My Seahorses arrived!!!

[kmckienz]

I purchased 2 Southern H. Erectus from Premium Aquatics. They were packaged well and arrived alive. My only complaint thus far is that the box was not marked live animal and therefore undoubtedly was tossed around uneccessarily.

They are in the tank and seem to be acclimating well. I had to put a few fake plants for them to use as hitches until live plants become available (LFS said summertime is when live plant stock become more available). So it looks a little strange in my tank but they like them.

Right now I have my lights off and don't want to use a flash or cause them stress so I will take pictures as soon as possible but not until they have had time to acclimate and feel comfortable.

THEY ARE SO COOOOLLLLL! THE COOLEST FISH EVER. I have real horses so this is just the icing on the cake. :bounce:

 

[Alexander]

that's awesome what else is in your tank? I'm not sure if I know of anyone else on here that actually keeps seahorses. get pics up asap!

 

[RyanG]

Cool Kathy I cant wait to see picture Im giddy like a school girl!

 

[kmckienz]

Ok, I took one shot and one shot only as they are still acclimating. They left their hitches to explore the rock a litte. I got this shot at that point (one is looking away from the camera at the liverock)

 

[RyanG]

Look great Kathy? Did you end up with two males? From this angle Im seeing two pouches.

Are you going to get a chiller and Keep this a Pony only tank or try for the full reef?

 

[UnderwaterWorld]

nice seahorses!

 

[kmckienz]

I am thinking I ended up with two males. I requested a male and a female but in their defense they did not specify sex on the sale page. Of course, if they could not give you the specific sex's you would think they would let you know. However, the price was very good ($30 per horse). The shipping cost more than the 2 horses so as long as they are healthy (which they appear to be) I can not complain.

If they turn out to be both boys, I may get two girls in the future...don't know. My tank is really maxed out (and then some). A friend is giving me a 60 gallon tank so I may set up a second tank for seahorse only and move one of the males and a new female over to that (and get a female for the one remaining in my reef tank).


I don't want to say everything that is in my tank because not only do I have too many fish "per the rules" but there are also species (of fish and coral) on the "not with seahorse" list and I don't want to hear from the nay sayers.

These seahorses are McKienzie's now. They will cowboy up!! :mrgreen:

 

[RyanG]

I hope they work out for you Kathy. Just remember they like low flow lower temp and taller tanks. They are gorgeous for sure.

 

[yote]

Those are some great looking ponies.Actually healthier looking than the ones I've around here.
Congratulations and good luck with em.

 

[kmckienz]

Ok, her are my current stats:

and before everyone jumps on me about keeping horses in a Reef tank..I have done a lot of research and I know the risks and issues with doing so. I still want to give it a try.


So the stats of my tank are as follows (and yes, I broke the rules here too but my water parameters are good and all my fish behave... if not.. "OFF with their head"..well ok..not really.. but they will get banished to another tank.

Set-up:
46 gallon bow front
80 lbs live sand
70 lbs live rock
2 biowheel hangon filter, 1 regular hang on filter, and a protein skimmer rated for tanks up to 100 gal
1 power head (had two but that was too much flow)
Nova Extreme T-5 lighting including 2 reg, 2 blue, and lunar lighting

Clean-up crew:
Scarlet Hermit Crab: 4
Blueleg Hermit Crab: 4
Mexican Hermit Crab: 4
Nasssarius Snail: 6

Corals:
Xenia
Green Star Polyps
2 Ricardias
Tubastria polyps (sun coral)
Branching hammer coral
Branching Frog Spawn
Green Eye Zoo polyps
Pink Acropora Frag
Brown Fern looking coral (don't know the name yet but I got it for the horses to hitch to)

Fish:
2 Southern H. Erectus
2 False Percula
Mandarin Dragonet
Lawnmower Blenny
Juvenile Hippo (Regal) Tang (yes, I know he will outgrow my tank)

I have 3 fake plants in there right now for hitching. Once the summer plant stock comes in I will be replacing those with real plants.

 

[RyanG]

Sounds like a very nice set up Kathy. Other than the regal, I think most tankmates are suitable for the ponies. I hope they work out for you.

Edit. Clowns could be killers too. Heres a compatibility chart for all thing that might be kept my the marine aquarist. The frog spawn and hammer could be too.

http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/tankmates.shtml

Not jumping on you Kathy I hope you dont take it that way. Im actually excited to see you try them.

 

[kmckienz]

Thanks.

I have already been on all the websites, read all the lists, care guides etc...

I am stubborn and wanna do it my way.

And by the way, as I was just going to get their feeding station (I hadn't put it in the tank yet, I decided to go ahead and feed their tank mates to fill the up and get them out of the way.... well.. the Seahorses happily let go of their hitches on the side that has more current "flew" through the water and were catching frozen mysis as fast as the other fish.

So much for "slow eaters" Not my guys!!!

Thank you Premium Aquatics for such fat, happy adjusted,and healthy ponies!

They even went over to investigate their tank mates and everyone is getting along great!

 

[yote]

Does the fern like like this?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1519

I think we've all broken a rule or 2 or 3 with our tanks.
What matters is that you know and understand the risks.

I'll bet that when they really get comfortable,you'll see them swim right into the strongest part of the current and ride it across the tank.At the I had would do that.

 

[kmckienz]

No, they had a gorgonian when I went last time, but everyone online that has had one eventually got rid of it or it died because they are hard to keep healthy.

It looks basically like a brown thin branch thing more like a fern (but not that many branches). I'll get pictures tomorrow.

 

[Bifferwine]

It's great that yours are already eating frozen food! That increases the chances that they'll do well by soooo much. Good luck, and thanks for the pics!