sea horse questions

[Amadeusb12]

I have 2 juveniles in a 29h tank. There is live rock, macro and a blenny. I seeded the tank with pods from my large reef tank. The two ponies will not except any food. they spend all there time stalking and eating amphipods. I'm worried they will exhaust the pod supply and won't accept frozen food. The dealer had them for 3 weeks, they were fed frozen and were not housed with live rock, so I guess they do know to eat it. Just worried!
They truly are the most amazing creatures! So I guess my being neurotic about them is par for the course.

Beth

[ReefNutPA]

If you actually saw them eat frozen food at the LFS then, yes, they should recognize frozen mysis shrimp as food. Keep in mind, just because a LFS said they fed them frozen doesn't mean they actually ate it

I would still try feeding frozen mysis daily, Hikari brand is smaller mysis and should work well. Stay away from some of the brands that look basically like "mush" when thawed out. It needs to look like whole shrimp.

Try feeding just a few pieces of frozen in one spot on the substrate near the horses. Don't blow the frozen around the tank. In time, hopefully, the seahorses will revert back to frozen assuming they were actually eating it at the LFS.

Tom

[pledosophy]

How long have they been in the new tank?

Sometimes seahorses will take a few days to acclimate to there new environment and eat.

Worst case you can move them to a barebottom tank with no rock for a few days (you will need an external filter) with some hitches and feed frozen there. Without the distractions they will be more likely to notice the food, and you can train to a feeding dish. Also this wil allow you to monitor if they are eating or not, as you will be able to see there poop, which you should syphon out. I use a turkey baster.

JME

[Amadeusb12]

I have worked with this LFS guy a long time. I'd be surprised if he lied about them eating. Anyhow, the juvies have been in their new tank about 2 days. I have watched them stalk and eat amphipods, so I know they are eating. I have tried mysis, a small amount at a time. They notice and then go right back to hunting. They remind me of the heron out in the pond Anyhow, I can try and keep the pod supply up by removing them from fuge on the reef tank. I can also see if they'll eat tigger pods. I'll keep trying mysis too (Hikari). The live rock that is in with them has quite a bit of life. Thankfully I was watching and noticed an uninvited visitor, A MANTIS....I have the shrimp in a bucket aerated while I figure out what to do with it.

Beth