So I just set up a 1 gallon tank for dwaves, and have not bought any yet. I put a live sand bed and some caulerpa. Just wondering if I need anything else... maybe a better hitch? Also how many horses do you recommend that I start off with? I was thinking maybe ordering 4, and letting them breed and then see where I end up. Any suggestions?
any advice for dwarves?
- Thread starter Kati
- Start date
ReefNutPA
New member
Hi Kati,
Unfortunately, unless the caulerpa and live sand were treated for hydroids BEFORE being put into the 1 gal tank, you may end up with a hydroid infestation which will kill the dwarfs.
One gallon is really a tiny tank. Feeding dwarfs live newly hatched bbs a few times a day in a tiny tank can tend to increase ammonia quickly. You may need to do water changes quite often. In addition, any evaporation can change the salinity drastically.
Just wanted you to be aware that tiny tanks like that are not easy to take care of.
Tom
Unfortunately, unless the caulerpa and live sand were treated for hydroids BEFORE being put into the 1 gal tank, you may end up with a hydroid infestation which will kill the dwarfs.
One gallon is really a tiny tank. Feeding dwarfs live newly hatched bbs a few times a day in a tiny tank can tend to increase ammonia quickly. You may need to do water changes quite often. In addition, any evaporation can change the salinity drastically.
Just wanted you to be aware that tiny tanks like that are not easy to take care of.
Tom
thanks... Yeah I know a one gallon will be difficult, but I am moving into a dorm soon and they wont let you keep anything bigger, and since I have been wanting dwarves anyway now is as good of time as any. I thought about putting them in a 12 gallon and leaving them home, but that would be just as hard to take care of and I wouldn't get to take a tank w/ me.
You can still treat for hydroids - either before or after you get the dwarves - but if you wait until you see the little @&#&@ it may be too late to save them. Here is info I recently posted about hydroids:
Hydroids come in a few varieties. There are the tiny jellyfish looking ones.. when swimming they appear to be jellyfish and when on the glass they are described as dots with legs.. a center dot with 8 or 9 tentacle dots in a circle. There are the cobweb looking ones... usually attached to the glass or objects in the tank but sometimes freefloating - these are very fine strands. I've also heard of a "pink fuzzy stuff" type but I have never seen these.
Panacur is actually sold as a dewormer for pets or livestock. I've bought from this place:
www.kvvet.com
You want the Panacur Granules 22.2% - the dosage is 1/32 of a teaspoon per 10 gallons - treat 3 days in a row with a 25% water change before each new dose. What I did was set up the tank and cycled it, added everything I wanted in it then dosed the 3 days with the last day being the day I added the dwarfs - since my broodstock was to be wildcaught and they often bring the hydroids with them. You can treat with the dwarves in the tank. Panacur will not harm the biofilter, fish, macros, pods, or shrimp. Panacur will kill some types of snails (particularly astrea), fans, worms of any kind, most if not all soft corals, gorgonians, all stars, etc. The effect on these creatures can last over a year.
There is a lot of hydroid/panacur information at seahorse.org - a search there will give you all the known details.
Also, if you start with 4 in a 1 gallon tank, be ready to expand - 4 is about max for that tank. My 11 adults had 27 fry the day I got them (2 broods) and before I had them 4 months I had a total of 63 dwarves - and at least 2 are pregnant now.
Hydroids come in a few varieties. There are the tiny jellyfish looking ones.. when swimming they appear to be jellyfish and when on the glass they are described as dots with legs.. a center dot with 8 or 9 tentacle dots in a circle. There are the cobweb looking ones... usually attached to the glass or objects in the tank but sometimes freefloating - these are very fine strands. I've also heard of a "pink fuzzy stuff" type but I have never seen these.
Panacur is actually sold as a dewormer for pets or livestock. I've bought from this place:
www.kvvet.com
You want the Panacur Granules 22.2% - the dosage is 1/32 of a teaspoon per 10 gallons - treat 3 days in a row with a 25% water change before each new dose. What I did was set up the tank and cycled it, added everything I wanted in it then dosed the 3 days with the last day being the day I added the dwarfs - since my broodstock was to be wildcaught and they often bring the hydroids with them. You can treat with the dwarves in the tank. Panacur will not harm the biofilter, fish, macros, pods, or shrimp. Panacur will kill some types of snails (particularly astrea), fans, worms of any kind, most if not all soft corals, gorgonians, all stars, etc. The effect on these creatures can last over a year.
There is a lot of hydroid/panacur information at seahorse.org - a search there will give you all the known details.
Also, if you start with 4 in a 1 gallon tank, be ready to expand - 4 is about max for that tank. My 11 adults had 27 fry the day I got them (2 broods) and before I had them 4 months I had a total of 63 dwarves - and at least 2 are pregnant now.
