
The first time he had babies, there were probably 20 or so...maybe more but it was his first time and I wasn't ready. This time I'm ready and he has a lot more for me to handle! Hopefully, I can keep at least one! We'll see =D

I feel like my biggest challenge right now is cleaning the kresiel tank! How do I siphon the bottom without sucking in any delicate fry?!!

cherokee_dude · Feb 18, 2010

Here ya go, just copy whatever is after the = sign in your youtube video link. In this case it is "v-0b7a99wS8" and put it in between the code below with brackets at the beginning and at the end.

Also, if you qoute this post you will see exactly how it should looks in the edit screen.

YOUTUBE] [/YOUTUBE

[YOUTUBE]v-0b7a99wS8[/YOUTUBE]

kev2me · Feb 18, 2010

Are they Northern Erectus or Southern? If you got them from seahorsesource or any other large breeder, they are most likely Southern Erectus.

With our first batch of babies a couple years ago we set up a kreisel but later found out it was not needed because they were Southern Erectus so they hitched to objects almost right away.

We've had the most success in a simple 10 gallon tank with a sponge filter, dosing with Amquel+ and doing 50% water changes until the sponge become seeded. Then doing about a gallon change there after.

Keep an eye on the Ammonia and Nitrites until your sponge filter is seeded! If your seahorses are flicking wildly or sitting on their heads, then they most likely have been poisoned by high nitrites and/or ammonia. There's not much you can do at that point.

If you use a siphon you can put your thumb near the opposite end to help control the flow. If a baby gets sucked in put your thumb over the end to stop the siphon and the baby will usually swim out. Then release your thumb and get back to siphoning.

Feeding daily with freshly hatched BBS 2-3 times daily. Then we start introducing frozen food about 2-3 weeks into it. Cyclopeeze and finely shaved mysis shrimp.

heranatomy · Feb 18, 2010

cherokee_dude said:
Here ya go, just copy whatever is after the = sign in your youtube video link. In this case it is "v-0b7a99wS8" and put it in between the code below with brackets at the beginning and at the end.

Also, if you qoute this post you will see exactly how it should looks in the edit screen.

Yayyy! I knew someone would come along and save the day! Thank you! =D

kev2me said:
Are they Northern Erectus or Southern? If you got them from seahorsesource or any other large breeder, they are most likely Southern Erectus.

With our first batch of babies a couple years ago we set up a kreisel but later found out it was not needed because they were Southern Erectus so they hitched to objects almost right away.

We've had the most success in a simple 10 gallon tank with a sponge filter, dosing with Amquel+ and doing 50% water changes until the sponge become seeded. Then doing about a gallon change there after.

Keep an eye on the Ammonia and Nitrites until your sponge filter is seeded! If your seahorses are flicking wildly or sitting on their heads, then they most likely have been poisoned by high nitrites and/or ammonia. There's not much you can do at that point.

If you use a siphon you can put your thumb near the opposite end to help control the flow. If a baby gets sucked in put your thumb over the end to stop the siphon and the baby will usually swim out. Then release your thumb and get back to siphoning.

Feeding daily with freshly hatched BBS 2-3 times daily. Then we start introducing frozen food about 2-3 weeks into it. Cyclopeeze and finely shaved mysis shrimp.

I got my seahorses from Beth at SeahorseCorral...so I'm not sure if they're northern or southern. A few hitched as soon as they were born, and as the days go by, more and more hitch, but they all mostly like to swim at the top.

I have them in a 10 gallon now, but in a kreisel. I have a HOB filter and live rock and chaeto. I dosed with Amquel+ orignally, before I put them in...should I contine to do so daily?

I was thinking about getting a divider, and sectioning off the live rock/chaeto, and the HOB and then letting them have the rest of the 10 gallon with hitches, instead of the kreisel. Do you think that's a good idea? Or should I wait? (they're only 3 days old lol)

I also bought a 6 pack of filters, for the HOB and I was going to frequently change the filter pad. How frequently do you think I should change it? Thanks!

kev2me · Feb 18, 2010

heranatomy said:
I got my seahorses from Beth at SeahorseCorral...so I'm not sure if they're northern or southern. A few hitched as soon as they were born, and as the days go by, more and more hitch, but they all mostly like to swim at the top.

We got some from her, I think she originally got some of her breeding stock from seahorsesource, so yeah they should definitely be Southern Erectus.

heranatomy said:
I have them in a 10 gallon now, but in a kreisel. I have a HOB filter and live rock and chaeto. I dosed with Amquel+ orignally, before I put them in...should I contine to do so daily?

I was thinking about getting a divider, and sectioning off the live rock/chaeto, and the HOB and then letting them have the rest of the 10 gallon with hitches, instead of the kreisel. Do you think that's a good idea? Or should I wait? (they're only 3 days old lol)

I also bought a 6 pack of filters, for the HOB and I was going to frequently change the filter pad. How frequently do you think I should change it? Thanks!

Since you have the live rock you probably don't need to dose with Amquel, but depending on how much you feed and what the water parameters are, it never really hurts to use it.

However, I wouldn't suggest using live rock at all because of the critters that come on it can harm and kill the babies, especially hydroids. That's why seeding a sponge filter or if you have a biowheel on the HOB filter to use as your bacteria filtration, would be better than the rock.

But... The HOB filter will suck up all the baby brine shrimp before the babies get a chance to eat them. With a sponge filter they may also get stuck to the sponge, but at least the smart babies will learn that this provides an easy snack.

