my seahorse tank

[mattkd5]

tank is 10 months old here are some pics enjoy

[Peka]

Your reidi are very pretty. I have a female which looks just like yours...:)

[mattkd5]

Your reidi are very pretty. I have a female which looks just like yours...:)

thanks

[20pilot]

Tank looks great, could you give us some information on your tank specs. Thanks

[ScarletReef]

Very pretty! :)

[mattkd5]

Tank looks great, could you give us some information on your tank specs. Thanks

thanks my tank is a 24 gal solana

1/15 artica chiller to keep temp constant 74 degrees
9 watt turbotwist uv
Tunze Nano DOC Protein Skimmer 9002
20 inch 2x40 Watt Current USA PowerCompact Dual Satellite Fixture
JBJ Automatic Top Off
Hydor Koralia Nano (Mini) Pump/Powerhead 240gph

[nanshaw2001]

How long have you had the blue linka? I've heard they are hard to keep? Your ank looks awesome!

[mattkd5]

How long have you had the blue linka? I've heard they are hard to keep? Your ank looks awesome!

they are pretty hard to keep but he aclimated to the tank great so i guess im lucky i had him for 9 months thanks alot

[mattkd5]

enjoy

[NONNA58]

what kind of camera are you using? The pictures are nice.

[mattkd5]

what kind of camera are you using? The pictures are nice.

thanks its just a point and shoot olympus stylus 1030 sw on the macro setting

[Aqua_boy]

That's cool...........

[mattkd5]

a couple of shots of my new dragonface pipe

[Brian77]

The tank looks great. How do you have the Koralia Nano setup? I attempted to use one in a 20 xh but no matter where/how I pointed the powerhead it created too much flow.

[mattkd5]

The tank looks great. How do you have the Koralia Nano setup? I attempted to use one in a 20 xh but no matter where/how I pointed the powerhead it created too much flow.

thanks alot top center of rear wall pointing slightly downwards

[mattkd5]

enjoy

[mattkd5]

starfish holding on for dear life :lmao:

[n72]

Beautiful specimens. I especially like the blue linka.

[Reeefer]

Everything looks great!

[Octoshark]

lol @ the star hanging from the branch. I like that closeup shot of the linkia suctions

[Korrine]

looks fabulous!! I like the stars as well. Trying my first one actually.

What do you feed the seahorses?

How do you like that tunze skimmer? Would you have purchased a different one?

[howardchaz]

Looks great...any problems with nitrates with the feedings seahorses require...thinking about adding a pair to my jbj 28g HQI but still want to keep some corals...how often do you feed?

[mattkd5]

looks fabulous!! I like the stars as well. Trying my first one actually.
thanks alot

What do you feed the seahorses?

How do you like that tunze skimmer? Would you have purchased a different one?
i feed frozen mysis and the tunze skimmer works great for me

Beautiful specimens. I especially like the blue linka.
thanks

Everything looks great!
thanks

Looks great...any problems with nitrates with the feedings seahorses require...thinking about adding a pair to my jbj 28g HQI but still want to keep some corals...how often do you feed?

thanks nitrates are find no problems do water change every other week and i feed once a day and they are very happy

[Jason7504]

are those redi or erectus seahorses?

[Nebthet]

Very nice!

[mattkd5]

are those redi or erectus seahorses?

they are redi from ora
Very nice!

thanks

[got2envy]

Beautiful tank!!

[mattkd5]

Beautiful tank!!

thanks

[mattkd5]

my seahorses got a new tankmate

[Jason1979g]

Very nice setup. Makes me want to get going on my seahorse tank. im doin a 60 hex.

[mattkd5]

Very nice setup. Makes me want to get going on my seahorse tank. im doin a 60 hex.

get going you wont regret it thanks

[nemo74]

my seahorses got a new tankmate

Very nice, what type of fish is that??

[ChadTheSpike]

cool catalina goby!! I have always loved those! I remember the first TFH magazine I bought, I got because it had one of those on the cover!
Just out of curiosity, what temp do you maintain your tank at?

