Setting Up a Seahorse Tank

[JENnKerry]

Hey all,

Jen and I are in the works of setting up a seahorse tank. I'm trying to find some good reading on their requirements from everything from lighting requrements, to feeding, to what kind of tankmates. Everything and anything would be appreciated. Also pics woudl be great too. Thanks

KErry

 

[CCall]

What kind of seahorse do you want keep?
Captive Bred is the best way to go.
Good reading material and requirements on seahorse.org.

 

[JENnKerry]

Yea, the place we are getting them from are captive raised and eating frozen mysis and brine.

 

[CCall]

What kind are you getting?
Who are you getting them from?

 

[JENnKerry]

Im not sure the species, I gotta double check. A LFS that I ACTUALLY trust is setting me up with 2 of them, they are pretty much babies. I'll find out more details tomorrow when I go in.

 

[ann83]

Kerry, keep in mind that if the seahorses are labelled "Tank Raised" and coming from a wholesaler; and/or if the seahorses do not have a species name; they have probably been raised in net-pens or are wild caught; regardless of what the wholesaler is telling your LFS. This means you will need to go through a six week parasite treatment on them before you add them to the display. I would only trust seahorses from an LFS if they are from ORA, from a named aquaculture facility (like Seahorse Source) or from a local hobbiest breeder. This is not the fault of the LFS, but the fault of the seahorse industry in southeast asia.

 

[Amadeusb12]

I'd agree...try and stay away for LFS seahorses. They only know what the wholesaler tells them and that can be bs, the net raised are really basically wild. Parasites and feeding are an issue. They will most likely only take live food.

Good luck!
Beth

 

[JENnKerry]

Trust me guys, I totally understand where your all coming from with the whole LFS thing. I used to work for one and things you see behind the scenes would make you puke!

Knowing what I do when it comes to livestock in general is that you have to trust who you buy from. And I learned over the course of about 5 years (in salt) is that LFS will tell you ANYTHING to make a sale. Noob's watch out!
This guy we are getting them from is totally trusted, whole-heartedly and that doesnt come easy! He is a one-man-show, he owns a "fish store", aka, a cape house that he converted the living room into a saltwater store many many years ago. Very small, quaint and trust worthy.
We dont buy fish from LFS ANYWHERE, only online and from Aqua Oceans, the one man show. He knows his animals, what islands they come from, how rare or frequently found, eating habits.
I saw these sea horses eat, they were eating frozen Mysis. He makes sure you actually witness them eat before he sells anything to you.
Apparently, there is another hobbiest that is raising these at home and either trading or selling them off to him when there big enough. I do that with coral when it gets too large, I bring it to him or another LFS in the area.
Kerry posted this, but Im doing all the leg work when it comes to, ohh just about everything. Im very cautious and take everyones advice. Making sure I get everything down before I make a move.
But, honestly, if you guys lived in central jersey, I would highly recommend going to Aqua Oceans if you wanted healthy livestock. No diseases, no sickly skinny fish....you get a great animal for a great price.

 

[panmanmatt]

Coming from Steve they are most likely reidi and they are indeed CB specimens.

You want a minimum of a 29 gallon tank for 1 pair of seahorses. Flow rate of 5-7x turnover, a little higher if you use a spray bar return to break up the flow. Temperature of 72-74F. They need to be fed every day. Some folks feed 1-3 times a day depending on their schedule.

Lighting is dependent of what corals you plan to keep with them. PC's or T5's are usually sufficient as you are best to stay with softies and zoas/palys.

Tankmates are generally most non-aggressive and slow moving fish. Gobies, cardinals, dartfish and some blennies are just a few ideas.

 

[JENnKerry]

I saw that Steve has one kept in a Nano on the corner of his counter.

 

[ann83]

I agree with all of Matt's recommendations.

 

[panmanmatt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11843621#post11843621 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JENnKerry
I saw that Steve has one kept in a Nano on the corner of his counter.

He has had that one for years and keeps moving it from tank to tank. That nano is not sufficient for that horse at all. It is normally in the big tank, I don't know why he moved it into the nano.

Trust me, you want at least a 29 gallon tank for 1 pair or horses. They are messy and dirty. In a small tank they can degrade the water quality rather quickly. Plus they need the vertical room to swim.

 

[JENnKerry]

Well I guess Im beat cause I just spent the last week building a stand and canopy for a 10 gallon regular tank. Im not breaking it down and doing anything bigger, I will have to settle for just a small coral tank then.

 

[panmanmatt]

Kerry, just to give you an idea those horses will reach an adult size of 9-12 inches from tail tip to top of their head. A 10 gallon isn't appropriate for any of the larger species of seahorse.

 

[roguemonk]

I think a 20 Extra High has the same footprint as a 10 gallon. That might be enough for one pair if you have a big sump for them or a refugium. Get ratification from the experts, though--I'm still a 'noob' on seahorses.

Brad

 

[rcmike]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11841130#post11841130 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JENnKerry
Trust me guys, I totally understand where your all coming from with the whole LFS thing. I used to work for one and things you see behind the scenes would make you puke!

Knowing what I do when it comes to livestock in general is that you have to trust who you buy from. And I learned over the course of about 5 years (in salt) is that LFS will tell you ANYTHING to make a sale. Noob's watch out!
This guy we are getting them from is totally trusted, whole-heartedly and that doesnt come easy! He is a one-man-show, he owns a "fish store", aka, a cape house that he converted the living room into a saltwater store many many years ago. Very small, quaint and trust worthy.
We dont buy fish from LFS ANYWHERE, only online and from Aqua Oceans, the one man show. He knows his animals, what islands they come from, how rare or frequently found, eating habits.
I saw these sea horses eat, they were eating frozen Mysis. He makes sure you actually witness them eat before he sells anything to you.
Apparently, there is another hobbiest that is raising these at home and either trading or selling them off to him when there big enough. I do that with coral when it gets too large, I bring it to him or another LFS in the area.
Kerry posted this, but Im doing all the leg work when it comes to, ohh just about everything. Im very cautious and take everyones advice. Making sure I get everything down before I make a move.
But, honestly, if you guys lived in central jersey, I would highly recommend going to Aqua Oceans if you wanted healthy livestock. No diseases, no sickly skinny fish....you get a great animal for a great price.

You say all that and he keeps a seahorse in a nano?

 

[Indermark]

Could be in the nano because it is being out competed for food or being treated, on hold for a customer. I guess you'll never know until you ask.