Might be getting some seahorses later this year

[Prairie Orca]

Well, the other day I found out that keeping seahorses is a lot easier nowadays, compared to what... a decade ago? It's understandable that it would be quite challenging still, but I'm willing to spend much of my time with taking care of some seahorses. To guarantee myself of getting seahorses, I just have to pass all my classes this last semester of the school year (not that hard, hehe).

So, I've been researching a LOT these past few days about seahorses, which ones would be best for me, diet, etc. I was thinking the erectus seahorse would be the most suitable.

By the way, I plan to have a custom aquarium made, even. I was thinking of having it sized as... 48" in length, 20" in width, and 24" in height. That's about 100 American gallons.

To my main concern -- what would work best with erectus seahorses? I've compiled a list of different things I was hoping to put in the aquarium with them (still gotta narrow it down a bit to lower the cost)...


Corals: [iffy about the Montipora coral]
Solomon Salmon Digitata Coral
Hodag's Montipora Coral
Indigo Digitata Coral
Red Candy Cap Coral
Evergreen Starburst Polyp

Fish: [might narrow down on the gobies]
Neon Blue Goby
Neon Gold Goby
Gold Line Goby
Black Barred Convict Goby
Purple Firefish
Helfrichi Firefish
Yellowhead Jawfish

Invertebrates: [going to pick one of the three sea stars]
Sand Sifting Sea Star
Linckia Sea Star, Blue
Marble Sea Star, Assorted
Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab
Nerite Snail
Zebra Turbo Snail

Extra: [live rock and sand are must/should haves anyway, right?]
Live rock
Live sand
Red Smooth Leaf Kelp

Saw all of these at: http://www.liveaquaria.com/


Thanks in advance!

 

[ann83]

I'd emphasize height over length. With erectus, I'd be shooting for a height higher than 24", especially since you are planning for 100 gallons custom anyway. Ideally, you want a minimum of 3x their body length uncurled in water height, which means 24" of water minimum. With a shallow sandbed, I'd shoot for a 30" height, with a deep sandbed, I'd go a full 3ft tall. Even taller would be better, especially if you are eventually wanting to breed.
I don't know a lot about coral, but I would double check to make sure they will be happy with the low flow and low temps that the seahorses need.
Gobies are aggressive to conspecifics (gobies of both their own species and other species), which means even in a 100 gallon aquarium you may be overdoing it. I'd pick two species and do a pair of each, or even just do one pair. Same goes for firefish. Jawfish can be a problem in an SH tank. Keep an eye on it if you get it.
Inverts sound okay. I'd try to go with a larger variety of macros. Here is a good link to tankmate compatibility for seahorses. http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates.shtml

 

[fishymann]

100 gallons may be to big? (a more experienced SH keeper will bring it up im sure) since the feeding will be much harder in so much water. sounds like it will be an awesome setup though.

 

[ann83]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9166844#post9166844 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishymann
100 gallons may be to big? (a more experienced SH keeper will bring it up im sure) since the feeding will be much harder in so much water. sounds like it will be an awesome setup though.

A problem if you intend to feed live. But if you feed them frozen and train them to a feeding station, feeding density isn't an issue.

 

[fishymann]

thank you ann, wasnt positive (im new too hehe). good luck sounds like an awesome tank

 

[Prairie Orca]

In the long run, I definately would want to breed the seahorses (but then I'd want to get another SW tank to use as a nursery kind of tank).

With the size, I might make it bigger -- 48" long, 24" wide, and 48" tall. That would be about 240 gallons (American).

For the live rock, I'm not quite sure how big of a rock I'll be needing.

 

[csb123]

Note that H. erectus is a cooler water species.

I would add a chiller to your equipment list to bring the temp down to 72-73 degrees F. (I've been out of Canada so long I can't remember what that is in degrees C).

good luck!

 

[ann83]

Erectus is a tropical seahorse, but csb123 is correct that they do better at 72-74 because many diseases are more aggressive at higher temperatures. You won't find a species of seahorse adapted to higher temperatures, but you will find several adapted to lower temps.