Dawn's pony garden.

[vlangel]

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByQrWzDpuik/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

[vlangel]

 

[kimdawg]

 

They are so graceful when they move.  I love this tank, but really hate that you were not able to do the mini seahorse competition tank.  I was looking forward to watching it develop because I don't know anything about seahorses.

[vlangel]

6 hours ago, kimdawg said:

 

They are so graceful when they move.  I love this tank, but really hate that you were not able to do the mini seahorse competition tank.  I was looking forward to watching it develop because I don't know anything about seahorses.

The gracefulness is part of the charm of keeping seahorses.  Also their kind natures.  They care about each other and never do the fish thing where everyone packs up and bullys the weak individual until they kill it.  Seahorses seem to actually rally around a weak pony and try to encourage it.

 

I have not given up on dwarf seahorses, I am just putting them on the back burner until I know that I have the time to give them the proper care.

[thecoralbeauty]

3 hours ago, vlangel said:

The gracefulness is part of the charm of keeping seahorses.  Also their kind natures.  They care about each other and never do the fish thing where everyone packs up and bullys the weak individual until they kill it.  Seahorses seem to actually rally around a weak pony and try to encourage it.

 

I have not given up on dwarf seahorses, I am just putting them on the back burner until I know that I have the time to give them the proper care.

They flourish in your care because your kind nature is the same!

 

I'm so thankful that you share your tank with us on here. They're so beautiful and unique- like @kimdawg said, the gracefulness is captivating.

it's a kind of grace that we don't often get to enjoy in our tanks. 🙂

[vlangel]

9 hours ago, mwhitelock said:

They flourish in your care because your kind nature is the same!

 

I'm so thankful that you share your tank with us on here. They're so beautiful and unique- like @kimdawg said, the gracefulness is captivating.

it's a kind of grace that we don't often get to enjoy in our tanks. 🙂

You are very sweet.  I am thankful that you are willing to follow my seahorse tank.

[debbeach13]

I do not want to be a pest but any updates?

[vlangel]

I never consider you a pest.  Just got home from SC vacation.  The grandkids came with us so I guess my son is the one on vacation now, ha ha!

[vlangel]

So it has been a very long time since I updated the pony tank.  The good news is that both ponies and tank are well.  I have upped their food to 3-4 Xs a day because of Eve being kind of thin.  She eats well, still has enthusiasm for life and loves her roommates, Samson and Delilah.  Eve will have been with me for 5 years on Oct 2nd.

 

Samson has a swelling or bump on his tail but he still hitches fine.  It could be an air bubble issue but does not effect his buoyancy or swimming or hitching so I have not done anything.  Male seahorses seem especially vulnerable to air bubble issues which is thought to be caused by an inbalance in their system and possibly due to excess organic compounds in the water.  Diamox is the only known cure except putting them in very deep water to increase the water pressure on their body.  I have diamox but it must be injected into live shrimp that the ponies are eating.  The shrimp do not stay live very long when injected so I just haven't done anything since Samson seems fine.

 

Delilah is just as cute and exotic as ever with her cirri.  She never lost it which is really cool.

[vlangel]

 

Here is a pic of the ponies.  Eve is in the foreground, Samson is under all the macro algae and Delilah is in the back corner hitched to the battery back up tubing.

[WV Reefer]

9 minutes ago, vlangel said:

 

Here is a pic of the ponies.  Eve is in the foreground, Samson is under all the macro algae and Delilah is in the back corner hitched to the battery back up tubing.

hopefully Samson will be ok. 🤞🏻
 

Is it bad that Delilah is still my favorite? 😊

[vlangel]

On 9/28/2019 at 11:16 AM, WV Reefer said:

hopefully Samson will be ok. 🤞🏻
 

Is it bad that Delilah is still my favorite? 😊

Nope, Delilah's cirri is super cool.  Yes, I hope Samson will be ok too.  He seems fine.

[vlangel]

I woke up this morning and as I headed into the livingroom with my hubby, we were hit with the unmistakable aroma of fishiness!  I felt a surge of panic as I looked at both tanks expecting the worst.  Neither looked affected at all and everything seemed as it should be to my relief but then where was that smell coming from?

