hinnenkm Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 On 6/1/2018 at 1:16 PM, ajkochev said: Great tank! Love the colors of the critters! Thank you much! Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 Long time since the last update, but I’m sitting and waiting for some work to get done on my car - why not spend the time on here?! Several weeks ago I lost one of the ponies and quite honestly am not sure why. I felt (and still feel horrible) because obviously when we take on the responsibility of having any kind of tank, we are committing to taking care of these animals as much as we possibly can. The only thing that I could identify was that nitrates were at 5ppm, but from what I’ve read and experienced, it shouldn’t be enough to harm the inhabitants and everyone else was doing well. Here is the remaining pony: Since that time, I have waited and let the tank sit - keeping up on water changes and testing my water consistently. Nitrates tend to be between 1ppm and 2.5 ppm. I siphon out detritus just about every other day and do a large water change at least once a week. I also upgraded the filter to an aquaclear 70 and added Seachem matrix to it - very interest in seeing what effect that has. There has been some exciting news as well! There is a seahorse breeding facility about 20 minutes from where I live and I got to schedule a visit. It was so interesting to see the set up and get to see the horses. I did end up taking two of them with me and they are beautiful. There were so many babies and it was so cool to see how different they all are! It was so difficult to decide which ones to bring home with me, but I got two more females because I’m not looking to add a male to the mix at the moment. Here is one of the new ones with the baby dragon 🙂 The other one shows up in the video above and she is beautiful as well - she’s maintained a nice silver color. Lately they have taken to hitching high in the tank on the cord attached to one of the pumps... I am very much enjoying these creatures and appreciate that you took time to read through the update. If you have any suggestions or comments for me, I would love to hear them. Thank you! 4 1 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Sorry to hear you lost one, it can be difficult to discern the cause 😔 What a cool tour of the seahorse breeding facility, wow! The floating plastic chains are brilliant. The video of them feeding in the breeding tank, are they hatching live food right there in that slotted tube, or is it just added to each tank during feeding time? I like the two that you picked out to take home, very unique markings! Thanks for sharing @hinnenkm! 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 3 hours ago, hinnenkm said: More videos coming today! Thanks 🙂 Hahaha exactly with the starfish! Thanks for the comments and an update is happening today! Can't wait! Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted June 30, 2018 Author Share Posted June 30, 2018 6 hours ago, Christopher Marks said: Sorry to hear you lost one, it can be difficult to discern the cause 😔 What a cool tour of the seahorse breeding facility, wow! The floating plastic chains are brilliant. The video of them feeding in the breeding tank, are they hatching live food right there in that slotted tube, or is it just added to each tank during feeding time? I like the two that you picked out to take home, very unique markings! Thanks for sharing @hinnenkm! I need to learn a bit more about their process, but the live food is hatched and grown out on site - I don't believe it's grown in the tanks with the babies though. It's a lot of fun to see how the babies hunt the brine shrimp. I might start helping there every once in awhile, and if that's the case, I'll have a lot more info! Thanks for the compliment on the ones I picked 🙂 6 hours ago, vlangel said: Can't wait! The update happened earlier and I will try to keep this updated a bit more often, but who knows?! 2 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 I am sorry for your loss and I know how hard it is. In my almost 4 years of keeping seahorses I have lost 3 ponies and each one effected me profoundly. Each time its so painful I think about giving up ponies. Like Christopher said, the cause of death is not always apparent. I am sure that it was not your nitrates however. Seahorses can tolerate nitrates up to 20 ppm. Generally what hurts seahorses is bacterial. Bacteria can attack their gills, their skin or their gut. If they eat a piece of frozen mysis that was hidden in the tank for over 24 hours, that piece of mysis starts to decay and breed bacteria. When a hungry pony eats that decomposing mysis, its gut does not have the flora or fauna to combat the bacteria and it quickly grows in the seahorse and overcomes it. That may have been the cause but I am speculating. Just like us any number of physical things can malfunction too. I am still learning myself about these lovely amazing creatures. 