Growing pods for seahorses?

Neptune 555 · Sep 14, 2016

I just became addicted to seahorses after keeping a reef for 15 years... so not a newbie but newbie to ponies. I keep a mandarin happy w/ pods in my tank + live black worms. As I am going to create a species dedicated tank for my seahorses I thought I should start growing pods for them and am looking for suggestions.

I have a 10 gallon tank that I can set up to grow pods. I was thinking Tisbe pods and cheato. I see you can order Tisbe pods and a food source. Is that all I need? I will transfer the pods into my DT via the cheato. In some articles they say I need to do a 100% water change every week and wipe down tank? I was thinking I could add a filter and do water changes... and just keep them breeding in my 10 gallon tank. Every 3 - 5 days take some out and add to my DT? Anthing else I should know re: growing pods as a food source? Yes I will feed other food also just read about ghost shrimp / frozen mysis. Do seahorses eat live blood worms? yes/no? Live blood worms has done absolute wonders for my other reef tanks.

Thanks
Neptune

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 14, 2016

@SeahorseKeeper

Heather w · Sep 14, 2016

Seahorses are my goal. Tall tanks so they can extend full length. Soft exchange water filter. They are messier because of wasted food and poop. I'm putting a refugium under mine to maintain water quality. You probably already know this but it's what I have to share and that's what this is, a sharing forum.

Heather w · Sep 15, 2016

Hether w said:
Seahorses are my goal. Tall tanks so they can extend full length. Soft exchange water filter. They are messier because of wasted food and poop. I'm putting a refugium under mine to maintain water quality. You probably already know this but it's what I have to share and that's what this is, a sharing forum.

vlangel · Sep 15, 2016

Neptune 555 said:
I just became addicted to seahorses after keeping a reef for 15 years... so not a newbie but newbie to ponies. I keep a mandarin happy w/ pods in my tank + live black worms. As I am going to create a species dedicated tank for my seahorses I thought I should start growing pods for them and am looking for suggestions.

I have a 10 gallon tank that I can set up to grow pods. I was thinking Tisbe pods and cheato. I see you can order Tisbe pods and a food source. Is that all I need? I will transfer the pods into my DT via the cheato. In some articles they say I need to do a 100% water change every week and wipe down tank? I was thinking I could add a filter and do water changes... and just keep them breeding in my 10 gallon tank. Every 3 - 5 days take some out and add to my DT? Anthing else I should know re: growing pods as a food source? Yes I will feed other food also just read about ghost shrimp / frozen mysis. Do seahorses eat live blood worms? yes/no? Live blood worms has done absolute wonders for my other reef tanks.

Thanks
Neptune

I have seahorses and I have never fed blood worms. They might eat them although seahorses can be very persnickity. My gut tells me that blood worms probably don't have the optimal nutritional requirements for seahorses but might be ok for an occasional treat.

Pugfishluv3 · Sep 15, 2016

I kept seahorses for years only feed them mysis with vitamins. But if your looking at the tiny dwarf ones pods would be great.

Heather w · Sep 15, 2016

I was thinking about this earlier and I think, for what it's worth, that you need to feed them what they have been raised on. We ask that when we buy our fish, right? Seahorses are notorious for their finicky eating habits and it seems that giving them the same food would not only assure they'll eat it but it would get them through their acclamation period, that's the hardest part. Sellers uproot, bag, ship, un-bag, put them in a tank, we buy, uproot, after thus amount of time, bag, ship, unbag, <heres hoping their mate has made it this far> quarantine them and then we give them what WE think they should like. If

Heather w · Sep 15, 2016

I were them I'd want to feel comfort from my old home brought to this new home

shornik · Sep 15, 2016

Pugfishluv3 said:
I kept seahorses for years only feed them mysis with vitamins. But if your looking at the tiny dwarf ones pods would be great.

I see my seahorses hunting for pods all day so I'm pretty sure that would be fine, though as stated already I'm not sure if that is the only source of food how they would do. But I think you mentioned you doing this to supplement mysis. If you think copepods are too small you can get amphipods and breed them as well (though I'm terrible at it) and they are bigger and at my ponies love them when I put them in the tank.

vlangel · Sep 16, 2016

shornik said:
I see my seahorses hunting for pods all day so I'm pretty sure that would be fine, though as stated already I'm not sure if that is the only source of food how they would do. But I think you mentioned you doing this to supplement mysis. If you think copepods are too small you can get amphipods and breed them as well (though I'm terrible at it) and they are bigger and at my ponies love them when I put them in the tank.

I am also trying to breed amphipods for a treat for my seahorses, although I am not that good at it either. They do love them and its good stimulation for them to actually hunt them down as opposed to their frozen mysis that just appears in their food bowls.

Heather w · Sep 16, 2016

I think that IS A good idea. All my buddies say I'm too absorbed in my tank and fish. Maybe I'll try breeding some and prove them all right. Nothing is too good for my babies. I'll practice with my tank after I get this slime gone from my tank. I can't wait to get mine. It has been a dream of mine for 30 years.

vlangel · Sep 16, 2016

Hether w said:
I think that IS A good idea. All my buddies say I'm too absorbed in my tank and fish. Maybe I'll try breeding some and prove them all right. Nothing is too good for my babies. I'll practice with my tank after I get this slime gone from my tank. I can't wait to get mine. It has been a dream of mine for 30 years.

Ha ha, being 'too absorbed' is good when it comes to seahorses since they are a needy pet. So I agree with you...go ahead and breed and raise some and prove your buddies right. It is an awesome experience, although very labor intensive. Be sure to share everything in a thread so we can follow, (and offer help if needed).

SDdiver · Nov 17, 2016

Please forgive the last post Neptune, I'm in the middle of setting up a pod system myself, apparently cheap plastic buckets work better than glass tanks. Found this article you may benefit from- good luck

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/c90/Raising-Live-Rotifers-Copepods-c199.html