Seahorses: Setting Up A New Tank (HELP) :)

[chrisbenavides]

Seahorses: Setting Up A New Tank (HELP)

Anybody have experience with Seahorses?

I will be setting up a new tank for two seahorses, and maybe a pipefish.

I just want to get some advice on the do's and don'ts of caring for seahorses.

Do they need special lighting? Brighter white or blue?
Do they need less flow?
Feeding requirements?
Is sand beneficial for a seahorse tank?
Live or Artificial plants? What kind?


What is the most important thing when setting up and maintaining a seahorse/pipefish tank?

I do have some experience now with my other tank (reef/fish)...but now I want a separate tank thats a bit more exotic and distinct.

Any help (suggestions) will do, as well as past experience.

- Chris

:rollface: :rollface:

 

[Swanwillow]

Do they need special lighting? Brighter white or blue?

they really don't care... seriously, if you just want horses, the NO lights that come with the tank work fine. If you want to keep safe corals (some softies) the most your going to need is PC.


Do they need less flow?

YES!!!! 5x tank turnover is about the max they can take-my 30 hex only has the skimmer and one maxijet 600 PH for movement.

Feeding requirements?

buy captive bred-they eat frozen/thawed mysis shrimp.

Is sand beneficial for a seahorse tank?

for decoration, yup. otherwise, it just takes up the vertical room-they need 3x their adult height for swimming: an H. erectus needs about 2 feet (24 inches) tallness to the tank~roughly.

Live or Artificial plants? What kind?

whatever you want. very few corals are safe with them, plastic is great cause you get the BRIGHT colors. any macro algae


What is the most important thing when setting up and maintaining a seahorse/pipefish tank?

having an imagination, and a good filtration system that doesn't spew micro bubbles. oh, and buying captive bred horses from a reputable breeder.

 

[chrisbenavides]

thanks!

now I am looking to where I can buy some...

 

[Swanwillow]

some what? horses seahorsesource.com

but cycle your tank first!!! ha

 

[chrisbenavides]

I just called a LFS and they said it would take me about 4-6 months till I could put my seahorses in the new tank. Is this true? Doesn't it normally take about 2 months for most marine fish?

 

[chrisbenavides]

I will be using some rock I have in my other tank (make a transfer), and some water from my other tank as well.

 

[chrisbenavides]

Are these delicate? http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2419

 

[Psionicdragon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6809948#post6809948 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrisbenavides
I just called a LFS and they said it would take me about 4-6 months till I could put my seahorses in the new tank. Is this true? Doesn't it normally take about 2 months for most marine fish?

Thats interesting...after your tank has cycle and is established, you can put it in. I think the LFS, giving them the benefit of the doubt, are telling you to have your tank to establish that could take that long.

Those are what I have, but I do not know if they are delicate or not. However, they love to eat and chill .

 

[Swanwillow]

and-as thier name says... they get BIG..

remember, 3x tank height!!! but theres a disscussion somewhere-on one of the .orgs if I remember correctly. that they aren't always getting in kellogi-sometimes others...

 

[ReefNutPA]

FYI... skip the pipefish. They will be wild caught and you DO NOT want to mix them with captive bred seahorses.

Tom

 

[EdwardMinor]

Re: Seahorses: Setting Up A New Tank (HELP)

Do they need special lighting? Brighter white or blue?

It doesn't matter. I read before that really right light hurts their eyes. I don't think that's true.

Do they need less flow?

They can take good flow. Go diving and be with them, they are not in a 5 x's turn over area.

Feeding requirements?

Dwarfs need live food. CB can live off frozen most WC need live.

Is sand beneficial for a seahorse tank?

Depends on the kind of horse. Some scoot on the sand when they move hitches. You don't want anything jagged.

Live or Artificial plants? What kind?

Both or one or the other.

What is the most important thing when setting up and maintaining a seahorse/pipefish tank?

That its not difficult like everyone makes it out to be.