tank sizes for ponies?

[NanoReefWanabe]

i have a custom 30 gallon tank i built (48x12x12) and i got to thinking it would be pretty neat to have some seahorses in it...

is there any sea horses that would be suitable in a tank of these dimensions? and if so how many would i be able to keep?

once i know the type i should be looking at i will going crazy on the reading...again...

 

[btreyes]

I would get a pair of captive bred erectus. They are much easier than other seahorses and would do well in a tank that size.

 

[mtc1966]

the only thing that concerns me with that tank is the lack of height .

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

yeah i was just doing some reading on seahorse.com and they recommend a 20" minimum height...i do have a spare 29 in the garage too...i planned on using it as the gravity feed refugium for the horse tank though...

i guess i could always put about 20 dwarf guys in my custom 30 though...i just found they lacked any significant colour..

 

[mtc1966]

but then the tank would be to big i believe that many dwarfs can go in a 10g and remember they need live food bbs only. the 29g tank is good for a pr of erectus.

 

[rayjay]

I put 20 dwarfs in my 5g tank. If you put them in larger tanks, you have to feed a heck of a lot more food to get a decent food density swimming by them as they don't normally hunt down food.
The height is only for some to be able to transfer eggs, but many times they find a way to manage even without the height.
Of course, if you don't want to breed them it doesn't matter anyway.
More informative reading can be had by checking out the links to articles that are at the bottom of My Thoughts on Seahorse Keeping

 

[mtc1966]

still 12 inch tank maybe sand on the bottom not filled to the tippy top may be actually 10 inches i cant see a 5-6 s/h being happy with that . of course i am no expert just my thoughts

 

[namxas]

You can look into one of the smaller SH such as H. barbouri, but I'd only do a single pair (mixed or same sex) with a 1/2" - 1" sandbed. H. capensis or breviceps would be better if you can find them and want to run a chiller.

However, if you plan to raise fry, a 12" height won't cut it as the height thing is really more connected to mating and the SH coital "spins" where egg transfer occurs.

Bottom line, it can be done, but the 29 would be better for the SH species available.