What seahorse would be best?

[just_kiddin]

This will be my first time starting a marine tank, I wanted to breed these fish to help fund my 100gal tank.
So what type of seahorses would be best for a UFO Aquariums

Aquarium Model: UFO 350
Available Colours Tank: Silver, Black, Blue, Pink
Available Cabinet finish: Silver, Beech, Black, Dark Wood
Dimensions Tank: 53W x 35D x 44H cm
Dimensions Cabinet: 53W x 35D x 72H cm
Capacity: 30 L
Heater: No heater
Lighting: 1x11w PL
Filtration: Undergravel
No. of doors: 1
Centre Shelf: No
Supplied: Aquarium and Cabinet separately

I was thinking two pairs of dwarfs but is their any other seahorse?
I was also going to add a 5gal sump where ill have a refugium going.

 

[pledosophy]

If you want to make money, seahorse breeding isn't really the way.

IME better to get some macro alagas and some rare xenia and go from there. Both are fast growing and in demand.

I'd ditch the UGF. JME

 

[just_kiddin]

Thing is I would be the only person in NZ with this specie of seahorse.

 

[just_kiddin]

Anyone?

 

[MoCha920]

in your system I think the filteration of undergravel should be toss in the trash. you can simply raise seahorses in any size tank good turnover rate

 

[just_kiddin]

I was going to either go with a refugium (5gal) or a external filter.

 

[lilleahseafreak]

if this is your first time with a marine tank then i really sudjest starting with somthing easier,

get the tank all set up with live sand and live rock and let it cycle then try some snails, hermits and easy corals like mushrooms, once you master that try some fish and harder corals, once you can keep them going then try seahorses as they are very sensative

i killed a lot of corals and fish in my first year in the hobby, i have been in it for 2 1/2 years and only now do i have seahorses and i feel lucky that they are still alive and healty after 2 months, i feared with my luck they'd be dead in 2 weeks

 

[just_kiddin]

The tank will be around 2 months mature before I add 6 dwarfs. But the tank will need allot of DIY to make it coral ready, like new lights and a skimmer.

 

[lilleahseafreak]

i have not have dwarfs as there is somthing about them being sensative to hydroids and other micro things that come on live rock and sand, i have been told that to keep them you have to make our own live rock which takes a long time or some odd thing like that...

 

[just_kiddin]

Live rock and sand in NZ is shipped in dead, required by law. so all i would be buying is dead rock and sand and let in become alive by adding it to a tank with salt water.

 

[NanoLurker]

most of the problems with hydroids is reportedly from the artemia (brine shrimp) that is used to feed them. i haven't kept dwarves in 25 years so my memory of hydroids with BBS hatching is non-existant. hydroids will kill dwarves and will most definately kill their fry. bristleworms are a no-no as well. off the top of my head i can't think of a single coral i'd put them in with. these guys are from shallow, sandy, grass filled areas.

ditch the UGF

 

[just_kiddin]

Im ditching th UGF, but using the power head.
I don't mind making the required amount of food for these guys, for ill be making a profit selling their fry.
I know, the only thing alive in the tanks are the LR, LS, SH, Algae and a couple of snails.

 

[NanoLurker]

make sure all the inlets to your powerheads are covered.

you're gonna be hatching a lot of artemia. i'd start some pod cultures as well. i would also encourage you to jump over to one of the seahorse messageboards and read up on raising DSH fry.

good luck with your venture.

 

[just_kiddin]

I have thanks.

 

[Paul B]

I have raised and collected many seahorses over the years and although I doubt you can make much money at it that is up to you. They are very time consuming due to the fact that seahorses have no stomach, just a short dijestive tube therefore they must eat often since they have no capacity to store food. The dwarfs will need live baby brine shrimp which is not a big deal, I raise them myself every day with a homemade hatcher. You just have to seperate the shells from the shrimp which the hatchery does automatically. For larger seahorses you will need to get them onto frozen mysis which they will live on.
I personally would go with a smaller tank or tanks because they don't move much and they feed better in smaller tanks.
I would also keep the UG filter but I would run it very slowly and in reverse with a fine sponge filter on the intake. Put some seahorse perches near the sponge which will tend to concentrate the baby brine (for dwarfs), they will suck the shrimp off the sponge. It will also collect the frozen food that is not eaten for removal. Seahorses need more vertical room for breeding than horizontal room. They will not just mate indiscriminately, they find a mate and usually mate for life.
Good luck. Here is an article I wrote about ten years ago for "The Breeders Registry"
Paul
http://www.breedersregistry.org/Articles/v4_i3_paul_b/paul_b.htm