Newbie in Ponies

[Reefmore]

Morning All...
Up until 3 days ago I had an nice 54 Corner Reef tank, SPS, Clam, LPS and so on...I broke it down and sold off everything but tank so far...It is for sale

Since it will be several months before I start my 600 gallon project I bought a 18g glass Nano, Skimmer (prizm) and aquaclear 30 filter....

I currently did not put a PH in it nor do I know if I need one..Im running 80w of compacts/actinics

Substrate was taken from my 54 and 70% of the water was taken from my 54.

Clean up crew will be transferred, I have a decent size Emerald Crab, will he be "ok" with ponies?

Looks like the water will stay around 77-78 degress without a chiller, Salinity will stay about 1.023...My Nitrates always seem to be 10-20 no matter how much I try...

The skimmer has carbon running in it...

I sold all my LR so I know I will need to go out tonight and get some...recommendations on how much I need for the horses? Is it like Reefs...Fill it up??

Uhmmmmm what else....I dont expect much of a cycle but still could get spikes...

So what do you suggest in the make up of the tank..rock? corals? and so on...whats a good pony or two? Feeding stations? Im all ears

Russ

 

[ann83]

Okay, first thing is first, seahorses have a very high tendency towards bacterial infections and death at temperatures higher than 74 degrees; especially in small water volumes, so you will really need to figure out how to bring the temperature down in the tank if you want to house seahorses.

Second, 18 gallons really isn't enough room for most of the readily available seahorses. You may be able to get away with a pair of H. fuscus if you can find them; though you will really have to stay up on water changes and siphoning out waste to keep nitrates down. It is definately too small for H. kuda, H. reidi, H. erectus.

Emerald crabs are iffy with seahorses, if it is a larger one, you are best off not risking the seahorses' tails.

Obviously you need to take care of any "spikes" before you add livestock, especially with sensitive fish like seahorses; so make sure the tank is fully cycled before you add anything.

You may be better off going with small pipefish based on your temps and tank size. Or, you could keep the 54; that would be a great seahorse tank for 2-3 pairs.

 

[Reefmore]

Hi ann I keep seing you everywhere

 

[ann83]

 

[Zatko]

I was unaware of a 74 degree cap on seahorse tanks.

I went to seahorse.org, and I foundthis.

For different species, it seems to flucuate. In the Gulf of Mexico, temperatures are above 74 degrees at times, and I know those little guys are swimming around in there. I've seen them with my own eyes. They seemed happy.

I know those seahorses I listed are captive bred, so they are probably hardier than wild specimens. But I thought this was relative to the subject at hand.

 

[ann83]

Actually, that care sheet on seahorse.org is being revised as we speak for a new one that recommends the 74 degree cap. That information is old, as far as keeping seahorses is concerned, and a lot has been learned since then.

Seahorses are more prone to bacterial infections at temperatures above 74 degrees because the bacteria that they are most often infected with mutates to more aggressive strains at temps higher than 74, and also reproduces more rapidly. Couple that with the reduced oxygen saturation at higher temps, and seahorses being more prone to bacterial infections in general due to being demersal, scaleless, and without a protective slime coat; and you end up with big problems.

In the ocean there is a 100% water change twice a day, not to mention an enormous water volume for dilution of any pathogens. Plus, while not always the case, many times when it is said that seahorses are found in high temps, in fact the surface temps are that high, but the seahorses are quite deep underwater where it is cooler.

 

[Reefmore]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11673210#post11673210 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ann83
Actually, that care sheet on seahorse.org is being revised as we speak for a new one that recommends the 74 degree cap. That information is old, as far as keeping seahorses is concerned, and a lot has been learned since then.

Seahorses are more prone to bacterial infections at temperatures above 74 degrees because the bacteria that they are most often infected with mutates to more aggressive strains at temps higher than 74, and also reproduces more rapidly. Couple that with the reduced oxygen saturation at higher temps, and seahorses being more prone to bacterial infections in general due to being demersal, scaleless, and without a protective slime coat; and you end up with big problems.

In the ocean there is a 100% water change twice a day, not to mention an enormous water volume for dilution of any pathogens. Plus, while not always the case, many times when it is said that seahorses are found in high temps, in fact the surface temps are that high, but the seahorses are quite deep underwater where it is cooler.

I told my wife your tidbit of info on the ocean and the water change twice a day...Just like my wife to ask me "Where doe s the water go?" Uhmmmmm I DONT KNOW I said...I was just quoting a woman lol

 

[ann83]

It was a metaphor, tides and all washing new water in and keeping detritus buildup off the seagrasses/macros/sandbed/etc. My apologies. Just stick with the whole "huge water volume" point, it is just as good a point and easier to understand.

 

[philter4]

I live here in south FL and Ive collected 3 sp of seahorses, I'm the one who took airinhere to the place where he collected the dwarfs, and I have collected longsnouts and lined seahorses in 84 to 86 deg water, the longsnouts that I collect in the sargassum weed are at the surface when the average temp all hurricane season is above 83 (otherwise no hurricanes) I'm not saying to keep them in high temp water, just that when ever I've collected them they are in warmer water then the current view on aquarium conditions. The conditions are the same for the lined seahorses, if I want them I go to a protected grassflat in the intercoastal and they are in 4 ft or less, even last week when we went the temp was 76 deg. And as for water conditions they are in water that I don't even like to get into, at low tide or in the rainy season they let fresh water into the inlet, I've been diving when the temp went from very warm to a flush of fresh cool water in a few seconds. Again, I'm talking about the wild, but I think (and I've had experience with collecting and keeping the native seahorses) they are much hardier then people think. Just my own observations and experiences.

 

[Reefmore]

Great info...and Anne I quoted you and wife called me out lol After 25 years she has a habit of catching me at my weakest moments lol But I understand what you mean...she was just being a smart@@@