For now I would try finding a filter sponge to start seeding, get rid of the live rock, get rid of the kreisel, adding lots of fake plastic plants for hitches, then you should be fine even they are 3 days old.

heranatomy · Feb 18, 2010

kev2me said:
We got some from her, I think she originally got some of her breeding stock from seahorsesource, so yeah they should definitely be Southern Erectus.

Since you have the live rock you probably don't need to dose with Amquel, but depending on how much you feed and what the water parameters are, it never really hurts to use it.

We don't generally use live rock because of the critters that come on it can harm and kill the babies, especially hydroids. That's why seeding a sponge filter or if you have a biowheel on the HOB filter to use as your bacteria filtration, then that would probably be better than the rock.

But for now, if you try sectioning it off, getting rid of the kreisel, adding lots of fake plastic plants for hitches, then you should be fine even they are 3 days old.

Oh, another reason to ditch the HOB filter and go sponge filter is the BBS. They'll get stuck to the filter pads before the babies get a chance to eat them. With a sponge filter they may also get stuck to the sponge, but at least the smart babies will learn that this provides an easy snack.

I usually turn the HOB off when I feed. But thanks! I think I'll get a divider tomorrow and section off the hob. I'm not sure if they sell sponge filters in the stores anymore? I will definitely try with the next batch! Thanks!!

rosebud161616 · Feb 18, 2010

Kev's given some great advice, but I think you'll find even within our household we'll disagree on a few fry raising techniques!

(I'm his fiance)

The babies at this age need to be fed more like 4 times a day. Over on the org they recommend siphoning out whatever is not eaten, but I have had better luck with leaving the bbs in for them to graze on all day and then doing a one time a day large water change.

If your filter is cycled and you're not getting any ammonia or nitrite readings then no need for the amquel+. amquel+ can really decrease the oxygen in the tank anyway, so it's best to not use it if you don't have to.

Beth's seahorses are southern so Kev is right that you don't need a kreisel. However some people like it and prefer this method of raising them. We have tried both and the regular old 10 gallon method has seemed to work best for us. It's all in whatever works best for you.

I would recommend not doing live rock, chaeto, etc. Fry need sterile tanks. Even the tiniest of hydroids can take these guys out very quickly. Treat the tank like it's for dwarfs. If you do decide to go the live rock route, probably best to start with dead rock and make it live yourself. If you do add chaeto, panacur it first.

Like Kev said the sponge filters are really nice with fry. We have done the power filter thing with sponge material over the end, but seahorses still find a way in. However, with them in a kreisel they're not going to find a way to the power filter. If you decide to ditch the kreisel that's something to think about. You could float a sponge in the tank now to seed it.

As for changing the filters, change em as often as you think. If they're getting really dirty then change them. If they're not then leave them. It's all trial and error and there is no cookie cutter fry raising setup for seahorses.

I assume you're hatching BBS daily. They're pretty much nutritionally worthless after 24 hours, so best to hatch new ones daily. You can even stick them in the fridge after draining the hatchery to slow down their metabolism and keep their yolks bigger, longer.

I usually start adding frozen cyclopeeze as soon as one week because I have actually had them start eating as young as one week. But that is only with a cycled filter, because the frozen will crap up the water fast!

Good luck and keep us updated!

inactive · Feb 18, 2010

Disgusting!

heranatomy · Feb 18, 2010

rosebud161616 said:
Kev's given some great advice, but I think you'll find even within our household we'll disagree on a few fry raising techniques! (I'm his fiance)

The babies at this age need to be fed more like 4 times a day. Over on the org they recommend siphoning out whatever is not eaten, but I have had better luck with leaving the bbs in for them to graze on all day and then doing a one time a day large water change.

If your filter is cycled and you're not getting any ammonia or nitrite readings then no need for the amquel+. amquel+ can really decrease the oxygen in the tank anyway, so it's best to not use it if you don't have to.

Beth's seahorses are southern so Kev is right that you don't need a kreisel. However some people like it and prefer this method of raising them. We have tried both and the regular old 10 gallon method has seemed to work best for us. It's all in whatever works best for you.

I would recommend not doing live rock, chaeto, etc. Fry need sterile tanks. Even the tiniest of hydroids can take these guys out very quickly. Treat the tank like it's for dwarfs. If you do decide to go the live rock route, probably best to start with dead rock and make it live yourself. If you do add chaeto, panacur it first.

Like Kev said the sponge filters are really nice with fry. We have done the power filter thing with sponge material over the end, but seahorses still find a way in. However, with them in a kreisel they're not going to find a way to the power filter. If you decide to ditch the kreisel that's something to think about. You could float a sponge in the tank now to seed it.

As for changing the filters, change em as often as you think. If they're getting really dirty then change them. If they're not then leave them. It's all trial and error and there is no cookie cutter fry raising setup for seahorses.

I assume you're hatching BBS daily. They're pretty much nutritionally worthless after 24 hours, so best to hatch new ones daily. You can even stick them in the fridge after draining the hatchery to slow down their metabolism and keep their yolks bigger, longer.

I usually start adding frozen cyclopeeze as soon as one week because I have actually had them start eating as young as one week. But that is only with a cycled filter, because the frozen will crap up the water fast!

Good luck and keep us updated!

Hahah! What works for one person, doesnt always work for another! That's for sure. I am hatching BBS daily, but I do what you said: leaving them in there for the fry to graze on. I think I'm going to get a divider tomorrow, and section off the HOB. Then, remove the kresiel and put some plastic plants for them. Thanks for the tip about cyclopeeze! I really want to get them weened onto frozen asap. I'm so excited! Thanks for all the advice!!!