Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > Marine Fish Forums > Seahorses & Pipefish
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 07/26/2016, 07:10 AM   #1
Dogshowgrl
Registered Member
 
Dogshowgrl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: North Central Florida
Posts: 298
Any potbelly keepers?

Looking into another tank.... Potbelly seahorse is available right now. I know they need a chiller. I read lower than 65°F? Any other things different than other species? After quarantine I could have a tank ready, but I live in FL and that chiller would be working overtime in my house. I have a chiller on my other seahorse tanks but they are all set around 70-72 and that increase my power bill by about $75 a month (they run a lot) I have always like potbelly, but I think I might have to wait??? But how often are they available to hobbyist?


Dogshowgrl is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/26/2016, 08:10 AM   #2
BlueCat1949
Registered Member
 
BlueCat1949's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 197
seahorsesource usually has them but if you read the care instructions you will see the they need a large tank which means a very large chiller.

Potbellies like to swim much more than other seahorse species and they are the largest of the Hippocampus so they need a very tall tank, 36 inches, for breeding.

I am interested in getting potbellies myself but not until I can provide for their needs as adults.

Bruce


BlueCat1949 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/26/2016, 10:49 AM   #3
Dogshowgrl
Registered Member
 
Dogshowgrl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: North Central Florida
Posts: 298
Thanks Bruce I agree. I have access to everything but the chiller on hand. I think I am going to pass for a bit. I may already have my hands full with my 5 pairs and all the fry and going back to work (I work at a school, summer is almost over) and the rescues I just brought in. I just have an addiction.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Dogshowgrl is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/28/2016, 08:04 PM   #4
BlueCat1949
Registered Member
 
BlueCat1949's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 197
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogshowgrl View Post
Thanks Bruce I agree. I have access to everything but the chiller on hand. I think I am going to pass for a bit. I may already have my hands full with my 5 pairs and all the fry and going back to work (I work at a school, summer is almost over) and the rescues I just brought in. I just have an addiction.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
I know all about seahorse addiction, I once had 21 seahorse tanks in a studio apt.


BlueCat1949 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/28/2016, 08:05 PM   #5
Dogshowgrl
Registered Member
 
Dogshowgrl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: North Central Florida
Posts: 298
It's nice to not be alone!!!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Dogshowgrl is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 09/13/2016, 10:39 AM   #6
cpbartak
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Mooresville, NC
Posts: 39
You're also best off getting a thick acrylic tank/sump to avoid issues of tank sweating, and to provide thermal insulation so that the chiller doesn't have to work as hard.


cpbartak is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 09/13/2016, 04:56 PM   #7
DanU
Registered Member
 
DanU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Ft. Pierce, FL
Posts: 698
Insulating the tanks can make a huge difference. I have pots in two 90 gallon tanks with a single sump. It has a 1/2 hp chiller than runs alot. As an experiment, I set up a 110 tall with the bottom, 2 sides and back insulated with 1.5 inch styrofoam. I also insulated the sump. I put a 1/10 hp chiller on it and it ran about 1/2 as much as the 1/2 hp chiller did on the other two tanks.

Dan


DanU is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 09/15/2016, 04:57 AM   #8
Dogshowgrl
Registered Member
 
Dogshowgrl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: North Central Florida
Posts: 298
Never thought about that! Cool!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Dogshowgrl is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/10/2016, 03:50 AM   #9
2smokes
Moved On
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: romania
Posts: 515
Insulate the aquarium with styrofoam and the front of the display with 2 double layers of glass (just like window glass).That way the chiller should consume less current.My own aquarium wich is also a cold water aquarium will be insulated with stirofoam and double glass in the front.Or you could use a plastic (plexiglass ,acrylate) aquarium because that isolates better though not that good as the stirofoam plus double glass display. Also use an economic chiller device like one that has a compressor like a fridge or an air conditioned unit instead of the small chillers with peltier modules.A peltier chiller is verry cheap but consumes a lot of current to cool compared to the compresion type chillers.


2smokes is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/30/2016, 06:32 PM   #10
BlueCat1949
Registered Member
 
BlueCat1949's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 197
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanU View Post
Insulating the tanks can make a huge difference. I have pots in two 90 gallon tanks with a single sump. It has a 1/2 hp chiller than runs alot. As an experiment, I set up a 110 tall with the bottom, 2 sides and back insulated with 1.5 inch styrofoam. I also insulated the sump. I put a 1/10 hp chiller on it and it ran about 1/2 as much as the 1/2 hp chiller did on the other two tanks.

Dan
What temp do you keep them at Dan?


BlueCat1949 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/31/2016, 03:11 PM   #11
DanU
Registered Member
 
DanU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Ft. Pierce, FL
Posts: 698
Currently at 67 F. The person I got them from originally at them at 55F.

Dan


DanU is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/01/2016, 04:35 PM   #12
redhorse
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Rancho Cucamonga. CA
Posts: 115
Dan,
Is their a behavioral difference from 55 to 67?
Hey Bruce--- Are you thinking about getting some?


redhorse is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/03/2016, 06:41 PM   #13
BlueCat1949
Registered Member
 
BlueCat1949's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 197
Quote:
Originally Posted by redhorse View Post
Dan,
Is their a behavioral difference from 55 to 67?
Hey Bruce--- Are you thinking about getting some?
Maybe just a pipe dream but I have always loved the way they look. Particularly the ones with the giraffe patterns. My friends at SAseahorse kept their breeders in a 12 foot tank.


BlueCat1949 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/07/2016, 08:15 PM   #14
DanU
Registered Member
 
DanU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Ft. Pierce, FL
Posts: 698
Slow to reply!

I didn't see them at the cooler temperatures. I do notice a difference if the temp climbs up to 69 to 70. They become sluggish.

Dan


DanU is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.