Very Interested in SeaHorses in PA

[dalilgriffith]

Ok, I have a 40 Breeder I thought I would use for clownfish/anemone but I saw seahorses at the beach and I really feel in love with them. The ones they had in the aquarium were lined seahorses.

First off. Tank Design?

-How do you provide flow/water movement to the tank for such docile (spelling?) creatures.

-Live Rock? I'd like to stick with a lot of tonga branch

-Greens? What greens would you suggest for the main display? For the refugium, I was going to use spaghetti/chaeto. I was also going to culture pods in this.

-Refugium - 1/4 of 40 gallon tank with plexi divider. Your thoughts?

I was going to drill holes in the glass towards the bottom. I was then going to have my filter or skimmer draw water from the display and gently dump it in the refugium and the holes would complete the cycle/exchange.

-Livestock - What seahorses will regularly reproduce under conditions inside a tank?

I'd like to keep temps as tropical as possible.

I would also possibly keep alligator pipefish in the tank as well.

I am going to grab the finest grain sand, smaller than sugar granules. I like that look.

Lighting? Just a light capable of 6700k for photosynthesis?

What filter do you guys suggest? model?

How about skimmer? model?

Any media reactors required?

If i forgot anything let me know.

 

[HappySkittles]

for your temp
i dont think you wanna go any higher than 75 degrees F
seahorse do best in cooler water ive read though people do keep them at higher temps...when i get mine imma keep em lower just to be safe

 

[dalilgriffith]

Anyother tidbits?

 

[ann83]

40 breeders are only 16 inches tall, I believe. You're not likely to get any seahorses regularly breeding in that once you tank the sandbed and top space into account. Seahorses need a vertical rise to breed properly. Usually 3 times the length of the adult seahorse.

Also, tropical species need to be kept between 70-74 degrees to keep bacterial infections at bay; and mixing pipefish with seahorses will also increase your risk of bacterial infection.

 

[ReefNutPA]

I agree with Ann. A 40 breeder isn't the ideal tank for breeding purposes. If breeding isn't a major concern, the tank is do-able as a seahorse tank. You may still get some breeding, but not complete egg transfers, which will result in small broods of fry.

With that said, keep the temp at a max of 74F and don't add any pipefish. Remember, the pipes will be wild caught and any captive seahorses would have no immunity to anything they carry. The risks are huge - especially for someone just starting with keeping seahorses.

Tom