soon to be new to seahorses

D

dputt88

New member
so i am going to be getting seahorses this fall. the tank is up and running, but for now im concentrating on getting all of the macro algaes that i want and getting them to grow in nicely.

i want to get H. erectus, i find them to be attractive and they have been noted as some of the more introductory level.

i have been in saltwater for 1 1/2 years now, but have a strong understanding in both biology and ecology. but this will be my first experience with seahorses. i have been researching for a few weeks now but have one major question.

i want to get 2 seahorses, both H. erectus but i dont want to have to deal with a male and female breeding. can i just keep to of the same sex? if so what are the pros and cons of the sexes? i have heard that males tend to be shy, which i would not prefer. bt does one sex tend to be more attractive than the other

thanks in advance everyone.
 
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same sex would be fine . i would get females. this is only based on my personal experience with my erectus . the male is more reclusive the females tend to play with each other. tell us more about your tank set up
 
30 gal cube, Marineland aquatic plant LEDs, fluval c2 filter (10-30gal), and a small tetra heater ( unplugged for the summer). about 25lbs of rock w/ one bag black aragonite coarse sand. got a few types of macro in there now, still searching for severa others on my want to buy list. plant on this being a dense macro tank with 2 sea horses and 2 pipes. but taking it slowly. possibly going to upgrade the filter later but how much filter do you need for a tank with just macro and a few snails lol.
 
yes i have read those, thank you.

also i have read that the minimum tank size recommendations are typically set for water quality issues due to sloppy mastication of the horses. let me tell you about what i have done to help with this.

first the rock work, its a pile of live rubble covered by 3 larger more decorative rocks. this makes a vast network for copepod breeding grounds and keeps high surface area for bacteria. also makes it difficult for on of the inhabitants to get in and start eating all the pods, although i do count on them getting eaten. pods being detrivores and eating wastes in a vast, vast range of sizes should help with the water quality.

next theres my macro, i want this to be a dense "jungle" of macro. this will also help support the pod population, it looks nice(to me atleast), and i can not add assimilation to the list of helping my water quality.

then theres my clean up crew, just a handful of snails. i have nassarius for larger food waste, and astrea and margarita snails for film algae/diatoms/etc.

also i have the filter as mentioned ( not overrated but dont really care for now), and i carry out a strict water change schedule on my 90Gal mixed reef and will be doing the same for the cube.

as for diseases. i know keeping pipes and horses runs that risk, but in reality you run that risk every time you buy a fish. and yes i know horses are more susceptible to these things but im giving it a shot. and taking my time as well im not gonna get horses for 4 more months, possibly longer. i will be getting dragon faced pipefish as i find them to be attractive and slow moving like the horses to help eliminate competition for food.

now, any other comments on seahorse sexes? also does one sex of h erectus tend to display a more attractive pattern?

and i really like the looks of the ones i have seen with cirri. whats the likely hood of getting a pair that have a good amount of cirri and i hear some species can lose cirri as they mature, is h erectus one of these species?
 
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here are some pics..

the tank this morning, i turned the light on just for the pics so i caught a lot of the pods by suprise, you can see them all over the glass.
2012-07-06085031.jpg


and heres an overall shot.
2012-07-06154328.jpg
 
Love the look. I don't see a problem with having pipefish with seahorses, as the biggest problem with seahorse compatibility is food competition. Can't wait to see that macro grow out for you.
 
thanks, im getting 2 more pieces this weekend. blue ochtodes and halymania, the 2 plants i have wanted the most in my months of planning.
 
nice tank . shouldn't need the heater. and even as described i would look to add a hob skimmer that filter alone is not going to cut it.
 
Hey there, didn't know you had joined here! Good to see you. If your halimeda falls through, I have some I would let you have, we would just have to work out the logistics. I have a brother in Monroe that I need to go see one of these weekends...
 
hey muttley. i was hoping to see some familiar people on this forum. halimeda is doing good for now, but i lost my halimenia. thanks for the offer, if anything comes up ill let ya know though.
 
lol. its all good, i took a drive out to novi today and got some halymania from another reefer, came home with some new SPS too! what a good day.
 
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