New seahorse help

ds69 · 02-05-2007, 12:18 AM

Ok so I decided to try a seahorse in my refuge. The Lfs just got in 5 cb h. reidi ponys and I decided it was worth a try. I had them feed them first and I got the one that was going around the tank eating like a champ. I have had him for 24 but havent gotten him to eat yet. i have been trying to feed him mysis shrimp, I also put a glass bowl in there which will later be the feeding the station. The only problem im having besides him not eating is the defrosted mysis wants to float for some reason? they wont stay down in the bowl. Im not sure If I should be worried since of course he just changed homes but I think im going to go get some live brine shrimp tommorow just in case I need them. Let me know what ya think because I know theres a few out there with some wonderful pony tanks

.

Thanks
Kevin

meandean45 · 02-05-2007, 06:31 AM

Not one of the few, but have seahorse experience. Did you buy the exact same Mysis that the LFS was feeding? If it's a different brand, the size may be different (larger ?), and your Seahorse may be unable to suck it in. Was the LFS feeding their seahorses with a dropper ? in a bowl? Etc.? Try to feed him in a similar fasion to what the LFS was doing. Often SH can be enticed to feed from a clear glass eye-dropper by "Teasing" them with the Mysis in the dropper, before squirting the Mysis out next to the seahorse.
I'm at a loss as to why the Mysis is floating, perhaps it was frozen in freshwater, and needs to be soaked in a cup of saltwater for an hour or two? Are you soaking his food in Selcon or something? Maybe that's the cause of the floating Mysis ?!
You do need to get him to eat, ASAP. SHs should be fed Mysis to satiation 3 or more times a day. If live brine is what it takes to get a feeding response, then by all means do it. once he starts feeding, you should be able to get him on to the frozen Mysis with the teasing trick fairly easily. Do try the brine, as it's very important that you get him to feed ASAP.

Good luck, and hope that this helps!
Dean

lcstorc · 02-05-2007, 07:09 AM

Do you have a way to temporarily turn of the flow to your fuge? If so try that when feeding. It gives them more time to get the mysis before they fall to the ground. I turn of my pump when feeding mine and it works well for me.
Best of luck. Hope he starts eating soon.

JamesFitch · 02-05-2007, 08:13 AM

I used a garlic drop on the mysis when i first got my seahorses they wouldnt eat either after using garlic for a couple of days i stopped and they still eat good

ds69 · 02-05-2007, 01:48 PM

Im using the same mysis they used the only difference is the flow in their tank is way high. So when they feed it flies everywhere and then they chase it. THe mysis cubes dont have any garlic added so do you think I shoudl add some? I know people are fond of usig garlic but what does it do exactly?

Right now Im squirting mysis near him and he watches it but no action. I also set up a bowl with some but I doubt he will go for that.

I do notice he is trying to suck up the super small pods on the glass.

Thanks
Kevin

Dragon Wrasse · 02-05-2007, 03:59 PM

Garlic helps premote feeding and boost the immune systems of your fish.

Garlic Xtreme helps boost your fishes' immune systems and encourage proper feeding with natural, nutritional garlic. You'll easily give all your marine and freshwater fish a potent source of garlic which helps combat infection and disease, while naturally attracting fish to food. Simply soak food with Garlic Xtreme, and even the finickiest eaters will be enticed to eat. You may also add Garlic Xtreme directly to aquarium water if fish are not eating.

Garlic Xtreme contains no artificial ingredients or steroids, and is safe for all species of marine and freshwater fishes, plants, live corals, and other invertebrates.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...6&N=2004+22763

ds69 · 02-05-2007, 10:24 PM

Well I checked one lfs today and they didnt have any food with garlic or any garlic additives. I can check another one tommorow since they are all closed right now. But I would rather do something now than wait. Would using normal grocery store garlic work? would I just crush a piece and let it soak in with the food? any ideas would be good I bought him on saturday so time is ticking

Thanks
Kevin

lcstorc · 02-05-2007, 10:26 PM

Yes you can use real garlic. I do all the time.

ds69 · 02-05-2007, 10:30 PM

excellent, how do your prepare or use yours?

Thanks
Kevin

lcstorc · 02-05-2007, 10:34 PM

Well I do a batch at a time. I take a flat pack of mysis and rinse it well with ro/di water. Then put aboutn 6 cloves of garlic in the food processor or the garlic press to make a fine mush. Then I mix the mysis, with the garlic and cyclopeze and freeze in tiny ice cubes. I thaw a cube a day and that covers my morning and evening feeding. The cyclopeze is more for sun coral and the yellow clown goby but I swear I have seen my seahorse eat it as well.
No reason you can't do it a cube at a time though. Just press the garlic into kind of a paste and add a bit to the thawed and rinsed mysis.

ds69 · 02-06-2007, 04:05 AM

Well I tryed it with garlic added into it and still nothing. He isnt even paying attention to the food floating around. He is just watchig for pods. I can see him snatching up pods so he is getting some food. The problem is there also so very small. Not sure what I should do now since the petstores no longer carry live brine around here anymore. Do you think i should try to carefully force feed it in a few days ? more opinions would greatly be appreciated I dont want to lose this lil guy.

