seahorse ID please [Archive] - Reef Central Online Community

4218kris

10/15/2009, 11:30 PM

i just got these girls (i believe) from petco today for 24.95 each thought that was a good deal even if the sign just said black seahorses what ever kind they are id like to know. any one know?

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/001-3.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/002-4.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/003-2.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/004-16.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/005-1.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/006-15.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/007-13.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b95/4218kris/008-7.jpg

rayjay

10/16/2009, 01:31 PM

Here in Canada we have been getting "black" seahorses sourced from Viet Nam that look like yours and they appear to be H. Kuda.
They are net pen raised but have been sold here as captive bred.
I don't think you will every find a true captive bred and raised for that kind of money.

4218kris

10/16/2009, 02:55 PM

they were sold to me as tank raised but yea im not surprised if they are not.

namxas

10/16/2009, 03:29 PM

they look to be some of the "kelloggi" (more than likely they're hybrids) that show up in trade. these SH are raised in net pens in the ocean (usually from Sri Lanka or SE Asia), and should really be treated as WC specimens, which includes prophylactic treatment for parasites (flukes/ciliates).

unfortunately, the true cost of ownership of these SH adds a lot to their cheap price tags. just as unfortunately, these SH typically don't do very well in the long term, but i do wish you luck with them.

are they eating frozen mysis?

4218kris

10/16/2009, 03:53 PM

they look to be some of the "kelloggi" (more than likely they're hybrids) that show up in trade. these SH are raised in net pens in the ocean (usually from Sri Lanka or SE Asia), and should really be treated as WC specimens, which includes prophylactic treatment for parasites (flukes/ciliates).

unfortunately, the true cost of ownership of these SH adds a lot to their cheap price tags. just as unfortunately, these SH typically don't do very well in the long term, but i do wish you luck with them.

are they eating frozen mysis?

yes i saw one at the store eating mysis and at my home. the other goes up to the mysis but acts like he knows they are dead so doesnt eat them. they both have been eating the high population of pods in my 12g nano that they are in. i have a 20g octagon in my back yard im thinking would be better for them since its really tall.

FMarini

10/16/2009, 06:51 PM

we get these all the time in Houston. "Black" H Kuda from Viet Nam.
From what the wholesaler told me- they are raised in cement troughs- similar to water runoffs (like a bayou) that they flood w/ seawater. The fry are taken when young and weaned onto prepared mysids. So they do claim they are captive bred/raised.
These guys are very competitive eaters, and will readily take PE mysis, and a number of smaller mysid products.
A number of friends have had good success keeping these, and feeding them prepared foods

I guess these might be different fish than what Greg is describing, or all black seahorses look the same

4218kris

10/16/2009, 08:39 PM

i just got cyclops frozen cubes is it the same as cyclop-eeze?

namxas

10/16/2009, 09:33 PM

I guess these might be different fish than what Greg is describing, or all black seahorses look the same

you're right Frank, from what i understand by speaking with some breeders i know, there is a "better than usual" source in Viet Nam, and their SH tend to fare a bit better than many.

that being said, the SH in this thread aren't kuda. they don't have the back-sloping coronet of the species.

the trouble with these SH is that many of them are raised for the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) trade, and are destined to be dried and ground into powder, and as such, quality isn't a major concern.

Elysia

10/20/2009, 12:51 AM

Their chests are so broad, I would have guessed erectus. I know that some of the major distributors carry erectus regularly; perhaps QM had a sale or PetCo has buying power that permitted such a low price on these girls. If not, the price would suggest a species that is regularly net pen raised.

4218kris

10/20/2009, 04:57 AM

now both are eating frozen and one of my peppermints are having babies right now so im sure the seahorses will love that.

namxas

10/20/2009, 11:03 AM

Their chests are so broad, I would have guessed erectus. I know that some of the major distributors carry erectus regularly; perhaps QM had a sale or PetCo has buying power that permitted such a low price on these girls. If not, the price would suggest a species that is regularly net pen raised.

i noticed the broad chests too, and it gave me pause...they seem awfully smooth for erectus tho. maybe they're northerns? they have a shortish snout...i've only ever kept southerns, which is what i compared these with.

this pix aren't really good enuff to count rings and telltale face spines.

Elysia

10/21/2009, 07:57 PM

I'm certainly nowhere close to being an ID expert; and we all know that photos can be deceiving...

4218kris

10/29/2009, 07:17 PM