Do you think I can do a Sea horse pen with this?:

pheinzig

Member
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I got a 180g DT with a 55g sump that gravity feeds back down into the DT. The water is nice and slow moving through my fuge. I was wondering If I could put some sea horses in it, and maybe some plants.

The Fuge has a DSB underneath it. I have it protected with egg crate to keep it from being disturbed. I know that sea horses need a planted enviorment to flourish. Im not sure if its safe to put plants in a DSB...will the roots release gass bubbles? That would defeat the purpose. If its ok, then I picture the plants growing up through the egg crate. Ideally I would like to keep them just in the upper chamber.
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Besides likely running too warm for SH (since it's plumbed into a reef), the tank will be too short for them as well.

SH aren't difficult to keep, but they are a special needs fish, and those needs really need to be met for the best experience. They really shouldn't be an "add-on" to another system, esp. if you're new to them.
 
79 degrees for my reef, what temp do the SH need?. And by short...you mean a taller tank is needed? Sounds like I will probably have to just do a complete separate system instead.
 
I agree that a separate system would be the way to go.
First of all, while seahorses sometimes survive in tanks at 78°, they have a much better success ratio at 74° and lower. This is due to the bacterial growth at the higher temperatures which grow exponentially with each rising degree temperature.
Dan Underwood of seahorsesource.com explains it best in an article you can read from a link at the bottom of the page of "MY THOUGHTS ON SEAHORSE KEEPING"
Also, in a separate system, you can limit livestock to only one breeding source, and not expose your seahorses to pathogens that other fish (including other syngnathids, especially pipefish) may introduce to them.
Unlike most reef fish, seahorses fall victim to these pathogens that they haven't had exposure to while being raised.
Once you have some long term success, THEN you can consider other tank mates.
Even doing every thing you can to ensure success, it won't be guaranteed but success ratios are definitely improving as we learn more, year by year.
 
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