[mattkd5]

Very nice, what type of fish is that??
thanks catalina goby
cool catalina goby!! I have always loved those! I remember the first TFH magazine I bought, I got because it had one of those on the cover!
Just out of curiosity, what temp do you maintain your tank at?

thanks chad i keep my tank at 72 degrees

[mattkd5]

some new pics enjoy

[C-Rad]

i keep my tank at 72 degrees
A catalina goby is a temperate fish, and won't last long at 72 degrees. Unscrupulous or ignorant LFS's tell people they can handle warm water, but they can't. In the wild, the monthly average temperature where they live (southern California) ranges between about 57 (February) and 70 (August) with a few days at or slightly above 72. They can "handle" it in the sense that they won't immediately die, but it really taxes them, and they don't last as long, not to mention that it's not a nice thing to do to a fish.

You could take it back to the fish store, but they'd just sell it to the next guy who doesn't know any better, and maybe his tank will be 80 degrees, so if you can't find anyone with a cold water tank (<= 65 F), you might as well keep it and see how long it lasts.

[mattkd5]

A catalina goby is a temperate fish, and won't last long at 72 degrees. Unscrupulous or ignorant LFS's tell people they can handle warm water, but they can't. In the wild, the monthly average temperature where they live (southern California) ranges between about 57 (February) and 70 (August) with a few days at or slightly above 72. They can "handle" it in the sense that they won't immediately die, but it really taxes them, and they don't last as long, not to mention that it's not a nice thing to do to a fish.

You could take it back to the fish store, but they'd just sell it to the next guy who doesn't know any better, and maybe his tank will be 80 degrees, so if you can't find anyone with a cold water tank (<= 65 F), you might as well keep it and see how long it lasts.

Thanks for your concern but i knew it was a cold water fish when i got him. My buddy has had one in his tank for over two years now at 72 degrees so thats why i got one. I've had him for eight months now and hes doing great.

[C-Rad]

Thanks for your concern but i knew it was a cold water fish when i got him. My buddy has had one in his tank for over two years now at 72 degrees so thats why i got one. I've had him for eight months now and hes doing great.
Thanks for adding your real world experience to the debate about how warm is too warm for Catalina gobys. The reports I based my opinion on were a bit vague about exactly what temps were too warm. They, and/or I, were playing it safe, and it sounds like drawing the line for a constant temp at 65 was overly conservative. It sounds like 72 is fine (But I'm sure that 73 would cause instant death :))
So just to squeeze as much useful data out of you as possible, is your tank really at 72 all the time (plus or minus a degree), or does it vary with the seasons? Do you have a heater to enforce a minimum temp? What temp? Do you have a chiller to enforce a maximum temp? What temp? You've only kept yours for 8 months, so the more conclusive test was your friend's tank. What can you tell us about how his temp was controlled and whether it changed through the year?

[mattkd5]

Thanks for adding your real world experience to the debate about how warm is too warm for Catalina gobys. The reports I based my opinion on were a bit vague about exactly what temps were too warm. They, and/or I, were playing it safe, and it sounds like drawing the line for a constant temp at 65 was overly conservative. It sounds like 72 is fine (But I'm sure that 73 would cause instant death :))
So just to squeeze as much useful data out of you as possible, is your tank really at 72 all the time (plus or minus a degree), or does it vary with the seasons? Do you have a heater to enforce a minimum temp? What temp? Do you have a chiller to enforce a maximum temp? What temp? You've only kept yours for 8 months, so the more conclusive test was your friend's tank. What can you tell us about how his temp was controlled and whether it changed through the year?

it doesnt matter what season it is chiller keeps temp at 72 + or -1 degrees heater is set at 68 but never gets that low my friends is set up the same way. So i guess you cant believe everything you read :thumbsup:

[kma408]

thanks, nice tanks, I am looking for seahorse try to get some but I live in North California, could not find any in local stores.

[asianer]

nice

[rayjay]

thanks, nice tanks, I am looking for seahorse try to get some but I live in North California, could not find any in local stores.
Almost all stores are selling wild caught, net pen raised, or tank raised seahorses and as such, don't have a reasonable chance of success when compared to true captive bred seahorses which cost more initially but in the long run end up being the cheaper way to go.
Instead, buy from a hobbyist who is raising theirs, or from a place like seahorsesource.com.