Thanks
Kevin

lcstorc · 02-06-2007, 06:47 AM

I wish I had another sugggestion for you. Can you get any ghost shrimp? I give those to mine as a treat occasionally.
Have you been to seahorse.org? You may find some tricks there that I am not thinking of.

ds69 · 02-06-2007, 11:27 AM

I can get ghosties but there the freshwater ones. Im not sure if they are small enough either but if I can get small enough ones do you think they would still work ?

Kevin

lcstorc · 02-06-2007, 11:40 AM

I alway had the saltwater ones, so I am not sure at all. Sorry just trying to think of any idea I can.

ds69 · 02-07-2007, 04:20 AM

well i got brand new mysis and tried using it plain. I then tried using it with garlic. He still refuses to eat. Its not looking to good at this point. The wierd thing though is his pouch is getting bigger? I got him saturday and its now wednesday.....he is swimming all around the tank but just wont take any food no matter where or what I do.

Kevin

02-05-2007, 12:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
ds69 Fire Coral Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 71 View Gallery Karma Komment	New seahorse help Ok so I decided to try a seahorse in my refuge. The Lfs just got in 5 cb h. reidi ponys and I decided it was worth a try. I had them feed them first and I got the one that was going around the tank eating like a champ. I have had him for 24 but havent gotten him to eat yet. i have been trying to feed him mysis shrimp, I also put a glass bowl in there which will later be the feeding the station. The only problem im having besides him not eating is the defrosted mysis wants to float for some reason? they wont stay down in the bowl. Im not sure If I should be worried since of course he just changed homes but I think im going to go get some live brine shrimp tommorow just in case I need them. Let me know what ya think because I know theres a few out there with some wonderful pony tanks . Thanks Kevin

02-05-2007, 06:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
meandean45 Ricordea Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bradford, Vt., USA Posts: 177 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help Not one of the few, but have seahorse experience. Did you buy the exact same Mysis that the LFS was feeding? If it's a different brand, the size may be different (larger ?), and your Seahorse may be unable to suck it in. Was the LFS feeding their seahorses with a dropper ? in a bowl? Etc.? Try to feed him in a similar fasion to what the LFS was doing. Often SH can be enticed to feed from a clear glass eye-dropper by "Teasing" them with the Mysis in the dropper, before squirting the Mysis out next to the seahorse. I'm at a loss as to why the Mysis is floating, perhaps it was frozen in freshwater, and needs to be soaked in a cup of saltwater for an hour or two? Are you soaking his food in Selcon or something? Maybe that's the cause of the floating Mysis ?! You do need to get him to eat, ASAP. SHs should be fed Mysis to satiation 3 or more times a day. If live brine is what it takes to get a feeding response, then by all means do it. once he starts feeding, you should be able to get him on to the frozen Mysis with the teasing trick fairly easily. Do try the brine, as it's very important that you get him to feed ASAP. Good luck, and hope that this helps! Dean __________________ Meandean45 -RELATIVITY: "Sit on a red hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit next to a pretty Girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's Relativity". A.Einstein : "A man's got to know his limitations."- Clint Eastwood in "Magnum Force"

02-05-2007, 07:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,469 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New seahorse help Do you have a way to temporarily turn of the flow to your fuge? If so try that when feeding. It gives them more time to get the mysis before they fall to the ground. I turn of my pump when feeding mine and it works well for me. Best of luck. Hope he starts eating soon. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

02-05-2007, 08:13 AM	#4 (permalink)
JamesFitch Star Polyps Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 155 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New seahorse help I used a garlic drop on the mysis when i first got my seahorses they wouldnt eat either after using garlic for a couple of days i stopped and they still eat good

02-05-2007, 01:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
ds69 Fire Coral Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 71 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help Im using the same mysis they used the only difference is the flow in their tank is way high. So when they feed it flies everywhere and then they chase it. THe mysis cubes dont have any garlic added so do you think I shoudl add some? I know people are fond of usig garlic but what does it do exactly? Right now Im squirting mysis near him and he watches it but no action. I also set up a bowl with some but I doubt he will go for that. I do notice he is trying to suck up the super small pods on the glass. Thanks Kevin

