Seahorse Fry Breeding and Raising

[jones02]

hows everything coming alone? got any little ponys yet?

 

[yveterinarian]

No babies yet but my tank is now done cycling and has had it's first major water change in preparation for the fry.  My female was very fat last week and is slim once again.  I did not see any eggs dropped this time so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Jack is pregnant.  I'll know in two to two and a half weeks.  Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[AdamS]

Nice build.

With the foot valve, make sure you service it and it doesn't get a buildup of whatever.

With the wiring, don't worry about it corroding, it's copper. Eves troughs were made of copper years ago and last forever, or until someone steals them.

 

[yveterinarian]

Thanks Adam

I'll keep it in mind for the foot valve.  Luckily it is clear so I can see the inner workings and will notice as soon as it gets a buildup.  As for the wiring, I've always gone a little overboard with wiring in trying to make everything as safe as possible, even if it isn't needed LOL.  I figure salt is never good for anything and even though evaporated water has no salt in it, I could get splashing without realizing it until too late.  Just me being super cautious  ;D

 

[jones02]

jack holding yet?

 

[yveterinarian]

jack holding yet?

Not yet.  I have hopes for this week though because Janet is full of eggs again.  I adjusted the flow in their tank two weeks ago after he dropped a beautiful plump batch of eggs    (they make great food for my reef tank) so I'm hoping that he will be able to catch them this time.  I'm watching the tank daily with my fingers crossed.
I think there was too much flow on the surface of the water so I aimed it downwards and they look happier now.  They do the egg transfer at the top of the tank so I hope I have fixed the problem.  My fry tanks are cycled and ready but I have to keep feeding them with ammonia to keep up the bacteria count.  I can't wait to have something better to put in there!

 

[sunnykita]

good luck with the egg transfer and fry ! I can hardly wait for the updates !

 

[yveterinarian]

Thanks.  Today I also took out one of the females because both have eggs ready and both are trying to get in the way of the other.  I kept in Jack's usual mate Janet and I should know in the next couple of days whether they were successful.  Luckily Chrissie isn't too mad at me and ate well today.  They have quite the personalities and one will sulk if Jack is flirting with the other.  When I took Jack out to be by himself for his last birthing he sulked for days.  It's quite a soap opera sometimes! 

 

[sunnykita]

Thanks.  Today I also took out one of the females because both have eggs ready and both are trying to get in the way of the other.  I kept in Jack's usual mate Janet and I should know in the next couple of days whether they were successful.  Luckily Chrissie isn't too mad at me and ate well today.  They have quite the personalities and one will sulk if Jack is flirting with the other.  When I took Jack out to be by himself for his last birthing he sulked for days.  It's quite a soap opera sometimes!

oh my! they sound like quite the family members! I'll have to do some more reading on the seahorses. Do they do better with more than one female? You must be on pins and needles waiting for each development ! here's hoping for babies to raise !!
good luck

 

[yveterinarian]

oh my! they sound like quite the family members! I'll have to do some more reading on the seahorses. Do they do better with more than one female? You must be on pins and needles waiting for each development ! here's hoping for babies to raise !!
good luck

Ha Ha, they are definitely fun  .  Yes, I'm on pins and needles - now they are ignoring each other!  I hope they take notice soon or I'll have another batch of dropped eggs on my hands   
I'm not sure if they do better with more females than males but from what I am seeing, I think it might be better with pairs.  When Chrissie has eggs ready and she sees Jack flirting with Janet she buts in lately (she will literally get in between and push them apart).  I do know that two males and one female won't work because the males fight.  If you don't want them to breed then all females is the best but even that's not totally guaranteed becaues some females can change to males after years of being female and having eggs.  No one yet knows why they do that because it doesn't always happen in an all female environment. 
When I first got them I had a smaller tank and could only get 3.  I have now upgraded and can have up to 6 but can't find any more right now.  Hoping I can raise some babies and put 3 more into my tank.  Hopefully that will end the rivalry as I will make sure I have even numbers of each.

 

[phi delt reefer]

you breeding seahorses or writing a soap opera?!?!?




excellent work with the system - looks like its very well thought out. Good luck with the breeding, keep us updated!

have you thought about putting some bangaii cardinals in the sump to keep the bacteria population from dipping and causing a recycle? - those breed well in captivity as well. I'm not sure if the system requirements of both is very different.

 

[sunnykita]

[quote author=phi delt reefer link=topic=3910.msg42667#msg42667 date=1362066590]
you breeding seahorses or writing a soap opera?!?!?

I love the fact that you'll be able to have more when you can find them or babies that hatch. I chuckle at the soap opera comment, it's what makes them so interesting to observe.
It's funny how adding a diffferent species can change the tank dynamics. I bought Brandon's bengaii and as pretty and peaceful as they are, the added bonus was that for some reason it settled the tomato clowns down a little, bullies that they are. All is good in clown heaven !
I'm looking forward to seahorse updates as they come in. I've been looking at your plumbing build for the sump. It's next on the list of things to do.

 

[Poseidon]

Ya are they doing good sunny? Any signs of breeding yet?

