SeaHorse Surprise

[texasranchers]

I talked to a lady last week about her horses for sale. We had a nice talk and compared notes about the temp, filters, tanks, etc and stuff. We really didn't want them at that time due to vacation coming up.

She called last night and said she wanted to make a deal. :-D

When I got there this morning Daddy decided to give birth. At this time we probably have 120 fry. :shock: Daddy isn't finished and yes I know how difficult fry are to raise.

Any input will be welcomed.

Do I pass out one cigar for all the births or one cigar for each fry? I'm already in the hole I think. I love my SHs :D I'm still acclimating them to the display tank with our original horses.

[GaryP]

Input - rotifers and lots of them. Get with Misti. She's our baby seahorse expert I believe.

Gary

[texasranchers]

Thanks Gary. I will do. Still getting fry out of Daddy's QT. and into the nursery.

[mathias]

Hmmmm 120 cigars to hand out....


*HOLDS HAND OUT*

[texasranchers]

Misti, I gotta talk to you as soon as I catch my breath.

[NaCl_H2O]

No cigars required, but pictures are!

Congrats Daddy ... or is it Grandpa??

[Sherri]

Congrats! How exciting...keep us informed - definitely get hold of Misti.

[texasranchers]

NaCI H20, Seabiscuit says thanks. Granddad and Grandmom TR are very excited.

Sherri, I will contact Misti tomorrow. I think we are OK for tonight. The babies are eating again before bedtime. (At least our bedtime)

[DeletedAccount]

What type of seahorses are they? Give me a call tomorrow and I can help you where you need it!

Congrats!

Misti 210-262-0075

[texasranchers]

They're still alive! I know it's only been 24 hours but ...that's a start.

Misti thank you for the number. I promise I won't call this early, I'll wait awhile.

[DeletedAccount]

I am a teacher, so I am up... no problem.

[Ram_Puppy]

it's to early for them to need live brine, but I expect your going to need to be looking for rotifers from some one who has a culture going allready. You can get live brine from CB Pets though.

[DeletedAccount]

Some seahorses will not eat rotifers - too small, even for new borns. You more than likely have newly hatched BBS going, and this will work great for both dwarfs and erectus newborns. And they need food within the first 24 hours.

[texasranchers]

RamPuppy thank you for the reply.

Misty, Thank you for the info. I did an id check on one of the web sites.
The description matches H. reidi better than H. kuda.
Short crown, can't tell about cheek spin, spots on body , some stripes but stripes are not even on the tail. One is a beautiful white/beige and female, Daddy male is dusty rose/burnt red(his first 'litter'(?)), second male is dark black/charcoal gray, third male is yellow/beige with spots more so than strips.
My original is H. erectus with his tall pointed crown, yellow, stripes/diamond spots.

Lady gave me the BBS that she had brewing in an upside down soda bottle, airline tubbing, heater.
I need to find her number. She gave me some Life A in a yellow plastic bottle with orange label. Also gave me Selcon with a dropper, pink label, maroon clownfish on it. Point I'm trying to make here is that I don't remember if I am to put it in with the BBS, the Fry or on my MH burned arm.

[DeletedAccount]

Are the babies hitching yet? That will tell you more than anything else about the care of the babies.

You need to use a brine shrimp net to remove the new brine out of the container. Rinse it in freshwater. Put some in the tank. Make sure to rinse the brine first.

For the rest you need to set up an enriching station and a hatching station. Remove the hatched brine from the container and try not to get any egg casings. Then you need to put the brine in a container with air and saltwater with a little of the enrichment products that she gave you.

At the same time start hatching a new set of brine.

Ideally, you should feed out all the brine in the first 4-6 hours, while it is most nutritious. If it gets older than 12 hrs you need to start enriching it, and it still is less nutritious and harder to digest for the seahorses the older it gets. This means that you should have two hatchers going at a time.

For the seahorse water for the babies, you need to change it 1 - 2 times daily, about 50%. With all the babies and brine the water gets fouled very quickly.

If you need anything, I am home now. My number is 210-764-0015 at home.

I can help with anything. If you want to split up the babies to lessen the burden, I am always willing.

[texasranchers]

Thanks Misty for the info.

