Seahorse ID

[Madreefer]

I picked up 2 of these 2 years ago and the male died about 6 months ago and since there is nobody in my town that has a horse tank I want to get another male. I was told that they were kudas but I think it might be a reidi.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh135/gulflube/seahorse002.jpg

[rayjay]

Pretty hard to tell from that pic. Can you get a full close up profile shot that isn't too dark?
There are many types of seahorses sold under the kuda name so that can be a bit more iffy.

[Madreefer]

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh135/gulflube/seahorse003.jpghttp://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh135/gulflube/seahorse004.jpg

Any better?
The little white patch is sand. Stuff grows on these things they are so slow. I'm pretty sure theres some coraline algae growing on her but it's hard to see in the pics.

[rayjay]

Well the pictures are still too dark for real good comparison but I would say based on the coronet that it is not a reidi. This coronet tilts back like kuda instead of being convoluted like reidi. Also, the snout is a little short for a reidi based on all the ones I have.
Kuda won't have cheek or eye spines to speak of but reidi will usually have eye spines.
Down the back , the kuda will have not much spine definition but reidi will have low rounded spines.

[zenafish]

My gut feeling says H.reidi, after looking at the first pic. The kudas are usually smoother along the back line without the ridges. Although as Ray mentioned, the coronet is a bit tilted.

Then looking at the other pics, I'm not so sure any more :p

I still confuse between reidi and kuda myself...you threw a tough one, LOL.

[Madreefer]

I got this female from Oceans Aquatics and decided to phone them to see if they remembered. Wendal tells me they were selling kuda's. So I guess thats what she is. I'm looking for a male. Anybody have one available?

[rayjay]

For seahorses in the same tank it is recommended that you have all from the same breeding facility to prevent the possiblity of losses from pathogens that each carries that the others don't.
See if he can get you one from the same source as your female.

[Madreefer]

For seahorses in the same tank it is recommended that you have all from the same breeding facility to prevent the possiblity of losses from pathogens that each carries that the others don't.
See if he can get you one from the same source as your female.

Problem is the closest place I can order one from is 500 miles away. The place i bought her from is'nt expecting any to be shipped in. I would really like to have her go to someone in my area that already has a seahorse tank and i'm not taking her to our lfs. I'm only getting her a tank buddy 'cause I think she may be lonely. I turned a refugium in to a seahorse tank and now I think my tank is lacking pods.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Seahorses have a short life span so if you bought this 2 years ago, its probably approaching the end of hers soon. May be better off, in this case to let her live alone and then buy a pair again later. Just a suggestion.

[Madreefer]

Seahorses have a short life span so if you bought this 2 years ago, its probably approaching the end of hers soon. May be better off, in this case to let her live alone and then buy a pair again later. Just a suggestion.

This remaining seahorse was purchased 13 months ago at about 1 1/2". There's a guy in town that has been bringing some livestock in on his own so he'll see if he can bring one in. If not than I plan on letting her live out her life than turning that tank back in to a refugium.

[rayjay]

Under acceptable conditions the lifespan of most seahorses would be 5yrs to 8yrs and sometimes more.
Being that most of the seahorses showing up here in Canada are about 3 months old when they get here, then that female is at less than half of her life span.

[JSTR]

I am not sure about the seahorses brought into BC - but alot of the ones we have gotten here in AB over the last few years have been a hybrid from a vietnamese breeder. From the photos yours looks very similar to the ones we got here. A cross between H.kuda and H.Reidi if thats possible. They have characteristics from both but just not quite right for either.

Just another possibility - can't confirm one way or the other by the photos.

[Diana]

Another possibility is H. taeniopterus, which are very similar to H. kuda. I bought Kudas that ended up being taeniopterus.