Live Shrimp for new Seahorses

[BrooklynReef]

Hi. The Seahorses came yesterday. They are swimming around in a bare bottom QT tank with live rock. I think they are eating small life off the rock but wont take to the frozen baby brine or frozen mysid or brine. Anyone know someplace I can get live food for them in a hurry. Although very hardy their bellies are concave from not eating. I'm going to the lfs to get a brine shrimp hatchery today. Anyone have any luck with them?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[NYreefNoob]

try feeding them mysis, which is what you will want them eatig anyways, what species are they and do u know if m\f and how is the tank set up ? much flow

 

[Domboski]

No animal is hardy when its not eating. Whoever told you seahorses, in general, are hardy misguided you. Northern Lined Seahorses (H. erectus) are the hardiest of seahorses IME but I wouldn't necessarily say they are generally hardy, especially when they are not eating prepared foods.

You can get manageable portions of live mysis here: http://www.aquaculturestore.com/swinverts.html#mysids

If you want a 1000 or more I can get them for you at $200 per 1000 lot.

I'd find out the species if you don't know and if you do know, post here so people can better guide you

 

[basiab]

I have a couple ounces of brineshrimp eggs for hatching.
cal me at 718-972-5563.
Sam

 

[BrooklynReef]

try feeding them mysis, which is what you will want them eatig anyways, what species are they and do u know if m\f and how is the tank set up ? much flow

Sorry Noob, thats what I meant Mysis. They wont eat them frozen.

They are a mated pair of Erectus. The 10g QT is set up with live rock (from my display) and a hang on filter rated 100 gph (with a nylon stocking over the intake). Also a bunch of acrylic rods for hitching. I think they are starting to eat the frozen baby brine. I put a brine shrimp hatchery in today.

Nobody told me they were hardy, I'm saying they're hardy. They're big (which is what I mean by hardy). Thanks for the link, I saw that.

Thanks Basaib, I just bought some today.

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[NYC Joe]

if you want, id be in for a part of the 1000 mysis.
was trying to get people together. but nada.

Maybe try soaking the rinsed mysis in selco.
then get a turkey baster, and literally hold a few different pieces in front of them.
dangling etc.
if you hold it there long enough maybe they'll eat.

-Joe

 

[NYC Joe]

if you have a gorg, when its polyps are out sprinkle the mysis on it.
it should stick. It may entice them.
also, which mysis are you using?
mine hate the small ones, wont touch them,
try PE Mysis, its larger and easier to see.

-Joe

 

[Bryceandmandy]

if you have a refugium try shaking out some amphipods

 

[asianer]

If they are as big as you describe I don't think baby brine shrimp would be a recognizable food for them, you might want to start with adult brine and fortify them with Selco or Selcon as they have very little nutritional value.

 

[BrooklynReef]

Thanks everyone!

Joe, I ordered some from AQUACULTURESTORE.COM. They seemed to be the cheapest. I hope they get here in time. Im going to try and use some garlic type spay to entice them. Also some b12, possibly furan 2. I am trying to get them to eat frozen mysis and brine. Not sure what size. I've been holding it right in front of them and nothing.

Thanks Bryce! (or Mandy

Thanks Asianer I would definitely try adult brine, is there anywhere to get either brine or mysis here locally (without paying a fortune).

I read in another post that if you cant immediately get the live shrimp, they might eat very small freshwater shrimp. I can get a few of those locally no problem, should I try it?

What about buying a CB seahorse from a lfs and using it to show the other two how to eat the frozen food?

Thanks for all of your input. I'm really scared they won't make it.

The female seems to be 'fuller' (less concave) than yesterday. Is it possible they are feeding off the live rock in the tank? I see their snouts constantly in the live rock holes, but no 'snicks'. I hope this can hold them over for a few days until the shrimp get here.

 

[asianer]

I had the same problenwheni first got a pair of Reidi's and had to retrain them to eat frozen, luckily they sold live adult brine at my local petland and I fortified the brine with Selcon but at the same time I introduced the frozen mysis. After a few days I weaned them off of brine and only put the mysis in there. At first they wouldn't eat them but they eventually snicked at the ones with heads on them. In time they ate all the mysis I threw in there. You might want to call petland or petco to see if they carry live brine, not really sure where to get live mysis locally though. Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone!

Joe, I ordered some from AQUACULTURESTORE.COM. They seemed to be the cheapest. I hope they get here in time. Im going to try and use some garlic type spay to entice them. Also some b12, possibly furan 2. I am trying to get them to eat frozen mysis and brine. Not sure what size. I've been holding it right in front of them and nothing.

Thanks Bryce! (or Mandy

Thanks Asianer I would definitely try adult brine, is there anywhere to get either brine or mysis here locally (without paying a fortune).

I read in another post that if you cant immediately get the live shrimp, they might eat very small freshwater shrimp. I can get a few of those locally no problem, should I try it?

What about buying a CB seahorse from a lfs and using it to show the other two how to eat the frozen food?

Thanks for all of your input. I'm really scared they won't make it.

The female seems to be 'fuller' (less concave) than yesterday. Is it possible they are feeding off the live rock in the tank? I see their snouts constantly in the live rock holes, but no 'snicks'. I hope this can hold them over for a few days until the shrimp get here.

 

[BrooklynReef]

Thanks Asianer! That helps. I'll try a few stores today. The petco in USquare didnt carry live foods or the other stores I checked. I havent checked petland though.

Thanks again, I appreciate you taking the time out to help!

 

[BrooklynReef]

I found a place that sells live Brine and Mysis!!!

Brooklyn Zoo & Aquarium
(718) 251-7389
2377 Ralph Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11234 40.6202 -73.9172

 

[asianer]

Excellent, I would forego the brine and just get live mysis. I would slowly add the frozen in with the live and they should eventually readily accept just the frozen.

I found a place that sells live Brine and Mysis!!!

Brooklyn Zoo & Aquarium
(718) 251-7389
2377 Ralph Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11234 40.6202 -73.9172

 

[BrooklynReef]

It seems the gentleman on the phone at The Brooklyn Zoo & Aquarium misunderstood me. They only have frozen mysis. I only found this out after taking two trains, and a bus, and spending 2 hours in the rain to get there. He was nice enough to get me some pods to feed them. Also he did have the live brine.

The good news is they ate the live brine right away! After a day they realized they were getting fed from a turkey baster, now when I put the baster in, the male comes 'running'. I've even gotten them to accept frozen brine from the baster. I haven?t tried the frozen mysis yet. The live mysis should be coming tomorrow. I was going to try the same as the brine, live first. Now as I write this, I think I may try and get them started on the frozen mysis when I get home today.

So it seems maybe I was overly concerned about them not eating, and they were just stressed from shipping. I also noticed the first day the female had a very small white spot on her tail. It's totally gone now, but I did pick up some furan-2 just in case it comes back. I?m hoping that too was just stress from the move and not a serious bacterial infection. But, like I said it's no longer visible, and she seems in good spirits.

On a side note, although the 'misunderstanding' was very frustrating, Brooklyn Zoo & Aquarium have a great selection of fish. If you are anywhere near there you should check them out.


(As soon as I set these two free in their new home, I'll start posting some pics!)

Again thanks everyone for being so helpful. I would have been a mess without you guys!

 

[asianer]

Try adding the frozen mysis in with the brine in the turkey baster - it's great that they are eating however they are getting no nutrition from the brine unless you are fortifying it.