Well, check up on the makeshift nursery this morning and only saw 3 babies still alive. Not sure what happen with the other one. Didn’t see any dead body in the container either and I knew I put 4 baby seahorse in that container.
Anyway did 50% water change since the water really look cloudy from feeding the rotifers. Not really sure if they are eating it, but they are still alive.
Also, you would think the brine shrimp would hatch by now, but didn’t see anything wiggling in the hatchery. Maybe the water temp could be little low at room temperature and light bulb shining at it, but I’ll keep it running and see if something will hatch.
We are now down to two horses. Still feeding rotifers. The brine shrimp will not hatch. I guess the eggs are too old. I’ll keep it going and see if it’ll hatch at all.
after 48 hours you might as well throw it out, does Fish Bowl not have any egg kits or packs even off the shelf thou really low hatch rate should hatch some if within a year old.
I guess hatching brine shrimp eggs is not too popular around here so he doesn’t keep them in the store. The ones that are in there now are the one from the old store from the other owner and that’s where I got them from about 3 years ago.
To get some, It would have to be special order which I’ll have to see him about it later.
uhhh, I have some old BS eggs in a can in the fridge. last time i tried hatching them, it was about 60-70 % hatch rate. or less. but would still give you something. i have some really old freeze dried rotifers too from breeding years
. might still be ok. been in the fridge all this time. I got them from Brine Shrimp Direct. The are the best. you could order stuff for the next hatch. these two are probably too late.
I used to hatch BBS back in the day. Don’t know if this will help you, or even if my memory on the process is all that correct, but I used to have a pretty decent hatch rate.
I used to use the old school Sally’s brand that came in the pouches that already had the salt in it and stuff, but if I’m not mistaken the salinity needed to be a little lower than what we typically keep a reef at. I also used to add either a teaspoon or tablespoon of baking soda to keep the pH and alk up. a slight bubbling and after a few days it was good to go. I also used to use the old school upside down 2-liter bottle base with a small air pump.
It’s been a long time since I’ve done it though but maybe something I wrote will help.
I also used to grow all kinds of micro algae too, but that’s not helping your situation any if your able to feed your rotifers.
The horses had some more babies again yesterday. When Ken stop by yesterday I show him the seahorse tank. While I was looking in the tank notice some white speck streaking across the tank. Looked at it real good and close and to my surprise again, it was a seahorse baby. Didn’t know exactly how many was there, but only saw 2 and I believe the 2 did get sucked into the overflow because I don’t see any of them at all any more. Hopefully they are in the overflow or hiding amongst the string of algae somewhere in the tank. I really need to pay attention to them more. I’m sure they’ll be more babies later in the future.
Yeah AJ, seems like they are starting to spawn on a regular basis. you did say you have two males to raise the fry and one female. so i think you should keep a log of spawnings, and try to watch which ones are holding in their pouch. then we can figure out a better time table and setup to rear the little ones in. I think there is too much flow, for the fry and then they go right over the falls in the overflow, and gone. they need a slow tumbling little fish bowl to grow up and feed in. they cant swim against any real current. or catch their food. a big, round fish bowl, no corners to get suck in, and an airstone or sponge filter for circulation. that might do the trick.
Then Dover can be the Seahorse capital of …Delaware?