Dwarf horses
- Thread starter Mandolynn
- Start date
Samala
New member
The good news is that, going by the current convential wisdom for husbandry for this species, using a five gallon tank is more or less perfect. You could easily house ten dwarfs in this tank and still have room for any surviving fry.
The bad news is that LR is not typically suggested for use in dwarf tanks. Why? It can be a source of pest species that are harmful to the SH - bristleworms, hydroids, and any shrimps. If you can freshwater dip or otherwise treat the LR to prevent bristleworms and shrimp, and to minimize the hydroid problem, you might be able to use it.
The hydroids, which are like teeny jellyfish, come up in dwarf SH tanks most often when using BBS that is not decapsulated. Seahorsesource.com also happens to offer up hatchable decapp'ed BBS eggs which is very convenient and simple to do.
You are aware that they need live food two to three times per day, yes? Prefereably copepods or newly hatched BBS, or well fortified BBS (using phytoplankton like DT's or naturose or Selcon).
I would read up as much as possible on the little tikes before you settle on them. They are a delight and I loved them, but I did not follow the conventional method of keeping them. They are a bit more work than the larger species because of hatching/rearing their food and keeping after the water quality in their tanks. Dont let me discourage you though, do some searches online for Hippocampus zosterae and keep asking about here and on the seahorse sites for more info.
>Sarah
The bad news is that LR is not typically suggested for use in dwarf tanks. Why? It can be a source of pest species that are harmful to the SH - bristleworms, hydroids, and any shrimps. If you can freshwater dip or otherwise treat the LR to prevent bristleworms and shrimp, and to minimize the hydroid problem, you might be able to use it.
The hydroids, which are like teeny jellyfish, come up in dwarf SH tanks most often when using BBS that is not decapsulated. Seahorsesource.com also happens to offer up hatchable decapp'ed BBS eggs which is very convenient and simple to do.
You are aware that they need live food two to three times per day, yes? Prefereably copepods or newly hatched BBS, or well fortified BBS (using phytoplankton like DT's or naturose or Selcon).
I would read up as much as possible on the little tikes before you settle on them. They are a delight and I loved them, but I did not follow the conventional method of keeping them. They are a bit more work than the larger species because of hatching/rearing their food and keeping after the water quality in their tanks. Dont let me discourage you though, do some searches online for Hippocampus zosterae and keep asking about here and on the seahorse sites for more info.
>Sarah
The larger species are easier only if you don't try to raise the fry. I have 58 dwarfs at last count (and in 3 months have only lost one fry out of 48 born). I hatch large batches of brine about 3 times a week and feed enriched older brine the rest of the time. It takes less than 10 minutes a day during the week to keep their food supply going. I spend maybe 1/2 hour every two week decapping brine (or you can buy decapped) and maybe 1/2 hour a week doing tank cleaning. I do hatch brine daily when I have fry under a week old. To me it really doesn't seem like that much work.
You can't go wrong with DanU at seahorsesource.com.
You can't go wrong with DanU at seahorsesource.com.
Beckmola24
New member
I agree with Vicky, I have had nothing but great experiences with DanU from seahorsesource. Dwarves are totally worth the little work it takes to keep them healthy and happy. I love my dwarfies They are a lot of fun to watch.
They are a lot of fun to watch.
Swanwillow
goby girl
which side of the state are you on?
I dunno where mandan is.
anyways, up here you'll have to get EVERYTHING mail order... The first horses I was going to get were dwarves, but I decided not to, cause I got some eggs and tried to hatch some out over the course of a week.
yea... riiiiiggghhhttt... SO I got into kuda instead. there aren't any 'untrue' dwarfs..?? the only ones I know of are the H. zot... some long, unwriteable word (the others will tell ya, I'm sure) but they don't come eating frozen, even if they are captive bred (just to warn you)
I dunno where mandan is.
anyways, up here you'll have to get EVERYTHING mail order... The first horses I was going to get were dwarves, but I decided not to, cause I got some eggs and tried to hatch some out over the course of a week.
yea... riiiiiggghhhttt... SO I got into kuda instead. there aren't any 'untrue' dwarfs..?? the only ones I know of are the H. zot... some long, unwriteable word (the others will tell ya, I'm sure) but they don't come eating frozen, even if they are captive bred (just to warn you)
Mandan is right by Bismarck, it is in south central ND. Does seahorsesource.com have captive bred? If not, there is one guy in Bismarck that breeds larger ones, I might just have to get another larger tank. Thanks for all the info! Ijust started my very own tank, all others my dad took care of.
Swanwillow
goby girl
IMHO- get the bigger species. Find out what they are... if they are the most common ones... kuda, reidi, or erectus, then a 29 gallon aquarium would be fine.
the advantages of the big horses over the little: you can use live rock, don't have to worry about hydroids, and can feed them frozen food.
seahorsesource ONLY does captive bred seahorses.
the advantages of the big horses over the little: you can use live rock, don't have to worry about hydroids, and can feed them frozen food.
seahorsesource ONLY does captive bred seahorses.
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