Jean,
We found a US distributer (very small operation) through:
http://www.seahorse-australia.com.au/shop/seahorses/seahorses.html
Frank imports cold water critters (and some warmer water ones) onece or twice a year. We got our first pair in August 2005. They never ate very well and I would isolate them within their tank occassionally to keep them surrounded with food. We lost the male after about a year and a half (not sure why) and the female remains smallish. When we lost our male we ordered 3 more and had to wait for Frank to receive his shipment. These three look a lot more like the robust abdoninalis we expected. I know they considered the bleekeri as separate species and now not but there is a huge difference in the look and size of my newest three and my original and I don't think Gwen is a Brevi.
We swapped tanks around before getting the new ones (original was 4' tall but very narrow) and Gwen seems to be eating much better. We don't know if it was just harder to find food or if the addition of the more robust animals are the reason for her better appetitie. She has always had a rather weak snick but I don't think it has to do with illness or parasites (she has had several dips over time with no permenant positive results).
So far none of them have mated but the males keep strutting and showing off to each other (who needs girls?). One fills his pouch so much that he has a hard time swimming through the live rock and looks like he is trying to carry a beach ball ;>). Cute little guys but I wish I could find more background critters that can take the cold water.
I assume you don't put much in with yours since you mentioned the old fashioned sterilization techniques we used before live rock ;>). Is there a reason boiling/freezing/microwaving can't be used instead of Clorox? I have a very old shell that has been out of the water for a long time that I would like to try in my octo tank but I am not sure what to do to make it safe.