[kma408]

so nice and thanks for update your information

[kma408]

Very nice seahorse, I want to get couple but I dont find in local store.

[rayjay]

Local stores are not the best place to buy seahorses from.
Most don't sell true captive bred.

[Kay Tickle]

Mattkd5: how do the seahorses and brains do together? I bought a beautiful favia frag at MACNA and then realized later that maybe it wasn't the best idea because I'm starting a seahorse tank. I haven't finished building the system yet, and won't have seahorses for at least 6-9 months from now, so I'm trying to research tankmates. Seahorse.org gave favias a 1 threat level, which isn't bad. How do they react around the feeders? How long have you had the brain and the seahorses together and which was there first? Thanks for any advice!

[mattkd5]

Mattkd5: how do the seahorses and brains do together? I bought a beautiful favia frag at MACNA and then realized later that maybe it wasn't the best idea because I'm starting a seahorse tank. I haven't finished building the system yet, and won't have seahorses for at least 6-9 months from now, so I'm trying to research tankmates. Seahorse.org gave favias a 1 threat level, which isn't bad. How do they react around the feeders? How long have you had the brain and the seahorses together and which was there first? Thanks for any advice!

When i built my seahorse tank i had the seahorses first and then started adding corals from my main display tank frag here frag there. I dont think you should have a problem i got quite a bit of lps mostly acans with no issues for almost 2 years now. Good luck with your new build.

[mattkd5]

so nice and thanks for update your information

nice

Looks great. Love the colors.

Thanks for the compliments

[namxas]

Looks great...any problems with nitrates with the feedings seahorses require...thinking about adding a pair to my jbj 28g HQI but still want to keep some corals...how often do you feed?

Unless you're cooling the tank somehow, it's going to be way too warm for even tropical species SH. You'll want to get the temp down to 74*F max. Cooling one of these tanks is definitely doable, as we run ours at 63*F using a fan on the sump area and a 1/15 hp chiller.

SH should be fed at least once a day. They lack a true stomach, and as such, cannot hold food for digestion.

HTH

[Kay Tickle]

When i built my seahorse tank i had the seahorses first and then started adding corals from my main display tank frag here frag there. I dont think you should have a problem i got quite a bit of lps mostly acans with no issues for almost 2 years now. Good luck with your new build.

Thanks mattkd5. Your seahorses are beautiful!

[Ocean2k]

Very nice tank

[mattkd5]

Very nice tank

Thanks

[Roxie]

Great looking pic's they look great!!! :artist: Keep up the good work :inlove:

[jonathansruelas]

great looking seahorses. i might try that one day... hopefully i have success like you . keep it up :)

[susan92368]

looks great! how is your dragonfaced pipe doing? That was my favorite fish, he ate like a champ and just up and died one day, i was crushed!

[tiller25]

nice tank mattkd5!

kma408,
i live in nc to just outside of raliegh. there is a store there (down under) that raises seahorses and so far they are doing great. i haven't bought SH's there but i have heard good things. just an fyi.

[reefcrazyme]

nice setup with the seahorse. i wish it was that easy to take care of them.

[mattkd5]

Thanks for all the compliments everybody heres some new pics enjoy

[barbianj]

Nice pictures!

[marcin11379]

Interesting
Can you mix reef tank with pipe fish and seahorses.
and what is your water parameters?

[marcin11379]

I'm planing tank in my sons room. 12 gal. to start, and i don't know what is easier Seahorses with pipe fish or clowns and anemones?

[mattkd5]

Interesting
Can you mix reef tank with pipe fish and seahorses.
and what is your water parameters?

yes i do with no issues

my parameters are pretty much normal
MAG 1400
PH 8.3
CAL 450
KH 10.2
NITRATE 0
PHOS 0
TEMP 72

[mattkd5]

I'm planing tank in my sons room. 12 gal. to start, and i don't know what is easier Seahorses with pipe fish or clowns and anemones?

clowns would work in a 12 gal but not an anemone unless you got good water quality and strong lighting