2 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted July 1, 2018 Author Share Posted July 1, 2018 15 hours ago, vlangel said: I am sorry for your loss and I know how hard it is. In my almost 4 years of keeping seahorses I have lost 3 ponies and each one effected me profoundly. Each time its so painful I think about giving up ponies. Like Christopher said, the cause of death is not always apparent. I am sure that it was not your nitrates however. Seahorses can tolerate nitrates up to 20 ppm. Generally what hurts seahorses is bacterial. Bacteria can attack their gills, their skin or their gut. If they eat a piece of frozen mysis that was hidden in the tank for over 24 hours, that piece of mysis starts to decay and breed bacteria. When a hungry pony eats that decomposing mysis, its gut does not have the flora or fauna to combat the bacteria and it quickly grows in the seahorse and overcomes it. That may have been the cause but I am speculating. Just like us any number of physical things can malfunction too. I am still learning myself about these lovely amazing creatures. I appreciate your comments and speculation on what might have happened! I don't know that there will be a great answer, but that theory is very much a possibility. I do try to siphon out uneaten food and have what I think is a decent clean up crew (quite a few nassarius snails, nano brittle star, trochus snails, and two gold ring cowries), but I'm sure there is some that gets trapped in spots within the rock?! I've been trying to think of what else I can add as far as clean up crew that would help even more so with food that the ponies don't eat.... if you have any ideas, let me know! Overall though, I'm happy with how the tank has been running so far and it is definitely a different side of the hobby with these animals 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 43 minutes ago, hinnenkm said: I appreciate your comments and speculation on what might have happened! I don't know that there will be a great answer, but that theory is very much a possibility. I do try to siphon out uneaten food and have what I think is a decent clean up crew (quite a few nassarius snails, nano brittle star, trochus snails, and two gold ring cowries), but I'm sure there is some that gets trapped in spots within the rock?! I've been trying to think of what else I can add as far as clean up crew that would help even more so with food that the ponies don't eat.... if you have any ideas, let me know! Overall though, I'm happy with how the tank has been running so far and it is definitely a different side of the hobby with these animals 🙂 I have peppermint shrimp in my tank but they steal mysis from the pony's food bowl. I moved my food bowl up high on the glass with magnets so the peppermint shrimp only eat the mysis that gets wasted. I also have nassarius snails and my rock is full of mini stars that get food out of crevices in the rock. Your rock will populate with mini stars as the tank matures. You want mini stars but you try to limit bristle worms. 1 Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 2 hours ago, vlangel said: I have peppermint shrimp in my tank but they steal mysis from the pony's food bowl. I moved my food bowl up high on the glass with magnets so the peppermint shrimp only eat the mysis that gets wasted. I also have nassarius snails and my rock is full of mini stars that get food out of crevices in the rock. Your rock will populate with mini stars as the tank matures. You want mini stars but you try to limit bristle worms. By mini stars, do you mean the nano brittle stars, or asterinas, or a different type? 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 7 hours ago, banasophia said: By mini stars, do you mean the nano brittle stars, or asterinas, or a different type? I mean the nano brittle stars but I have asterinas too. I think the asterinas only eat algae but I have seen the nano brittle stars grab mysis that is in the rocks and stuck in macro algae. My rock is almost 20 years old since I have had it and its been in my aquariums all that time, so there is lots of life on/in it. 1 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted July 11, 2018 Author Share Posted July 11, 2018 The tank is still running kind of on cruise control. I haven't given it too much attention besides feeding and water changes because in a couple weeks, they are getting a new home! I picked up a 25 lagoon/stand/media baskets/upgraded pump for really cheap and since I have females, don't need to worry about them needing the height to court one another. The tank is currently at a friends house because I'm going to be on vacation for about a month and he will be caring for them (has 4 ponies as well). I'm learning that I am someone who needs to have a full schedule, and since summer time has opened my schedule up a bit more, I began working at a seahorse facility here in Minnesota - where I got two of my horses from. It's just a few hours a week, but it is a good experience and helps me to better care for my own ponies. On to some pics and videos! One day old babies 🙂 The babies below are a couple months I think. And finally, my ponies - can’t wait to get rid of the tank they are in! Oh, and I picked up an abalone as part of the clean up crew - super interesting creature! 