Recommencation for 12gl DLX tank

[bkelley02]

I currently have 12 gal DLX Nano Cube that's been running with nothing but live rock/live sand for about 5-6 months now. I had some Neon Gobies and some small Sea pens but the fish are no longer with me. The tank itself has been set up for over a year.

I'd like recommendation for some Seahorses that would do well in this size tank. I plan on doing as much research as I can over the next few months before I make the purchase but wanted some recommendations to get me pointed in the right direction.

Thanks in advance!

Brian

 

[hydroid]

Capensis and Dwarfs are the only available horses that would fit in a 12 Gallon. Capensis need cooler temps (chiller recommended) and dwarfs need live food hatched daily ... neither for beginners, imo.

Maybe a small mantis shrimp?

 

[bkelley02]

Thanks for the fast reply. I have been hatching shrimp regularly so that wouldn't be too far a stretch for me. I apprciate the heads up on the added needs. When you say cooler temps, how much cooler? Low 70's? High 60's?

 

[panmanmatt]

Capensis require mid 60's with 67-68 being the absolute top end of the range.

 

[hydroid]

One of those ice probes with a controller would do the trick for Capensis

 

[bkelley02]

THe Ice Probes are the ones that require you to drill the tank and have this sticking in, right? Not just something that can be dropped into the rear section.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7890104#post7890104 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hydroid
Capensis and Dwarfs are the only available horses that would fit in a 12 Gallon. Capensis need cooler temps (chiller recommended) and dwarfs need live food hatched daily ... neither for beginners, imo.

Maybe a small mantis shrimp?

I disagree. Brazilean Reidi in general only reach about 5-7" in most people tanks, and dont seem to move all that much. I kept a pair in a 7 gallon minibow for quite a while, and they were honestly much more active in that tank than they are in their current 26 gallon.

IMO, these things dont need NEARLY the space that seems to be in vogue. They sit around hitched to things. We're not talking tangs here.

 

[Samala]

I think the larger tank sizes that are 'in vogue' as you put it are meant to help dilute the amount of waste that SH produce. If you are really good with water quality, and/or are growing large stands of macroalgae in the tank, it might work. Maybe.

The larger tanks are also meant to allow for room for courtship dances and such, which are reported to require some height to accomplish.

>Sarah

 

[panmanmatt]

Rich, I'm not sure about reidi only getting 5-7" in tanks. Just about every one that I have seen has been in the 8-10" range with a few pushing 12.

AS far as them not being active, that is not always the case. My horses are always out swimming around the tank and exploring the LR. Well that is when they are not courting or dancing with each other.
I keep my erectus in a 37 gallon and my kuda in a 30 cube. Both species take full advantage of the whole water column when they are courting. A lot of times they will swim and rise in the water column without their parteners just for the sake of having all the room to do it.

Keeping reidi in a 7g minibow is kinda like you living in a closet. Yes it can be doen, but it isn't the healthiest most conducive environment. For any of the larger species, ( kuda, reidi, erectus, or even barbouri) I would go with at least a 29 gallon. It will be a lot more stable than any smaller tank and seahorses like a stable tank.

 

[Fishfreak218]

mine are also always active.... but mine are about 2.5"-3"

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7901818#post7901818 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Samala
I think the larger tank sizes that are 'in vogue' as you put it are meant to help dilute the amount of waste that SH produce. If you are really good with water quality, and/or are growing large stands of macroalgae in the tank, it might work. Maybe.

The larger tanks are also meant to allow for room for courtship dances and such, which are reported to require some height to accomplish.

>Sarah

Mine are breeding fine in a 26 gallon tank. They seem to have plenty of room to court.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7901952#post7901952 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by panmanmatt
Rich, I'm not sure about reidi only getting 5-7" in tanks. Just about every one that I have seen has been in the 8-10" range with a few pushing 12.

AS far as them not being active, that is not always the case. My horses are always out swimming around the tank and exploring the LR. Well that is when they are not courting or dancing with each other.
I keep my erectus in a 37 gallon and my kuda in a 30 cube. Both species take full advantage of the whole water column when they are courting. A lot of times they will swim and rise in the water column without their parteners just for the sake of having all the room to do it.

Keeping reidi in a 7g minibow is kinda like you living in a closet. Yes it can be doen, but it isn't the healthiest most conducive environment. For any of the larger species, ( kuda, reidi, erectus, or even barbouri) I would go with at least a 29 gallon. It will be a lot more stable than any smaller tank and seahorses like a stable tank.

I've never seen a 12" reide, and never heard of one. There are a couple breeders in my area, and none of them have been able to get captive bred Reidi to grow any bigger than 8 inches, and it takes years to get that big. Maybe all the breeders in my area are doing something poorly, I dont know.

The Reidi were kept in the 7 gallon minibow for a couple months beacause I won them in a raffle and wasnt prepared for them. They did fine, and grew quite a bit. Yes, they swim, but they swim less than clownfish.

As to stability from larger tanks here, I disagree. With larger tanks, you have to feed more food to make sure enough gets to the horses. With smaller tanks, they eat all the food. None ends up behind rocks, or in holes, or anything. These aren't reef tanks, theyre low flow environments.

 

[DanU]

H. reidi can indeed get to 12 inches plus. When I was playing around with breeding them all my brood stock were larger than 9 inches. They ranged from 9 to 12 inches. 3 pairs. I also traded an erectus for a reidi from a hobbyist at the time and her reidi was just a tad over 8 inches. I do know of several others that have reidi that are well over 8 inches with a couple at about 12 inches. I also have had reliable reports from divers that have seen them as large as 14 inches in their natural habitat.

Rich is correct in that they are slow growers. It would appear they grow throughout their lifetime.

Rich, who are the breeders in your area?

Dan

 

[BruceW]

Back to the original subject, a 12 gallon nanocube is a death trap for any large seahorses species.

Just because you can get away with it for awhile doesn't make it a good environment for horses long term.

Finally H. reidi are one of the larger species and most older fish that I have seen are in the 8 to 12 inch range.

Bruce