Could I Keep Dwarves in This?

[Blue H2O]

I have a 30g tank with a 6g acrylic "fuge". The fuge has some LR and several clumps of chaeto. The main tank is mature and the water parameters are very stable. If I could screen of the return opening in the fuge, could I keep dwarves in it? The water flow is minimal in the fuge and I wouldn't have to worry about water quality nearly as much because of the volume of the system it is attached to.

 

[pledosophy]

No.

Dwarfs need to be kept in systems where the liverock has been treated with a product like panacur to remove any hydroids that will kill them. unfortunatley panacur kills all inverts and make s the rock not suitable for keepin inverts for an undetermined amount of time (we are talking years not weeks but just how many years is still up for debate, some report problems with keeping inverts even after three years of a single panacur treatment). It is not wise IMO to treat your entire display and refugium with panacur.

Also while you wouldn't have to worry to much about the water quaility of the dwarf tank, the dwarfs feeding regiment would quickly foul the water of the other system.

Dwarfs are best kept in there own system.

 

[dbenyo]

I would say YES! I have an Aquapod 24 that I converted to a seahorse tank when I got my new tank. I suggest putting in some branches and some caulerpa so they can hang on to it. I went to the beach and collected some dead coral branches and what not. I stacked the tank with copepods and now I have 10 dwarf seahorses...soon to be about 30 tomarrow (two are pregnant!!!) Yes they are in the picture but they are dwarf so you can barely see them...the funny part is that they are all in clear view too

 

[ReefNutPA]

pledosophy is correct Blue H2O. Dwarf tanks need to be treated with panacur if any live rock, caulerpa or other "live" items are added to the tank. Unfortunately this will kill most inverts.
Without the panacur treatment, you risk an almost certain hydroid outbreak which will wipe out the dwarf herd.

dbenyo, your tank looks magnificent! However, it's not a dwarf-safe tank nor would I ever recommend any hobbyists set up a tank such as yours for dwarfs. I'm glad you're having success with it.

Tom

 

[mr. bojangsjang]

Never keep dwarves in a sump of a reef tank. The various factors are:

1.) Flow- Seahorses need extremely low flow, dwarves need an even lower flow. A single airstone in a 5 gallon aquarium is all the flow they need, if more they get blown away.
2.) Temperature- Your tank is much too high in temperature than what dwarves need. Anything above 74 degrees is too high for tropical seahorses as it makes them prone to a million health problems.
3.) Amphipods- Amphipods will kill adult dwarf seahorses.
4.) Food- Even a couple dwarf seahorses will kill a copepod population in a sump, you'll need to hatch live brine shrimp daily.
5.) Hydroids- Unless the live rock is treated with panacur (which will kill all corals and most inverts) the hydroids will kill the seahorses.

You can add the seahorses to the sumpbut they'll just die in a few days.

For the sake of the horses dont put them in.

 

[Blue H2O]

thanks for the responses, and don't worry I'm not going to get any dwarves (or any seahorses). i was just curious and i can dig the problems you addressed.

 

[pledosophy]

Applause to a responsible keeper. Good form.

 

[Bret61081]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9453849#post9453849 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dbenyo
I would say YES! I have an Aquapod 24 that I converted to a seahorse tank when I got my new tank. I suggest putting in some branches and some caulerpa so they can hang on to it. I went to the beach and collected some dead coral branches and what not. I stacked the tank with copepods and now I have 10 dwarf seahorses...soon to be about 30 tomarrow (two are pregnant!!!) Yes they are in the picture but they are dwarf so you can barely see them...the funny part is that they are all in clear view too

If you decide to sell any when they get bigger let me know! or if you want to order for, I'll go in with you. Ive sent emails to florida collector but never got a response

 

[Bret61081]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9456144#post9456144 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mr. bojangsjang
Never keep dwarves in a sump of a reef tank. The various factors are:

1.) Flow- Seahorses need extremely low flow, dwarves need an even lower flow. A single airstone in a 5 gallon aquarium is all the flow they need, if more they get blown away.
2.) Temperature- Your tank is much too high in temperature than what dwarves need. Anything above 74 degrees is too high for tropical seahorses as it makes them prone to a million health problems.
3.) Amphipods- Amphipods will kill adult dwarf seahorses.
4.) Food- Even a couple dwarf seahorses will kill a copepod population in a sump, you'll need to hatch live brine shrimp daily.
5.) Hydroids- Unless the live rock is treated with panacur (which will kill all corals and most inverts) the hydroids will kill the seahorses.

You can add the seahorses to the sumpbut they'll just die in a few days.

For the sake of the horses dont put them in.

Are you sure Dwarfs need to be kept that cool too? They live in the flats of the Gulf and it gets up to around 82-85 in the summer...and this time of year its still around 74-76. Ive never heard of them needing cooler water

 

[ReefNutPA]

Conditions in an aquarium are much different than conditions in the vast ocean. Dwarfs do quite well in the ocean at high temperatures and a variety of salinities. However, they don't fare well if subject to those same conditions in a small glass box.

 

[pledosophy]

Temps are ideally 74F or less. I am sure.

 

[cmsargent]

The reason for the lower temps is because of infection. Seahorses in captivity are prone to getting infections, primarily caused by Vibrio. These infections are a common cause of death in captive seahorses. This bacteria likes high temps and does not do well at lower temps. Therefore seahorse tanks kept at lower temps will have less problems with bacterial infections.

Yes dwarf seahorse can handle the higher temps. Keeping them at reef temps (78+) means that you will likely have to deal with bacterial infections, hospital tanks, dosing antibiotics, and/or losing horses. Why put the horses (and yourself) through that when something as simple as lower the temps can prevent many of the problems?

 

[whatnot45]

You could get regular seahorses for the 30 gallon tank...