View Full Version : seahorse feeding options
Marc Foord
09-12-08, 12:05
hi
picked up my first seahorse at the weekend (:wub:) - was told by the LFS he/she's a reidi (tmc, yellow, about 3 inches ish).
feeding very well all 3 days so far - fed tmc enriched brineshrimp with garlic first two days, and mysis today (all 3 enriched with new era spray), but just wondered what's considered to be the best food ongoing or should i just vary things ?
thanks in advance
marc
Peculiar_Clown
09-12-08, 12:07
Basically what you're doing Marc. A little bit of each, 3-4 times a day. They are messy eaters and there's a lot of waste/uneaten food.
Marc Foord
09-12-08, 12:09
thanks......i have a little tmc bred neon goby in there to hoover up a few bits, as well as some cuc (2 snails, 2 crabs and a tigertail cuke).
are mysis and the enriched brine shrimp all that's suitable or will he/she eat other frozen foods e.g. chopped cockle, chopped mussel etc etc - aware that the smaller particle stuff (e.g. red plankton) is no good for them as it's too small.....
cheers
marc
Peculiar_Clown
09-12-08, 12:16
TBH Marc, I've not tried anything else. I dose with pods now and again, I add phyto too to support these and some filter feeders. I also add rotifers, frozen and live, whene available. I also add 1 lot of live brine once a day, again, when available.
As for the horses, I've only ever seen them take shrimp like food. They can be quite frustrating taking an age to decide whether or not to eat something, then it disappears in the flow. I've not seen them take anything else before, but haven't tried much else.
Marc Foord
09-12-08, 12:27
thanks for your help :thumbsup:
Peculiar_Clown
09-12-08, 13:14
Forgot, they also take thawed small krill, overlooked that one.
I would put a stop on the garlic straight away. Wombat did a test a little while back and they can kill living creatures, especially ones from the reef that have not evolved over time to take on garlic additives.
Brineshrimp is not nutritious enough (more water content than nutrition), stick with mysis (has specific fats good for them) and small krill, as above.
Good luck!
Marc Foord
09-12-08, 14:02
great, thanks. like you say, a pattern emerging there - small shrimps basically ! :D
have to say he/she's been feeding very well - moving quite quickly as seahorses go to actually hoover up the mysis/brineshrimp. stunning creature ! :)
Always a good sign when they're feeding Marc.
When they stop, then you know something is wrong. They're just like real kids!
Marc Foord
09-12-08, 14:32
thanks viv. the garlic brineshrimps are tmc blister packs.....i doubt there's a lot of garlic in them, but i'll stop using if there's a risk.
cheers
marc
thanks viv. the garlic brineshrimps are tmc blister packs.....i doubt there's a lot of garlic in them, but i'll stop using if there's a risk.
cheers
marc
Irrespective if they have small traces of garlic, it still isn't built for them and you'll end up killing your ponies :(
Good luck pal!
Hi Marc
I feed my Seahorses 3 times a day. I tend to give them more Mysis as it's more nutritional. I've just got hold of some PE Mysis which is supposed to be even better but the Mysis is a little big for the horses so I have to chop it a little. I also use frozen Brine Shrimp with Garlic (Gamma Blister so there's no parasites). Cyclopeeze also goes into the tank for the Pipefish and Gobies but I'm not sure if the horses eat it. I get live brine shrimp when I can and treat them with that as they love it. One thing I would say though is be careful with your Tigertail Cuke as it can be toxic when stressed or injured. We had one and took it back to the LFS as I didn't want to risk it. I did like it though. :) Check out the caution on this link. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+502+712&pcatid=712 I don't mean to scare you but just be aware. :(
Joanna
Marc Foord
10-12-08, 16:30
thanks joanna.
will keep as i am with the feeding then. i have the 3 types of gamma blister - the garlic (which i'm not feeding not as per viv's advice), the one mixed with spirulina and the other with some other sort of enrichment (memory fails me once again :rolleyes::laugh:)
re: tigertail - aware of cuke issues, but afaik tigertails are considered to be one of the most safe/least toxic - plus in the d&d nano there's no powerheads etc for him to get minced in, so hopefully all should be fine. i've had a brown (aka 'turd' :D) cuke in my 5 x 2 x 2 for years now without problems - again, the browns are considered least toxic etc.
cheers
marc
Hi Marc
I feed my Seahorses 3 times a day. I tend to give them more Mysis as it's more nutritional. I've just got hold of some PE Mysis which is supposed to be even better but the Mysis is a little big for the horses so I have to chop it a little. I also use frozen Brine Shrimp with Garlic (Gamma Blister so there's no parasites). Cyclopeeze also goes into the tank for the Pipefish and Gobies but I'm not sure if the horses eat it. I get live brine shrimp when I can and treat them with that as they love it. One thing I would say though is be careful with your Tigertail Cuke as it can be toxic when stressed or injured. We had one and took it back to the LFS as I didn't want to risk it. I did like it though. :) Check out the caution on this link. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+502+712&pcatid=712 I don't mean to scare you but just be aware. :(
Joanna
Joanna- you must stop the garlic feed!
