Seahorse ID and HELP 2 males fighting!!!!

[plumbob]

I purchased a juvenile seahorse from my LFS, the owner isn't a complete expert on seahorses by his own admission, he did not know the type but said he would speak to the breader and let me know.

A bit of background: I have kept a pair of Reidi previously so I have an idea on keeping these stunning creatures.

I now have a fresh setup, a 2ft cube tank with about 30k of live rock. The tank has two clowns and the 'unidentified' seahorse (not un-named, I think it's a Kuda but have attached a photie for confirmation) - he has been in there for about 4 months.

I went to another LFS yesterday and purchased a seahorse, another male, again species unknown (suspected as another Kuda) and yes you guessed it, today he's settled in and there seems to be a bit of a power struggle at the moment :confused:

Newbie fed from the second he went in so that's a good sign - but LFS saying he was mainly fed on Brine is not :-( he's now happy on Mysis..

So my questions are:

1) I have attached a photie - can anyone ID them in terms of species
The smaller one is the one who's been in there for longest and was originally whitish/yellow, but perfers the black look, the second and largest and the lighter colour is the new boy.

2) Is it unwise to keep two males together? At the moment I'm inclined to believe it is as they are defo not getting on particulary well, but i had read up that in this size tank two males should be ok?? Is it just an initial power struggle while they get to know each other?

They did swim about together for a while today but i think it was more that one had wrapped his tail around the other.

Advise, should I split them, get two females???

To be fair, they both look like they're giving as good as they get, but in all seriousness I dont want to lose either and want to do what's best for their health and wellbeing.

I'm having trouble uploading the image!!!

[rt456]

i have 6 males in my main display tank with no fighting, in what way are they fighting? Sometimes they will hitch to each other then one will try to escape and thats not really fighting.

If you add two females it may help but then again may not as they may then fight over which female they want.

As for kuda or Reidi not much difference really care wise and they both have annoyingly hard fry to rear :-( ime. A 2ft cube should have enough room for lots of SH.

Are the clowns be stressing them out and making them more aggressive?

[plumbob]

Hi

Thanks for that, it 's put my mind at ease! Perhaps they're just getting to know each other?? When i say fighting, one had hitched to the other and the other was trying his best to free himself, and did look like he try to have a go with his mouth at him. But then there was food put in and they both let go and looked liek they though 'mmmm food' then forgot each other were there.

Any advice on how to get a photie up so i can get an ID check?

[rt456]

No idea about pictures, u could upload it to somewhere else and put the link in here?

I think Kuda have a broader nose than reidi but im not sure, also i find my reidi have skin that is slightly different in texture than the kuda.

Are there lots of hitches? They could be hitching to each other as there is not enough room in the best locations.

[Joanna]

Hi

Thanks for that, it 's put my mind at ease! Perhaps they're just getting to know each other?? When i say fighting, one had hitched to the other and the other was trying his best to free himself, and did look like he try to have a go with his mouth at him. But then there was food put in and they both let go and looked liek they though 'mmmm food' then forgot each other were there.

Any advice on how to get a photie up so i can get an ID check?

If they have a 'go' they usually peck (not sure if that is the right word). Mine sometimes hitch onto each other (even though I have loads of hitching places) and this can look like they are going to strangle or suffocate each other. They wrap their tails around the neck, face or body and the 'victim' will struggle free. The only time I have seen mine have a go was when 2 males were after the same female. They soon got over it though. :D

Joanna

[denise.gardner]

at the moment the only way to put photos up is with phto bucket.two males will not fight when they grab hold of each other its just instinct.in the nursery i often have 8 or more together like that and the adults do it all the time.especially around the snout sometimes it looks like they are trying to stop the other from eating.i would just ut in more hitches as i think if they havent enough it brings on this behaviour.kuda have shorter snouts the reidi and reidi tend to have spots but there are alot of crosses out there and we cant forget about barbs and erectus.try down loading onto photobucket.then press ctrl plus c then back onto the post here and ctrl andv. den

[plumbob]

Thanks for all your imput guys.

What I meant by 'having a go' was indeed pecking. They really do seems to have calmed down now to be fair, they are demonstrating hitching on to each other, it may be down to not enough hitching places, especially where the food gets dropped. I have sinece put in a handfull of the green macro algae (not sure of the technical term but it's sort of smoot leafy texture). They seem happier in that and are now swimming together - occasionally hitching on to one and other when they come to a stop.

Incidently, probably not for this thread, but when I bought the newr one home he is SO SO thin :( the LFS said he mainly fed on brine shrimp (great - I know it's like you or I living on celery!) felt like i've rescued him really. He chomping down frozen mysis at a rate of knots - which is a good sign, i'm feeding about 3 times a day - is ther a good chance he'll fatten back up again? Rib are is very thin, stomach almost looks concaved at time, other than that he's showing no sign of distress so I'm hoping i can fatten him up again.

I'll post image ASAP for ID.

[denise.gardner]

hopefuly he will recover are you put a vitamin in with his food something like lipovit or there are some other ones out there.seahorses dont have proper stomachs so really need to eat 3 times a day.but if he is eating that is a very good sign their stomachs tend to be in unless pregnant it is normaly by looking at the chest that you will see how well fed they are ,unless they are female and have just transfered eggs over.did you work out what i said about photobucket ? den

[Joanna]

Incidently, probably not for this thread, but when I bought the newr one home he is SO SO thin :( the LFS said he mainly fed on brine shrimp (great - I know it's like you or I living on celery!) felt like i've rescued him really. He chomping down frozen mysis at a rate of knots - which is a good sign, i'm feeding about 3 times a day - is ther a good chance he'll fatten back up again? Rib are is very thin, stomach almost looks concaved at time, other than that he's showing no sign of distress so I'm hoping i can fatten him up again.

I'll post image ASAP for ID.

Hopefully you've saved him so good for you. :D Shame on the LFS! :mad:

Joanna