The Benefits of Live Seahorse Food by LanSeahorses are a fun addition to any aquarium and rank high on the list of favorites for many hobbyists. While they are a valued addition to any salt water aquarium, special care must be taken to ensure the health of your seahorse. Seahorses have a poor digestive system; in fact they have no stomach, and must eat almost constantly to stay alive. Because of their small size and lack of teeth, they require a particular diet consisting of several types of miniature crustaceans and live copepods. They are also known to be picky eaters and prefer a constant food source. Once a seahorse in introduced into a saltwater aquarium, it can become a true test of devotion to keep the creature alive. Live Seahorse Food is available. First, there is the option of dead frozen Mysis. This option is quick and easy, but depending on how the seahorse was raised (captive bred, or tank raised) your seahorse might not like this source. The dead food may take time to become appetizing, and since they need to eat between 30-50 times a day, starvation can become an issue if your seahorse doesn’t like the food. A second, better option is live seahorse food. You can buy live phytoplankton and copepods to feed your seahorse. Live food most closely mimics their natural eating environment and it is easier to get your seahorse to eat live pods than frozen food. By using live food, the seahorse instinctively hunts for its meal like it would in the wild. Also, by using live plankton and crustaceans an ecosystem is formed, creating a sustainable aquarium. Even the best seahorse eaters can’t eat all the food, which allows the lifeforms to hide, establish a presence and reproduce. Using live food becomes a perpetual feeding cycle for the seahorse. The outcome for the seahorse is a happier fish with fresh food and a closer to normal environment. For the seahorse owner, the fear of your seahorse eating enough is erased, leaving you to enjoy your aquarium. Switching to live seahorse food saves a lot of headaches. With regular supplements of additional live organisms the food chain remains constant and the seahorse remains healthy. With a little planning and preparation, your seahorse will be a fun, healthy, low stress addition to your aquarium.
robert vice says August 7, 2019 at 4:07 pm I would assume if you digestive system was horrible I would want live food in the tank especially if they eat 50 times a day Reply
Tony Mutti says August 7, 2019 at 4:09 pm Nice treat for them and something for them to chase between feedings, but if you get tank raised sea horses there is more nutrition in frozen. Reply
Martin Gundel says August 7, 2019 at 4:56 pm My wife wants a sea horse tank…..nice reading for her. Reply
James says August 7, 2019 at 5:26 pm I have always thought that seahorses could only have live food anyways. Reply
Allen Fagard says August 7, 2019 at 5:43 pm Seahorses are so finicky as it is, you have to have to correct food. Reply
Brooner says August 7, 2019 at 5:53 pm I would love to put seahorses in my refugium, but I’ve always been intimidated. Reply
Brandi says August 7, 2019 at 7:09 pm My 3 dream aquariums are a giant tank, a nem tank and a seahorse tank. Reply
ANDREW WELSH says August 7, 2019 at 7:57 pm Pods make so much sense here: constantly eating animal with a constantly reproducing live food source. Reply
Doug Smith says August 7, 2019 at 8:47 pm no brainer here. live food is always a better option. Reply
darksorcerer0530 says August 7, 2019 at 8:57 pm I used to have a dwarf seahorse tank. Live feed always seemed like the best option for them. Reply
Marc Raupp says August 7, 2019 at 11:04 pm maybe i should try seahorses. They don’t sound as hard as they once did with great options like Algae Barn to keep them fed. Reply
Deborah Najm says August 8, 2019 at 10:40 am Seahorses are beautiful! You want to feed them right. Reply
Max Williquette says August 9, 2019 at 2:12 pm My most recent copepod order from AlgeaBarn was for my new seahorse tank! My seahorses are loving them! Reply
John key says August 12, 2019 at 12:06 pm Good info! I didn’t realized seahorses needed to eat so often. I’ve not kept them yet 🙂 Reply
blk250r says August 12, 2019 at 11:07 pm Love the action of them. So beautiful! Didn’t know they needed to eat so much Reply
Bennett Sheppard says August 13, 2019 at 11:15 am I’m so glad this blog exists! My wife wants a seahorse tank and this information will be critical in their success. Reply
btack206 says August 18, 2019 at 3:16 pm I know it isn’t exactly a seahorse, but our pipefish took to the frozen copepods almost immediately and they hung around for a while so we didn’t have to worry about overfeeding! Reply
btack206 says August 18, 2019 at 3:16 pm I know it isn’t exactly a seahorse, but our pipefish took to the frozen copepods almost immediately and they hung around for a while so we didn’t have to worry about overfeeding! Reply
Branden Hess says August 19, 2019 at 9:20 pm Love these. Are basically a must have for your tank. Reply
stoph70 says August 20, 2019 at 8:13 am Seahorses are an annoying amount of work – especially if you’re planning on leaving town. Reply
ian m mahoney says August 20, 2019 at 11:15 am Would love to own Seahorses someday, amazing animals. Reply
Kyle Frame says August 24, 2019 at 8:06 am I just ordered 4 seahorses for my tank. Impatiently waiting their arrival lol. Reply
zadok jollie says August 24, 2019 at 2:33 pm After reading this I’m even more tempted to start a seahorse tank Reply
Ricardo Munoz says August 27, 2019 at 3:58 pm I don’t have seahorses but nonetheless very informative info. Good luck to all seahorse keepers out there! Reply
castrommaritza says August 30, 2019 at 10:42 pm Awesome read. Seahorses are high maintenance so knowing my OCD I rather not have them lol I will be worried most of the time for its health Reply
castrommaritza says August 30, 2019 at 10:44 pm Awesome read. They are hog maintenance so i rather not because with my OCD I would be worried all the time and that Is haha Reply
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