Seahorses and all reef life have not evolved to take such a substance. It will kill them!
Joanna- you must stop the garlic feed!
Seahorses and all reef life have not evolved to take such a substance. It will kill them!
Viv
Where do you get this info from as all my LFS have told me that it's okay to feed them that!
Joanna
thanks joanna.
will keep as i am with the feeding then. i have the 3 types of gamma blister - the garlic (which i'm not feeding not as per viv's advice), the one mixed with spirulina and the other with some other sort of enrichment (memory fails me once again :rolleyes::laugh:)
re: tigertail - aware of cuke issues, but afaik tigertails are considered to be one of the most safe/least toxic - plus in the d&d nano there's no powerheads etc for him to get minced in, so hopefully all should be fine. i've had a brown (aka 'turd' :D) cuke in my 5 x 2 x 2 for years now without problems - again, the browns are considered least toxic etc.
cheers
marc
Hi Marc
That's good then if you have nothing for the Tigertail to get minced in. Mine was naughty and kept going up in the filter box. I was sad to get rid of it though but it was too much of a risk for me. You had me creased about your 'turd' as I've always thought of some of the cukes as looking like poo poos. :laugh: Suppose they do a good job though.
Joanna
Hi Marc
I get live brine shrimp when I can and treat them with that as they love it.
Joanna
Joanna most live brine is wasted nutritus wise when bought. The reason being the brine will not have been fed for many hours and more probably days. What needs to be done is to feed the brine up first then add it for your horses (same with fish). Brine itself isnt very good its what the brine feed on thats important. You see what the brine are feed on is also what you feed your horses.
In many cases good frozen brine is better than live brine. Look for a brand thats fortified with lots amino and fatty acids etc. Live brine that looks clear will have little or nothing in their gut and so little to feed your horses. Think of live brine as a food shopping bag for your horses. If there is little in the shopping bags then theres little to feed your horses.
Joanna most live brine is wasted nutritus wise when bought. The reason being the brine will not have been fed for many hours and more probably days. What needs to be done is to feed the brine up first then add it for your horses (same with fish). Brine itself isnt very good its what the brine feed on thats important. You see what the brine are feed on is also what you feed your horses.
In many cases good frozen brine is better than live brine. Look for a brand thats fortified with lots amino and fatty acids etc. Live brine that looks clear will have little or nothing in their gut and so little to feed your horses. Think of live brine as a food shopping bag for your horses. If there is little in the shopping bags then theres little to feed your horses.
Hi Les
I do feed the horses mainly enriched mysis, followed by occasional frozen brine shrimp so they get lots of nutrition. I understand what you mean about the food shopping bag though. I try to get enriched live brine shrimp which are a reddy colour I think. Doesn't that mean there is something in the shopping bag? :)
Joanna
Hi Les
I Doesn't that mean there is something in the shopping bag? :)
Joanna
it most certainly does Joanna and I know you try your best to ensure they get the best you can give them. My post of course wasn't just aimed at you but to those who may think live brine from your LFS (whos probably had it a few days) is best for horses when it simply is not.
Now then do you still want these tiny nose bags I have to feed your horses with? :whistling:
Thanks for the advice Grandad ... I mean Les :laugh:
Joanna
Thanks for the advice Grandad ... I mean Les :laugh:
Joanna
YVW Gran :dribble:Now keep taking the tablets and stop eating the fish food thats a good OAP. :please:
As a treat live brine is ok but it really should be enriched first (regardless of the colour) if its used regularly. You can end up with the odd seahorse that gets 'addicted' to brine shrimp and will end up not looking at anything else as food.
Re: the garlic - Viv has got his information from Wombat on here. He has done extensive research on the affects on garlic and marine fishes (as well as just about everything else I think!) Wombat will be able to give you further info but the bottom line is that garlic interferes with the function of the liver (iirc could be something else). Lets face it when does a marine fish come into contact with garlic during their wild (evolutionary) lives?
Garlic is often promoted as an appetite stimulant and works well as such. therefore because the fish often go mad for it people think ah thats good I'll feed that....
My lfs tells me a lot of things as well....(with all due repect, everyone of course has their own opinions)
If you want a good read search for viv's/wombats garlic thread (well I enjoyed it :D)
denise.gardner
11-12-08, 00:30
hi i feed my horses on mysis and krill,once a week they get live brineshrimp.i also put rotifers and copepods in for the pipefish and corals.twice a month i put small river shrimp in as it gives them something to hunt normally after they have had their fry as shrimps eat fry.they really seem to like hunting them and they gang up on the shrimp and its a case of which horse gets it first i seen them hold them in their tails to snick them.i thought they would be to big but they suck them up by the tail
As a treat live brine is ok but it really should be enriched first (regardless of the colour) if its used regularly. You can end up with the odd seahorse that gets 'addicted' to brine shrimp and will end up not looking at anything else as food.