6 2 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 Update time... This summer, I spent 3 weeks in Puerto Rico and while there, I ended up getting my open water scuba certification! During that time, I completed skills and dives quickly and ended up getting an extra dive in. The instructor loves seahorses as much as I do and for my last dive, she said we were going to look for seahorses (there are typically several in the area). I was the one who ended up spotting it 😍 Beyond that, it was great to get home to my ponies as well 🙂 They are now in a nuvo 25 and seem to be super happy. It doesn't look like much, but I like how the tank is going. Funny story with the fake coral too, I didn't really want it and my friend kept trying to get my to put it in the tank.... the horses actually prefer it to the natural stuff! Oh and the pole was made by him too because a couple of them like to sleep higher up in the tank 😂 The ponies are very active feeders too - which I am grateful for! Can you spot the seahorse below?The newest and last addition 🙂 She is pretty timid so far, but looking forward to her getting used to things! 3 2 Quote Link to comment
banasophia Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 Very cool!!! I think you’re a seahorse whisperer. 💗 1 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 On 8/31/2018 at 11:49 PM, banasophia said: Very cool!!! I think you’re a seahorse whisperer. 💗 Hahahah, thanks 🙂 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 October update... The ponies are all doing well and I am still loving them (although I wish I had a bit more time to enjoy them)! I do pretty small water changes every other day to keep up with the detritus that builds up and to make sure any additional waste is getting syphoned out. I do still have some algae going on, so I am trying to get into a better routine with the larger water changes - trying to keep those to once a week, but looking to increase the volume of them. I would like to work on the scape a bit more too, just haven't had the resources to do so yet. Beyond that, I found a really cool gorgonian about two weeks ago that the ponies have been loving 🙂 4 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Whoa, how cool you got scuba certified and got to dive with seahorses! Amazing. Glad and to see your ponies are doing so well, the new one is a beauty! Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 44 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said: Whoa, how cool you got scuba certified and got to dive with seahorses! Amazing. Glad and to see your ponies are doing so well, the new one is a beauty! Thanks for catching up on this thread (I definitely don't update it often...)! Yes, scuba was INCREDIBLE and I'm looking forward to my next opportunity to dive. Seeing a seahorse was, without a doubt, one of the coolest experiences I've had to date and my ponies at home have been great too 🙂 3 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 That is something I would like to do too is dive where there are seahorses. I do not have a diving certificate but it is on my bucket list. 1 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 8 minutes ago, vlangel said: That is something I would like to do too is dive where there are seahorses. I do not have a diving certificate but it is on my bucket list. Yes, if you get the chance, do it! It's such a neat experience going under the water with all of the knowledge that we have from this hobby 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 How are all the ponies doing @hinnenkm? Any new classroom tanks this year? Hope you're well! 1 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 On 8/21/2019 at 10:38 AM, Christopher Marks said: How are all the ponies doing @hinnenkm? Any new classroom tanks this year? Hope you're well! Thank you so very much for checking in and hope you are well to @Christopher Marks! Life has been really chaotic (in mostly good ways with the school year starting, travel, and other life stuff). The ponies are doing well - I'll try to get some updated videos on here. I moved them back to the column tank so that I can actually see them and interact with them. In the 25, they just seemed to all get lost. It's been great to see their personalities come out more and they are super active - especially when they're hungry! As far as classroom tanks, this will finally be the first year that I go back with the same tank as the previous year. I like the process of getting new tanks up and running, but I finally found the best fit for a classroom tank and it's the Fusion 10 (the majority of corals are softies). We are still holding our aquarium club meetings and have a frag tank going as well 🙂 There are exciting things happening and if anyone is interested in more frequent updates on that tank, they can go to Facebook and check out Quinto's Corals. 1 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted September 10, 2019 Author Share Posted September 10, 2019 Quick video 🙂 3 3 Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 12 hours ago, Christopher Marks said: 😍 My thoughts too! Thank you 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment
Seadragon Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Your ponies are so amazing! Whenever I saw them holding onto each other, I just had to play this song in the background: Quote Link to comment
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