Babies!! I wasnt ready yet.

[DiverGirl82]

They're so cute! Some day I want a seahorse tank.

 

[Gopi]

Video is from day 5. No losses since yesterday. All are eating well and, naturally, pooping well.

 

[Gopi]

w00t! We've made it past the week mark with no losses since Friday! Several of the 20 or so fry (they keep moving/hiding) are itchy, but otherwise swimming/eating well. The formalin should arrive today (been at the PO since Friday) so I can treat for protozoans. We actually left on a day trip yesterday and all was well- I gave extra BBS in the morning so my usual critter sitter didn't have to worry about them. (On another note, the Redbull GRC was super fun and I'm sunburned.)

 

[bfam4t6]

Standard airline for size reference Taken by my dearest hubby.

Sweet picture!!

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

So cute!!! Can you post some pics up of the setup for the babies? I have some ideas.

 

[Gopi]

This is what I've got right now. 2.5 gallon tank, airpump split to two open ended lines. Using a desk lamp off to the side about 12 hrs a day. They seem to prefer hitching to the green plant over the fuscia one.

I'm changing at least 1/2 gallon a day and replacing with new salt water. For some mechanical filtration, I've been using a turkey baster to suck poo off the bottom and then running it through a coffee filter in a sieve. (OK, I could just change the water but I'm enjoying the futzy stuff.)

Feeding enriched bbs whenever it looks like the shrimp concentration gets low. I like that they have food available constantly.

When they're a bit bigger, I plan to move them into a 10 gal. I just don't feel like I can keep the food concentration high enough in the 10 right now.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

One thing that I would consider changing is adding smaller hitches for the babies. You could do this with getting a plastic chain bird toy and weighting it with one of plant ornaments. Or you could make a zip tie chain and weight that. I think this would make it easier for the seahorses to hitch.

 

[Gopi]

@SeahorseKeeper, the purple 'plant' actually has fine branches on it for smaller hitches (smaller than the thickness of a zip tie) but they seem to prefer the larger green one for whatever reason. Only about 2 or 3 will hitch to the smaller branches. Crazy things.

 

[Gopi]

I've underestimated how many brine shrimp these guys can eat! I actually ran out of the enriched bbs last night and had to wait to feed new hatches this morning. I started up another bottle last night and will probably get another going this morning. (I had a bottle with very very few hatches which is why I ran out.) Hubby is now proudly complaining to people about all the 'work' I'm doing. (I'm sure this is how he planned to spend the staycation...)

My census count has stayed steady at 21. Here are just a couple hitching up after breakfast.

 

[AquaFX]

They are adorable!

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

They are so cute!

 

[Gopi]

Feeding frenzy!

Close-up of full bellies. None of them would stay still long enough to focus!

 

[Gopi]

During today's water change I decided to take out the shorter green plant. It was just too difficult to clean around. I replaced it with the two other small plants I'd picked up. Several fry were unhappy with my decision...pretty sure they glared at me until they got shrimp.

With this, I've gotten a count of 22 now that no one can hide in the middle of a bush. Gave the second dose of formalin- no itching so far today.

 

[vlangel]

Hey, congrats on your babies. It is alot of work but very rewarding. I raised 15 to 6 months last winter and hope to raise another batch this winter.

 

[Gopi]

Thanks, @vlangel! I'm not sure I would do this again; I have the time right now. (But my vacation will soon be at an end. Gotta start lesson planning for August soon.)
I'm also a little hesitant because I'm not sure they will end up in good homes...I know plenty of people who want them, but also know they won't put the time/effort/$ in.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

That's a bummer that you may have a difficult time finding them homes. I know it's tricky having seahorses, but I really don't find them that much more difficult than my reef tank. Each tank I think has its own needs and demands.

 

[Gopi]

Krista, I don't think they are much more work either. I just know the friends who've asked for them well enough not to trust them...

In other news, they are definitely getting bigger and there have been NO losses for almost a week! They also seem to enjoy hitching upsidedown.

 

[vlangel]

Thanks, @vlangel! I'm not sure I would do this again; I have the time right now. (But my vacation will soon be at an end. Gotta start lesson planning for August soon.)
I'm also a little hesitant because I'm not sure they will end up in good homes...I know plenty of people who want them, but also know they won't put the time/effort/$ in.

I had a little trouble finding a good place for my 6 month old seahorses. Fusejaw.com helped me find a seahorse keeper who knew of a lfs that would take good care of them. They all got good homes so I was happy. My male is very pregnant again, LOL. It never ends, ha ha!

 

[Gopi]

We reached 2 weeks today! I did a full water change and wiped out the tank. They've grown too big to be easily moved with a turkey baster. The official count is 22...was able to count them 1 at a time while I moved them out of the tank for cleaning.

They go through more bs every day, I might have to get a 3rd bottle going this week to keep up!

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Woohoo!!! That's great!!