Dwarf seahorses in a 12 gallon dedicated Aquapod...

[Savas]

I have a new 12 gallon aquapod I have been cycling to house 2 -3 dwarf seahorses. The tank has some nice soft corals and polyps that are doing well in it. I may add a clam also. I have some plants in the tank and some exposed rock for the seahorses to perch on. Tank temperatures are 78 - 80.

The tank has power compact and actinic lighting. I am also running carbon in the tank.

The tank has fairly moderate flow with the stock AP12 pump and a MaxiJet 1200 with a hydor wavemaker on it.

I ordered the seahorses and they should be here in 3 - 4 weeks. They are tank raised, so they eat mysis shrimp. Does this sound like a good habitat for them?

 

[Savas]

Ha, I am responding to my own post. I just read on a site listed in this forum, that dwarves are my only option given tank size and temperature. These dwarves are eating mysis shrimp, so at least I have a chance of them eating.

 

[panmanmatt]

I think you should make sure you are truly getting dwarf seahorses, Hippocampus zosterae. Where did you order them from and who told you they were eating frozen mysis? Dwarf seahorses max out at 1 inch in size and there is no way they can eat a frozen mysis shrimp. Dwarfs require live foods as they don't normally take to frozen foods.
The most common foods for dwarfs are baby brine shrimp and copepods.
Besides the tank you have described is not suitable for dwarfs. The temp is too high, the flow is too strong and the tank mates are not considered dwarf safe. Not to mention the fact that you will have a really hard time finding 2-3 dwarfs in a tank that size.

What site did you look at that told you dwarfs can be kept at those temperatures?

Any live rock, live sand or corals that go into a dwarf tank should be treated to remove any hydroids or other hitch hikers that may harm your dwarfs.

 

[Savas]

I cancelled my order after reading your comments and further reading on my temps. Thanks for the help. Now, the question is what to keep in that tank...

 

[ReefNutPA]

IMO... the aquapods make great mini-reefs....which is what they were intented for.

Without major modifications, any of the "plug-n-play" tanks aren't suitable seahorse tanks. It's much easier (and in some cases cheaper) to buy a regular tank and design it specifically for seahorses.

Tom

 

[Savas]

Thanks for the input. I am abandoning the seahorse idea and working on another species only tank - not sure what that is at this point, so I am open to ideas.