02-05-2007, 03:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dragon Wrasse Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 991 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help Garlic helps premote feeding and boost the immune systems of your fish. Garlic Xtreme helps boost your fishes' immune systems and encourage proper feeding with natural, nutritional garlic. You'll easily give all your marine and freshwater fish a potent source of garlic which helps combat infection and disease, while naturally attracting fish to food. Simply soak food with Garlic Xtreme, and even the finickiest eaters will be enticed to eat. You may also add Garlic Xtreme directly to aquarium water if fish are not eating. Garlic Xtreme contains no artificial ingredients or steroids, and is safe for all species of marine and freshwater fishes, plants, live corals, and other invertebrates. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...6&N=2004+22763 __________________ *Member "Crabs Are Evil" Society* "A wise man learns more from a foolish question, then a fool learns from a wise answer" - Bruce Lee _____________________________ 75 gal SeaClear II Reef Tank (softy tank) - Coralife 125 Super Skimmer - Little Giant 2-MDQX-SC - Angstrom 2537 UV 15W - HOB Refugium - Eheim Pro 2228 - Red Sea Wave Maker w/Maxi-Jet 600 (X4) - 100 lbs Live Sand (DSB) - 100 lbs Live Rock - 260W PC lighting - 470nm lunar lights (X15) - AquaController II Custom 75 gal Starphire glass tank (SPS/LPS tank) - Custom 24 gal Refugium - Tuzne Wave box - JBJ Chiller - 390W PC lighting - 175W MH (X2) - Knop Cal. Reactor - AquaController 3 Pro - Aqua C Skimmer - Phosban Reactor - 18W Turbo-twist UV sterilizer - Sump - Sony Computer 5 gal Nano Hospital Tank - Eheim 2213 - Red Sea Prizm Skimmer - Live sand - Live Rock - Built in Refugium - 36W PC lighting

02-05-2007, 10:24 PM	#7 (permalink)
ds69 Fire Coral Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 71 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help Well I checked one lfs today and they didnt have any food with garlic or any garlic additives. I can check another one tommorow since they are all closed right now. But I would rather do something now than wait. Would using normal grocery store garlic work? would I just crush a piece and let it soak in with the food? any ideas would be good I bought him on saturday so time is ticking Thanks Kevin

02-05-2007, 10:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,469 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New seahorse help Yes you can use real garlic. I do all the time. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

02-05-2007, 10:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
ds69 Fire Coral Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 71 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help excellent, how do your prepare or use yours? Thanks Kevin

02-05-2007, 10:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,469 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New seahorse help Well I do a batch at a time. I take a flat pack of mysis and rinse it well with ro/di water. Then put aboutn 6 cloves of garlic in the food processor or the garlic press to make a fine mush. Then I mix the mysis, with the garlic and cyclopeze and freeze in tiny ice cubes. I thaw a cube a day and that covers my morning and evening feeding. The cyclopeze is more for sun coral and the yellow clown goby but I swear I have seen my seahorse eat it as well. No reason you can't do it a cube at a time though. Just press the garlic into kind of a paste and add a bit to the thawed and rinsed mysis. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

02-06-2007, 04:05 AM	#11 (permalink)
ds69 Fire Coral Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 71 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help Well I tryed it with garlic added into it and still nothing. He isnt even paying attention to the food floating around. He is just watchig for pods. I can see him snatching up pods so he is getting some food. The problem is there also so very small. Not sure what I should do now since the petstores no longer carry live brine around here anymore. Do you think i should try to carefully force feed it in a few days ? more opinions would greatly be appreciated I dont want to lose this lil guy. Thanks Kevin

02-06-2007, 06:47 AM	#12 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,469 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New seahorse help I wish I had another sugggestion for you. Can you get any ghost shrimp? I give those to mine as a treat occasionally. Have you been to seahorse.org? You may find some tricks there that I am not thinking of. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

02-06-2007, 11:27 AM	#13 (permalink)
ds69 Fire Coral Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 71 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help I can get ghosties but there the freshwater ones. Im not sure if they are small enough either but if I can get small enough ones do you think they would still work ? Kevin

02-06-2007, 11:40 AM	#14 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,469 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: New seahorse help I alway had the saltwater ones, so I am not sure at all. Sorry just trying to think of any idea I can. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

02-07-2007, 04:20 AM	#15 (permalink)
ds69 Fire Coral Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Modesto, Ca Posts: 71 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: New seahorse help well i got brand new mysis and tried using it plain. I then tried using it with garlic. He still refuses to eat. Its not looking to good at this point. The wierd thing though is his pouch is getting bigger? I got him saturday and its now wednesday.....he is swimming all around the tank but just wont take any food no matter where or what I do. Kevin

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