Seahorse in Nano tank

Discussion in 'Tropical Fish' started by flynhawaiianz28, Nov 29, 2009.

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  1. flynhawaiianz28

    flynhawaiianz28 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    So I have been debating the issue of whether or not to get a seahorse for my nano tank eventually. I have a feeling that I could probably keep one but I know it is not the easiest task. I have little knowledge of seahorses at the moment. The things I really know is that they obviously are not quick swimmers so it is best they are in an environment that they won't have to compete for food as well that they can not handle a lot of water movement as they can't swim through it very easily. Now with that being said I wanted to see if anyone is keeping any seahorses and how their experience is going? Also, anyone got any helpful websites for advice, know what kind of seahorse is best to keep in a nano tank, what they eat, etc. I always try to get as much info as possible so I can make an informed decision:)
     
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  3. elweshomayor

    elweshomayor Giant Squid

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    Well I don't have experience with sea horses but I do know ( adding to what you already stated) that you are supposed to have the temperature of about 74 degrees. Only live foods. And many places for them to grab with their tails.
     
  4. Gexx

    Gexx Giant Squid

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    they need hitching posts
    low temp (74)
    also they can eat frozen mysis or brine shrimp. they need fed three times a day (2 minimum)
    30 gal minimum (havent completely confirmed this i think they would do fine in a 10-15)
    need pristine water quality
    no anemones or corals that can sting (euphyllia family and some others)
    no ther fish that can out compete it for food
    you should have some copepods so they can grave throughout the day
    you should try and get tank raised
    very low flow to none at all (besides surface agitation)
    less than 20ppm of nitrates 0 amonia and nitrites
    turn off filter until done eating

    if theres anything i missed then well srry bout it
    good luck

    Gexx
     
  5. flynhawaiianz28

    flynhawaiianz28 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    thanks for the info....i think gexx covered quite a bit of info I didn't know already...i def. have some research to do on this topic
     
  6. mikejrice

    mikejrice 3reef Affiliate

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    IMO there is a lot of common misconceptions floating around about seahorses.

    The biggest one I see is the low flow myth. They come from the ocean, and there is no "low" flow in the ocean. The oceans idea of low flow is by far a lot more than out high flow SPS tanks get. While they do not necessarily need low flow they do need a specific kind of flow. They prefer whats called a laminar flow, where the flow is constantly going in the same ways allowing them to pick out their hitching spots and hang in the current.

    Another interesting myth I see is the NO anemone or stinging coral one. One of the LFS' near me has a large tank full of coral and anemones with a healthy population of dwarf seahorses in it. When asked how they managed that the owner simply said they know what an anemone is and don't go near them. Just like the non-hosting fish in an anemone tank they know better.

    Not all seahorses need a 30+ gallon tank. There are a few dwarf species that will do fine in a 20.

    If you do decide to get some be SURE you get captive bread. Wild caught can be extremely hard to get trained to eat frozen food, while some captive bread sources will guarantee their horses to be eating frozen. Seahorses are also very susceptible to disease, and getting wild caught increases the chances of bringing it in.

    As was stated before they do need very good water conditions and also will not tolerate any levels of copper. They also need hold fasts to hang on. Branched live rock and some calcified plants can be very good for this. You could also grow some caulerpa in your tank for them to hold and it will only help with water conditions.

    Power heads can be problematic with them, as they can get sucked in and killed. A small nano with only a overflow and return should be able to keep them safe from this and provide the flow they need.

    Post some more specifics about the set-up your thinking about so we can see if it's possible.
     
  7. flynhawaiianz28

    flynhawaiianz28 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Well as of right now I have a 15 gallon nano. It has a yellow clown goby, a six line wrasse, and a red scooter blenny. There are a few corals and i think I could use just a little more rock but maybe not. I'll post a pic and see what you guys think. I'm using a bio-wheel filter that is def. big enough for the tank size and I'm using a sea clone skimmer (i know they are crap, it is modded and seems to do the job for this small of a tank) and I have a small powerhead in there. I think the problem would be having some places for the seahorse to latch on to but I would get some rock or plants to fix that. Below is the posted pic so let me know your suggestions.
     

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  9. mikejrice

    mikejrice 3reef Affiliate

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    You might be able to pull of a couple dwarfs in there, but definitely not with the wrasse in there. A few mangrove trees would make great hold fasts for them and also filter the water like crazy.
     
  10. rayjay

    rayjay Gigas Clam

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    While I have no experience with the dwarf seahorses, from reading the "org", they need live BBS all the time.
    Small tanks are preferred for them to make the needed feeding densities practical. Larger tanks need immense quantities of food.
    For normal sized seahorses I have some thoughts written down based on my experiences to day (and knowledge gained by reading on the "org" that at first I ignored thinking I could do better)
    MY THOUGHTS ON SEAHORSE KEEPING
    The "org" though is still the best site by far, for up to date information on seahorse keeping.
     
  11. flynhawaiianz28

    flynhawaiianz28 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    is it b/c the wrasse may harass the seahorse or will it simply out compete it for food?
     
  12. rayjay

    rayjay Gigas Clam

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    The 15 gallon is not big enough for normal sized seahorses and a bit large for dwarfs. 15g is enough EXTRA volume for a second pair of seahorses, but the first pair require about 30g.
    The wrasse will out-compete for food and probably will harass as well.
    The tank in the picture is not an ideal seahorse tank as it will accumulate too much uneaten food even if it were large enough for normal size horses.
    For dwarfs, it's too large unless you want to be continually adding large quantities of BBS and removing the uneaten ones before the new go in.
    It would be best for you to visit the "org" and get some idea of what works best.