Seahorse breeding

[Oldnewbie]

Just a quick question where do you guys purchase your seahorses?......i got mine through Reef Secrets on the Goldcoast,i bought another tank and was thinking of getting a different variety.

[DgrMouse]

I use several different sources to get the variety I want... What type do you have at the moment?

[Oldnewbie]

I have 2xpairs of kudas i think something around the same size, maybe barbouri ?im open to suggestions of varieties

[DgrMouse]

Barbouri's are about 1.5x the size of a kuda, if you can get a pair eating frozen, go for it...
briceveps are colder watef, but look really cool ....
angustus are trickier to breed if you want to try and breed them...
subelongatus are larger but are hardier than most...
reidi's would be perfect, but trying to find them in australia now is almost impossible...

hope this helps

[Oldnewbie]

Augustas might be the go then (always up for a challenge) any idea where i could access some from ? Reefsecrets go a pair in when i got the kudas but i missed out on them .

[DgrMouse]

I thikn its just going to be a waiting game... I'll see what I can do with my suppliers over thiis side of the country

[Jaguar]

Augustas might be the go then (always up for a challenge) any idea where i could access some from ? Reefsecrets go a pair in when i got the kudas but i missed out on them .

I wanted Augustas, no one atm is captively breeding them. You'll need to contact WA and find someone with a collecting license to get you some breeding stock. Once they arrive you should go through the proper deworming/parasite removal treatments. Be aware some might not survive the treatments.

Just found my contact. Ocean Reef Marine can get these for you as I had previously contacted them for broodstock, but decided not to go through with seahorses Best of luck!

[DgrMouse]

I can get the subelongatus which is a very close relative to the augustus. The only real main difference is that subelongatus fry are benthic froim birth, whereas the augustusis pelagic for the first few weeks. I'm sure there are more genetic diffferences, but this is one that stands out.

[Oldnewbie]

I can access some Augutus from Brisbane but they are wild caught and the guy was vague when i questioned him about if they were eating frozen as well as live....so i am not sure about him will make a few more phone calls,whats your ideas on wild caught?

[DgrMouse]

Most of my brood stock is wild caught. They give the best results when breeding. Shelf life for these guys is usually aroung the 3 year mark(that what I am getting), but I also have one male who has just turned 5
Be very careful when selecting wild caught as I have been caught out before with them and they have not eaten frozens. I still have them, only because I have a constant supply of enriched live brine for them. If you can, see them feeding off frozens in person, failing that, a good video does the trick (the reason why a good video is so you can pick out perticular markings that you can compare your delivery with).

In saying that though, I have recently aquired 2 pairs of subelongatus that were live feeders, and they took to frozen within 48 hours after seeing my other subby's mashing away at the frozen mysis. They learn rather quickly what is food and what isn't