Re: the garlic - Viv has got his information from Wombat on here. He has done extensive research on the affects on garlic and marine fishes (as well as just about everything else I think!) Wombat will be able to give you further info but the bottom line is that garlic interferes with the function of the liver (iirc could be something else). Lets face it when does a marine fish come into contact with garlic during their wild (evolutionary) lives?
Garlic is often promoted as an appetite stimulant and works well as such. therefore because the fish often go mad for it people think ah thats good I'll feed that....
My lfs tells me a lot of things as well....(with all due repect, everyone of course has their own opinions)
If you want a good read search for viv's/wombats garlic thread (well I enjoyed it :D)
Thanks. I can't believe that no-one told me about the garlic before. It makes sense when you said that marine fish don't come into contact with it as it sure doesn't grow in the sea. :D I'll have a look at the garlic thread.
Joanna
hi i feed my horses on mysis and krill,once a week they get live brineshrimp.i also put rotifers and copepods in for the pipefish and corals.twice a month i put small river shrimp in as it gives them something to hunt normally after they have had their fry as shrimps eat fry.they really seem to like hunting them and they gang up on the shrimp and its a case of which horse gets it first i seen them hold them in their tails to snick them.i thought they would be to big but they suck them up by the tail
Hi Denise
Where do you get the river shrimp as I haven't come across any round here ever! Also, are the krill you buy big as the last time I looked at frozen krill it was far too big for the horsies? Unless of course you chop it.
Joanna
YVW Gran :dribble:Now keep taking the tablets and stop eating the fish food thats a good OAP. :please:
Ooh, grandad, you're in so much trouble. Sorry folks, this cheeky old man needs sorting out. :laugh::boxing:
Joanna
Ooh, you're in so much trouble. Sorry folks.
Joanna
Sorry ...........you should be. Sorry ........... you will be :whistling:
Now its nearly 10pm so off you go to bed with ya mug of Horlicks, sheepskin booty, hot water bottle, 2lbs of face cream, rollers and don't forget to put your teeth a the jar besides the bed with 2 steredent tablets in water in it. Off you go. Night, night gran ;)
Now lets leave this thread to the good people here i'm sure they don't want to read our cr*p
denise.gardner
11-12-08, 23:23
hi joanna i dont chop up my mysis the horses eat it just fine .where do you live most places around here keep river shrimp they may call them glass shrimp where you are they are quite big but the horses really go for them but my ones eat peppermint shrimps and cleaner shrimps as well i dont think they have read that they are there to help them and so should leave them alone.if you get some only put 1/2in and keep anyothers in a bucket of water. denise
Hi Marc
That's good then if you have nothing for the Tigertail to get minced in. Mine was naughty and kept going up in the filter box. I was sad to get rid of it though but it was too much of a risk for me. You had me creased about your 'turd' as I've always thought of some of the cukes as looking like poo poos. :laugh: Suppose they do a good job though.
Joanna
Joanna,
Do ask the resident fish quack here- WOMBAT. Wombat aka Ian, is a fish pathologist and is a research professor on the subject at Maine University.
He has conducted experiments on this topic and its a big no on garlic.
Think about it; does garlic exist in the oceans- no. Unlike their freshwater cousins, reef life has not evolved to take garlic and thus is dangerous to their livers.
Of course the lfs would say its fine, they are selling you the product!
Do post something in the health section. You'll get a response confirming the above.
hi joanna i dont chop up my mysis the horses eat it just fine .where do you live most places around here keep river shrimp they may call them glass shrimp where you are they are quite big but the horses really go for them but my ones eat peppermint shrimps and cleaner shrimps as well i dont think they have read that they are there to help them and so should leave them alone.if you get some only put 1/2in and keep anyothers in a bucket of water. denise
Hi Denise
I live in Lincolnshire and have never seen live river shrimp or glass shrimp in any LFS, only brine shrimp. My cleaner shrimps are big (almost as big as the seahorses) and there is no way the seahorses could eat them, are yours baby shrimps? My cleaner shrimps clean the seahorses! Where do you live?
Joanna
denise.gardner
13-12-08, 01:44
hi joanna im in hertfordshire but i go to amwell aquatics in epping i also go to enfield,hertford,watford and get my reidi from colchester they are giant brazilian reidi but i dont know if they are different to normal reidi ask at you local shop they tend to keep the river shrimp in the tropical section
Hi Denise
You're miles away from me then. I'll double check about the river shrimp just in case I have missed them although they keep the live food at the counter and I've only seen brine shrimp and daphnia. Thanks.
Joanna
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