setting up a dwarf seahorse tank

[strun2]

I would like to set up a dwarf seahorse tank and I was wondering what exactly I need to do to get that going. I have a 5 gal. tank that I plan to put them in. I know that I need the sea salt and some plants for them to hang on. But are there any special things that I should add into the tank before I add the seahorses? Thanks for your help

 

[cmsargent]

You're going to need alot more than just a tank and some salt to keep dwarf seahorses alive.

To start with you have to feed them live food. They won't eat frozen. most people feed they bbs (baby brine shrimp). Adult brine shrimp are too large so you'll need to hatch out babies from eggs. This means you'll need at least 2-3 hatcheris for the brine. Decapped eggs are best so you'll either have to buy them decapped (which is expesive) or learn to do it yourself. Then you have to enrich the brine as they can't provide enought vitamins themselves.

As for the tank itself. It'll need low flow filter. Either a sponge filter or a tiny hang on power filter (the only one of know of small enough is the mini Azoo). You'll have to cover every input with sponges.

The tank most be free of all possible dwarf predators. So this means all live rock and sand should be boiled or dried or both 1st as even the common hitchhikers like amphipods and hydroid will kill dwarf seahorses. Most people either go with all fake or start with dry sand and rock and use a long cycle to allow it to develop bacteria. Hydroids will be a constant problem (they'll come in with the food) so you'll need to treat the tank with pancur to kill them. This also kills many other reef critters so you're limited in what types of clean up crew you can keep.

You've got a lot of research to do. Read the threads here about keeping dwarf tanks. Do some google searches and you'll find pics, and discriptions of so types of tank setup.

Seahorse are fun to keep but if you've never kept a saltwater tank before you might want to start with something easier and build your way up to seahorses.

 

[strun2]

thanks

thanks

Thanks for the great info. I will keep doing more research on the dwarf seahorses. I have had sh in the past, but that has been at least 15-20 yrs. ago, which I was not too successful because I did not read about it as much as I should have. This time I plan on reading a lot and not just jumping in. Again, thanks for the info.

 

[eddiez9395]

Pick up a book and read it thats how you do it. lol... Just kidding, it's your brother here... Sorry I had to do it,lol

 

[strun2]

I do plan on picking up a book and doing a lot more research, but my brother, who thinks he knows it all , is trying to teach me a few things. Thanks for the tidbit. Have a great day!!!

 

[il0vemypug]

would seahorses be an ok fish to start with, I am not really intereted in anything else

 

[ReefNutPA]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9530775#post9530775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by il0vemypug
would seahorses be an ok fish to start with, I am not really intereted in anything else

I know a few hobbyists who's first marine tank was a seahorse tank. So yes, it's possible to start with seahorses. It won't be easy, but if you do enough research and set up the tank properly there shouldn't be any problems.

Tom