I just put in the hitching line. I understood I didn't need it for 3 days.

I just took some extra tanks to the storage unit...guess I better go get them. So I need vat #1 and vat #2 and etc. This is absolutly mind bogling.

I've written a will for hubby in case I don't make it thru this ordeal.

[DeletedAccount]

Good idea. I did not think I would make it, either. the constant water changes is what killed me!

Are they hitching? That will give us a better idea of the species so we can better know how to feed.

[texasranchers]

After your earlier post, I did put in the hitching string. Nothing so far has happened and it has been 1.5 hours. They are still just swimming thru the currants of the air line. I do stop the air when I feed. Can you believe I don't have any body counts yet. Don't worry, I know I am not out of the woods yet. Step by step.

[texasranchers]

During the wc last evening, I found 3 little bodies. None are hitching for a very long period of time. They just sort of hitch and go, over and over. The adults are doing very good.

[DeletedAccount]

Glad to here the adults are doing well. Are the babies eating the BBS? If they are not hitching they may need smaller food. Do they gather at the top of the aq?

[texasranchers]

Glad to here the adults are doing well.
Are the babies eating the BBS? FROM what I can tell they are. I keep a magnifying glass close by so I can look close.

If they are not hitching they may need smaller food. Do they gather at the top of the aq? VERY few do. Now that I have put a faux plant in they are hitching more readily to it.


Guess what now? Another male is pregnant. Pumpkin is such a hussy.
Grandmom TR

[texasranchers]

Was able to finally get my pics from the camera.
http://photos.yahoo.com/texaseahorses
First Fry Album and New Herd Album

[Sherri]

Beautiful SH's! Glad they're doing good.

[jenreadsalot]

So cute! What will you do with all of them?!

[texasranchers]

Thanks Sherri. How are your lights doing?

I'll either have to buy more tanks or sale them.

Jen, I'm glad you read a lot. That is very important in anything you do.

[texasranchers]

Today was that terrible time that ppl keep telling me about. I woke to find a few little bodies. CPR doesn't work on them. It was so hard to do the water change. I had knowledge of this possibly happening. Until I saw them lying on the bottom of the nursery tank I couldn't realize how I would feel. I am so greatly for this experience. Well, I still have about 75-100 to care for.

[DeletedAccount]

So, how are the babies doing?????? I am hoping that since I have not gotten a call from you that all is well with them. I sure hope so! I know we would love an update. Raising these babies are a task, any survival is a feat, especially for a first time!

[kaiser]

I would like to put myself on the list for buyers. I am really interested in getting some seahorses.

[texasranchers]

Misty, thank you for your concern. I was given so much direct info from you and from Laura on DFWMAS, I thought I had it under control. Well, by that next morning they were all dead except for five. By that following day they were all gone. I was sad that I failed to raise them. I was glad to have had seven days with them.

Good news is that two others are now pregnant. Maybe this time will go a little better.

On seahorse.org, someone said they looked like h.Reidi.
kaiser, hang in there maybe I'll have some of age by Christmas. Should I call them "Shirley's San Angelo Seahorses. Captive bred and born in Texas, USA?"

[DeletedAccount]

Reidi are not the easiest in the world to raise! Good luck with the next batches. Glad your new ones are horny little things. You got them just in time for mating season number 3!

[texasranchers]

Misty, we just returned from our vacation this evening. I am going to find something really special for our pet sitter. She did great with all our pets. Luckily our males held off birthing. Maybe I'll have a few days to get set up better this time.

Boston was beautiful and we enjoyed it so much. We took the Freedom Trail, visited the Pigram's Plantation, went to Plymouth Rock, toured Mayflower II, visited and toured Lexington, Conquer, Bunker Hill, and Bred's Hill battle grounds. Actually saw the graves of many many men, women, children of the history books, Paul Revere, John Hancock. Saw the Old State House and toured it, the Old South Meeting House.

That evening we had a splendid meal at the Ole Oyster House. Original location.
We did get in a baseball game at Fenway Park. The fans there were so appreciative of their Red Sox. The cheers were trembling the old park seats, the stomping, clapping.

During our vacation we flew out, drove a rental car, rode a train, subway, trolly, bus and walked many miles. It was glorious to see.