Sea horses in my 135g

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by browntrout, Oct 21, 2009.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. jturnbull

    jturnbull Purple Spiny Lobster

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2009
    Messages:
    463
    My Lfs owner has a nano on his front desk and has kept seahorses and pipefish for a very long time with other fish. He has since sold them. I'm not saying its the best idea but it is possible.
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. Puffer Chick

    Puffer Chick Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2009
    Messages:
    9,144
    Location:
    The OC, California
    I'm excited to find out if they make it :D
     
  4. elweshomayor

    elweshomayor Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2009
    Messages:
    3,964
    Location:
    Norcross, Atlanta Ga.
    im sure they will. and i hope so too.
     
  5. browntrout

    browntrout Fire Shrimp

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2009
    Messages:
    323
    Location:
    Hemet CA
    Another thing I would also like to mention. I will be putting some acrylic rods into the aquascape for them to hook on. Right now they like my finger leather coral and all the little holes in my rockwork. When I feed I dissolve mysis and oysterfeast in some tank water then turn my pumps off and use a turkey baster to feed. I give them a big blast around them and they gobble up shrimp. It's cool. I asked about the feeding when I bought them. He said he has been feeding them brinse shrimp since they were the size of a quarter. I watched them eat in his tank before I even bought them.

    Call him up and pick his brain about pipefish and seahorses. http://www.shillingtonaquariums.com/ calimesa ca. Id like to hear what the nay sayers think after talking to him.
     
  6. browntrout

    browntrout Fire Shrimp

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2009
    Messages:
    323
    Location:
    Hemet CA
    Still kicking and looking good today.
     
  7. GuitarMan89

    GuitarMan89 Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2008
    Messages:
    5,736
    Location:
    Wilmington, DE
    I do agree that there are a lot of myths or customs in this hobby that people take as fact. I would am interested to see how this turns out. But again, as another has posted, some of the members that have posted on this thread have more than 40 years in this hobby and have first hand experience with sea horses, so keep that in mind. Good luck.
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. RickGrimes

    RickGrimes Spaghetti Worm

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2009
    Messages:
    187
  10. rayjay

    rayjay Gigas Clam

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2004
    Messages:
    886
    Location:
    London, ON, Canada
    I'm a four year seahorse keeper at this point, and have experienced first hand what can happen when one doesn't follow the recommendation of the more experienced keepers on the "ORG".
    While there definitely are reef tanks out there with seahorses in them for long periods and have no problems, it is a rarity.
    Only a small number of seahorses survive out of all the seahorses sold in the hobby!
    The recommendations are to increase the odds of survival, but not to guarantee survival, but if followed REALLY increase those odds.
    Seahorses are very susceptible to parasites and especially to bacterial problems like vibrio. This problem is multiplied exponentially as temperatures increase above 74°F, even though the seahorses normally would be found in higher temperature water in the wild where bacterial concentrations can't get to the numbers they do in our tanks.
    Many fish can disturb seahorses, sometimes even ones that don't normally as individuals have their own distinct personalities like us.
    If the seahorse is stressed to the point of not eating and the situation is prolonged for more than four days, the seahorse is unlikely to eat again, even if the problem is removed.
    Stinging corals can also be problematic causing wounds and or death. Clams also can close up on the horses tails, causing wounds leading to death.
    You will increase the odds by keeping a species only tank.
    Sometimes even the same species but from a different source can be troublesome.
    Seahorses become relatively acclimatized to living with the parasites they live with, but when exposed to other parasites from other fish or other seahorses, they usually die. You may loose one of the seahorse species, but often, both will die if mixed.
    There is a mixing protocol that some have tried but it is a long time project and is not guaranteed.
    Before getting into the seahorse hobby, please research the seahorse.org site extensively, to minimize the tragic loss of these fantastic creatures.
    After researching, PLEASE DON'T, as I did after 3 years of researching, (12 years of salt water hobby with multiple tanks) ignore what you learned figuring you can MAKE a go of it when so many others fail.
    REMEMBER, ONLY A FEW WILL SUCCEED if recommendations are not heeded.
     
    3 people like this.
  11. browntrout

    browntrout Fire Shrimp

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2009
    Messages:
    323
    Location:
    Hemet CA

    Thanks for the info in this message.
    So far I feed my tank once a day. Usually a few cubes of frozen Mysis some krill or blood worms I change it up. Some Phyto some days and some oyster or roti feast other days. I always add the later with the mysis. I simply turn my pump off and feed the tank. Plenty of food to go around. Seahorses are doing phenominal.

    I really do not think I am lucky., Like I stated before at one point or another every fish we have in our tanks was thought to be difficult or expert only blahh blahh blahh but through time and proper breeding and rasing we have come along way.I trust this fish store and the owners advice. He has never been one to sell me something I wanted. He will say NO if it's wrong.

    For what it's worth my tank is at 80 degrees and my salinity is 1.025
    Nitrates 0, ammonia 0, ph 8.2, cal 430,dkh 7.5,mag 1600

    My seahorses also eat my abundance of copepods. My mandarin is fat and happy as well :)

    Glad I took the advice and tried something so many others have been steered away from. With that last comment though, I would never have just bought these from any store. I had an in depth conversation with my seller and had watched him feed these horses for weeks before I decided. So far so Good. i will get some more pics this week and post them up.
     
  12. alovely

    alovely Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2009
    Messages:
    73
    Hey not to bash you or anything. First I want to say your ponies look great. Secondly as many has said the temp is really my main concern as well as the fact that they are being housed with other fish. My seahorses are tanked with CUC and a mandarin. They eat all the copepods not enough in my tank or a refugium. However, the reason why 80 degrees is too hot for them is because of their immune system and their bodies do not tolerate hot temperatures that well. Ponies are as you can see when you feed them not exactly the fastest and most aggressive feeders. They also have to be fed at least 3 times a day because their stomach is very small. Please check out seahorse.org it is a great website and has helped me keep my seahorses very happy. Also some corals can be very dangerous for your seahorses because of the stingers on them. Please make sure you have a lot of hitching posts for them. Like many others have said I do not agree with this but I do wish you the best of luck and hope you take this as constructive criticism. Tell me how everything turns out in about a month and make sure to keep us updated on how they are doing.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.