Minimum Tank Size ?

[FloridaFinFan]

Hello Horse Fans,
Please tell a Horse rookie something...Bare minimum tank size for a pair of Seahorses?Also..Best captive bred species for a small tank?I recently purchased a 12g NanoCube,any possibility at all of having Horses live comfortably in it?I also have an established 24g Nanocube,better to switch out & use the 24,or is it to small also?Any help in this matter greatly appreciated,and don't worry,the comfort of my animals comes first.Will take all advice seriously.

 

[pledosophy]

IMO a 29g is a great starter tank. The 12g nano only holds about 8 gallons of water, not good for horses. IME the 24g's run to hot and without modifications are not good horse tanks either.

 

[Fredfish]

I agree with Pledo. Thats not to say it can't be done with a smaller tank, but there are issues like temperature and nutrient management.

I would start with a 29g.

Fred

 

[orb]

hey pledosophy, what's wrong with the 24gal besides running hot? that's what i'm currently setting up for SH's, and was wondering what mods you are talking about. thanks

 

[pledosophy]

IME mainly temp. There are chiller mods. Check out nano-reef.com or the nano forum here

Flow can be strong but is easily split with some loc line.

IMO they do not have enough height.

The filtration is alos kind of on the low side, which is hard because horses are so messy.

 

[Fredfish]

The filtration is alos kind of on the low side

Going from 24 to 29 gallons is 20% more water volume to dilute and polution from fish poo. It is also 20% more volume to contain live sand or rock or macro algae that will be able to process/absorb nutrients. It is also more realestate for the horses to wander in.

From a space and cost perspective though, its not really a lot more.

There is no magic size that suddenly becomes OK.

By the way, if you can add a 5 gallon refugium to your nanocube, you now have a 29 gallon system with all the benefits except more realestate for the horses.

Fred

 

[pledosophy]

I agree with Fred.

In a 25g high with a different filter, I think it could be cool, but the filter built in to the nano cube just isn't very good IMO.

Honestly my first tank was an 18g with no filter, just LR. Worked out fine. But it's just not something most people are succsessful at.

 

[Xirxes23]

i want to put 2 seahorses in a standard 10 gallon tank to be set up as a nano. It will have all pre-existing liverock/water from my 90g tank.

No fuge, no filtration other than HOB carbon filter and live rock. Will have weekly water changes via bottom suction on barebottom and 3 part additives for nutrient management.

2 rio 50gph pumps will provide the water circulation.

I raise copepods separately and can add those weekly to tank.

Will have PC lighting modded with PC fans.

I have seen seahorses in a 3 gallon pico before, and i think thats a bit small but not a 10 non-drilled tank.

What foreseeable problems will i run into with seahorses?

 

[Fredfish]

Xirxes23. Unfortunately, 10 gallon tank is much too small for anything but dwarf horses.

You will have major water quality issues from the amount you have to feed your horses. Seahorses have no stomach and feed constantly in nature. They should be fed twice daily. Poor water quality will lead to disease in your horses sooner or later.

In such a small tank stick with a small species of fish like neon gobies, P. fridmani, or other small fish.

Good luck.

Fred

 

[Xirxes23]

Melev has been able to keep one i belive H. barbouri very healthily in his 3 gallon pico, i think that a 10 should be just fine for 2 of them.

Melevs 2 gallon pico

i assure you, water quality should not be an issue... i will keep them stocked with copepods and mysids. shouldnt be a problem.

 

[panmanmatt]

If you look, that link hasn't been updated in over a year. Also if you contact Melev, you will find that he has since had health issues with that horse and it no longer resides in that tank.

BTW, Melev has a lot, (read many years) of experince keeping saltwater tanks. Small tanks are not something for a newer person to try and tackle, especially with the huge bio load a seahorse causes in a tank.

Adult reidi( which is what Melev has) can reach 12 inches in height from tip of tail to top of head. LAst time I checked a 10 gallon tank was only 12 inches high so I don't think it would work too well. Barbouri can reach a size of 6-8 inches so even then a 10 gallon wouldn't really work too well.

 

[seas_inside]

I agree with panmanmatt. Anything but dwarves in a 10g will not work.

 

[NanoLurker]

just an FYI - casper, the seahorse seen in the tank you linked to, died after a battle with tail rot. there was a second horse who also came down with tail rot, i can't remember if it made it or not.

 

[pledosophy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8773946#post8773946 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pledosophy
IMO a 29g is a great starter tank.

10g's will not work long term.