 

Then I remembered that yesterday I took down the 5 and half gallon feeder shrimp tank.  I had moved the macro algaes and feeder shrimp into the basement sump of the seahorse tank.  I had emptied all the water but had left the tank and small amount of sand in it in the basement fishroom.  It turns out that was the culprit.  Whew!!!  Its always good to learn that nothing serious is wrong. 😊

[vlangel]

I have not done a video of the ponies in a very long time.  I only have Eve and Samson now. I found Delilah dead on the bottom of tank about a month or more ago.  She was not exhibiting any disease or sickness so it was a shock.  I guess I will never know why or what happened.  The 2 remaining ponies are fine although Samson has a bump on his tail.  It's been there almost 6 months but he acts fine.

[JBM]

Im so sorry to hear about Delilah's death. All 3 of your ponies are a inspiration. Soon enough, due to your thread. we will have ponies of our own. BTW merry christmas & happy new year

[debbeach13]

Eve and Samson and the tank look great. Sorry about Delilah's passing. Enjoy the New Year.

[vlangel]

11 hours ago, JBM said:

Im so sorry to hear about Delilah's death. All 3 of your ponies are a inspiration. Soon enough, due to your thread. we will have ponies of our own. BTW merry christmas & happy new year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours too!

That is awesome that you are getting ponies.  You will love their gentle inquisitive natures, they are so lovable.  Do you know where you are getting them?

[vlangel]

7 minutes ago, debbeach13 said:

Eve and Samson and the tank look great. Sorry about Delilah's passing. Enjoy the New Year.

Thanks Deb.  The tank is rather barren but I am learning that I can meet the ponies' need for excellant water quality best if there is not much for detritus to get trapped on/in.  They just need a few soft hitches and some vertical space to be happy.  

Happy 2020 to you as well.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Very sorry you lost Delilah, Dawn. Your ponies are gorgeous. Nice to see you back on forums too. 🙂 

[Tamberav]

Sorry you lost one 😞 very beautiful tank!

 

I went to a different LFS I never go to a few days ago because I couldn't find what I needed. They are just way overpriced so I never go. They had a pony in one of their reef display tanks with torches and other stinging LPS. I felt like it set such a bad example and I wondered how long the pony would last. My understanding is this is a big no-no.

 

 

[Pjanssen]

Sorry about the loss of Delilah. Sampson and Eve seem like they are doing well. So nice to see you and your ponies back here. Happy New Year

[vlangel]

On 1/4/2020 at 1:54 PM, Tamberav said:

Sorry you lost one 😞 very beautiful tank!

 

I went to a different LFS I never go to a few days ago because I couldn't find what I needed. They are just way overpriced so I never go. They had a pony in one of their reef display tanks with torches and other stinging LPS. I felt like it set such a bad example and I wondered how long the pony would last. My understanding is this is a big no-no.

 

 

That is correct Tam.  Ponies do not have scales so they are vulnerable to stinging coral in a way fish are not.  Some seahorse keepers do not even put their ponies in with LPS and SPS that do not sting because of the possibility of the stone skeleton showing through the flesh and causing an abrasion on the seahorse.  

[vlangel]

On 1/4/2020 at 8:58 PM, Pjanssen said:

Sorry about the loss of Delilah. Sampson and Eve seem like they are doing well. So nice to see you and your ponies back here. Happy New Year

Thanks Penny.  Happy 2020 to you as well.

[vlangel]

Well folks, I have some sad news...Eve my matriarch passed today.  She lived out a long Seahorse life at about 6 and a half.  She was the female of my first pair of ponys and survived a lot of my noobie mistakes.  Now I only have Samson and feel so bad that he is alone.  I am checking my local forums to see if anyone else keeps ponys.  I would rehome him for free so he could enjoy being with other seahorses since they are very social creatures.  My other option is to see if our zoo will take him.  I know they have erectus seahorses so he would fit in well.  Anyway, just wanted to let you all know.

[Han Solo]

That seems like a long lifetime! Good job. Did you breed her yourself? I still have 2 females going strong that I bred from fry about 3 years ago. Unfortunately I have to give them up to a good home soon because I am moving out of my home town of Memphis across the country for a new job.  

 

If you live in Pittsburgh there is guaranteed to be a some group on Facebook that is for saltwater/reef tanks. That's the best place to list livestock to sell locally. Even if you don't have a facebook, you should create an account just for that. You can make sure they go to a good home. Zoos and LFS will rarely take animals from unknown sources. (for good reason) I've even tried before.