 

[sunnykita]

Ya are they doing good sunny? Any signs of breeding yet?

they're doing great Brandon, no signs of breeding yet, I have so much work to do on the tank to get it where I want it to be, I don't know if they'll breed in a community tank, but it's incredible how the addition of them changed the tank dynamics, it never ceases to amaze me. The tomatoes have settled down as much as tomatoes will lol and my little black and white has found his spot and no one bothers him since the bengaii have come in. I am thrilled with the addition, thanks so much !
sorry, didn't mean to hijack the post !

 

[yveterinarian]

you breeding seahorses or writing a soap opera?!?!?




excellent work with the system - looks like its very well thought out. Good luck with the breeding, keep us updated!

have you thought about putting some bangaii cardinals in the sump to keep the bacteria population from dipping and causing a recycle? - those breed well in captivity as well. I'm not sure if the system requirements of both is very different.

I really wonder some days   

I can't put anything else in the fry rearing tanks because of possible pathogens that the little guys wouldn't be immune to so this is a completely sterile tank setup with no rock, no sand just bioballs and filter floss at the moment and I'm looking into some Kaldness K1.  It has been used with great success to house the bacteria in fry tanks.
I have cycled with ammonia and a bacteria culture only so that no pathogens are introduced and can't do the rock or sand because it is such a pain to sterilize after each batch of fry.

 

[sunnykita]

I really wonder some days   

I can't put anything else in the fry rearing tanks because of possible pathogens that the little guys wouldn't be immune to so this is a completely sterile tank setup with no rock, no sand just bioballs and filter floss at the moment and I'm looking into some Kaldness K1.  It has been used with great success to house the bacteria in fry tanks.
I have cycled with ammonia and a bacteria culture only so that no pathogens are introduced and can't do the rock or sand because it is such a pain to sterilize after each batch of fry.
[/quote]

Don't we all wonder some days? I have those days, but then I do something with the tank and I'm happy again. For me it was frustrating having to start over, finally realizing that everything that the lfs had told me was completely wrong. Thank goodness Bill at IA pointed me in the direction of the frag tank or I'm afraid I would have eventually thrown in the towel. Believe me I still have days that I wonder about the expense of setting the tank up right, BUT for me who doesn't travel a lot, has no signifigant other unless you count the 4 legged critters it's  that little slice of heaven to come home and watch the interaction in the tank.
So when you wonder, just take a look at your seahorse family, and think of those magnificent babies to come, it will come together. I think you have a great mentor in the fellow that you have been giving your fry to, and that helps. Those mountains we climb to get there make the success that much sweeter ! Good luck !

 

[yveterinarian]

Sunnykita:
I agree 100%  .  I have been off now for 2 months with a torn rotator cuff and my tanks are the joy of my day.  My comment about "I wonder" was referring to the comment about breeding seahorses or writing a soap opera  .  Watching them interact with each other is often like a soap opera and I see so much more now that I have been off.
Thanks for the encouragement, and, if you wish maybe we could get together someday and trade stories.  I'm only 15 min out of Woodstock.  I go back to work Monday for light duties until surgery because I'm bored!  Knowing my luck, now that I'm going back this will be when Jack gets pregnant and I won't have as much time to devote to feeding the Fry!  Oh well, I'll be over the moon when it happens,  ;D

 

[sunnykita]

Sunnykita:
I agree 100%  .  I have been off now for 2 months with a torn rotator cuff and my tanks are the joy of my day.  My comment about \"I wonder\" was referring to the comment about breeding seahorses or writing a soap opera  .  Watching them interact with each other is often like a soap opera and I see so much more now that I have been off.
Thanks for the encouragement, and, if you wish maybe we could get together someday and trade stories.  I'm only 15 min out of Woodstock.  I go back to work Monday for light duties until surgery because I'm bored!  Knowing my luck, now that I'm going back this will be when Jack gets pregnant and I won't have as much time to devote to feeding the Fry!  Oh well, I'll be over the moon when it happens,  ;D

I'd love to get together sometime, let's hope that Jack holds off or gets started before you return to full duties. Oh dear, full time light duty? has surgery been scheduled yet?  I work steady afternonon shift, at least until mid April when I'll be laid off and hoping to do second career through EI. I'm sure we can work something out. thanks for the invitation !

 

[hazey]

any updates? babies in the tank's yet?

 

[yveterinarian]

Not yet.  They are not cooperating now that I have finished this setup  .  I keep my fingers crossed each week since the females have new eggs ready but so far....nothing.  Since there are no babies at present, I thought I'd post some pictures of the would be parents  ;D

Chrissie - she loves to be near the top of the tank and eats out of my hands

This is Jack - the one who keeps missing those eggs!  He thinks he is hiding 

Janet is on the left - She loves to perch here to find the food as it hits the bottom of the tank

Here is one of all three.  They really like the columns on this decoration.

Full tank shot

I chose to go with fake decorations that they can't get stuck in because seahorses seem to have a propensity for getting stuck.  It is also much easier to clean.  No detritus builds up anywhere and I remove any uneaten food and poops two times a day. The bottom is bare bottom and I painted the underside with a sand color paint with flecks in it so that it looks like a sand bed without the chance of harmful bacteria buildup.