seahorse tank setup

numbr1westsida · 10/26/2008, 12:16 PM

i have a friend that came up on some seahorses. so he offered me a couple. any ideas on how to keep one or the housing for it? i have a 3gallon eclipse tank i would be willing to use. they are very small, only the size of your pinky finger. will that work? what will i need to do to keep a couple of these bad boys. i can hook this tank up to my reef tank, with its advanced filtration (protein skimmer, sump, fluval 405, fluidized bed filter, phosphate reactor (that is filled with carbon)) if they need that kind of filtration.

ann83 · 10/26/2008, 02:09 PM

A 3 gallon isn't going to work. Do you know what species they are? Unless they are dwarf seahorses (1") then they will grow much too big for the 3 gallon and you'll need a 29 gallon tank or larger. If they are dwarf seahorses, they need pretty specialized setups and live foods multiple times a day.

numbr1westsida · 10/26/2008, 02:29 PM

im told they r dwarfs.

mrme · 11/13/2008, 06:09 PM

Your in a rut then.
You will need to keep the dwarfs in a net pen in your display untill you can cycle a small 1-3 gallon tank. The tank should have only Sponge filtration. Some time sponging off a HOB or small canister filter works.
But make sure they can't get sucked up.
They may have babies, so make sure these will not be sucked up either.

numbr1westsida · 11/13/2008, 10:10 PM

the tank is hooked up to the main tank...it has been running for about 4 months off the main tank. numbers read
Ammonia, Nitrite - 0
Nitrate >1
ph 8.3
dKH - 9.5
Salinity - 1.023
Temp - 78 F

RocknReefr · 11/15/2008, 05:51 PM

What I know, is Seahorses need more vertical swimming area over horizontal swimming area. Small-Particle foods that are high in nutrition. PE Mysis shrimp, cyclopeeze and LOTS of Copepods. Foods that have at least 60% crude protein is really important, especially because Seahorses do not have any stomachs to digest foods. Be cautious of putting corals in this tank as these animals are EXTREMELY slow moving. Certain corals may produce too strong of a sting. Which may harm them which in turn, will leave them more prone to getting other infections.
Any soft-coral, caularpa algea-which help promote copepod population, lots of food, mild lighting, vertical swimming and places for them to latch their tails onto would be an ideal space for them.

numbr1westsida · 11/15/2008, 05:56 PM

i was only planning on adding zoas, shrooms, and xenia.

RocknReefr · 11/15/2008, 07:42 PM

Seems like they should do ok. Good Luck!

reefusaca · 11/15/2008, 08:00 PM

Nice. I've tried before but they did not live long.

pledosophy · 11/16/2008, 01:25 AM

Numba1Westsidah! More like anteater my man. West Sider in Irvine? Homie please.

Anyhoo, might want to look up hydroids and how they interact with dwarfs. Also look at the drugs people use to treat hydroids and it's affects on inverts.

Personally I wouldn't hook dwarfs up to my reef, but the daily feedings of bbs might be helpful dependig on what's in the reef, some corals will chow on that too. Dwarfs are just too dirty, I need my reef to be clean. Those colored sticks are picky.

Go Anteaters!

numbr1westsida · 11/16/2008, 07:34 AM

im no student of uci....im a cal bear come january. im a gaucho atm....and this handle comes from 10 years ago. juz kindastuck...the only reason as to why its connected now is juz to cycle the tank.

10/26/2008, 12:16 PM	#1
numbr1westsida Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: East Bay, Ca Posts: 445	seahorse tank setup i have a friend that came up on some seahorses. so he offered me a couple. any ideas on how to keep one or the housing for it? i have a 3gallon eclipse tank i would be willing to use. they are very small, only the size of your pinky finger. will that work? what will i need to do to keep a couple of these bad boys. i can hook this tank up to my reef tank, with its advanced filtration (protein skimmer, sump, fluval 405, fluidized bed filter, phosphate reactor (that is filled with carbon)) if they need that kind of filtration.

11/16/2008, 01:25 AM	#10
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Numba1Westsidah! More like anteater my man. West Sider in Irvine? Homie please. Anyhoo, might want to look up hydroids and how they interact with dwarfs. Also look at the drugs people use to treat hydroids and it's affects on inverts. Personally I wouldn't hook dwarfs up to my reef, but the daily feedings of bbs might be helpful dependig on what's in the reef, some corals will chow on that too. Dwarfs are just too dirty, I need my reef to be clean. Those colored sticks are picky. Go Anteaters! __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

10/26/2008, 02:09 PM	#2
ann83 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: MO Posts: 937	A 3 gallon isn't going to work. Do you know what species they are? Unless they are dwarf seahorses (1") then they will grow much too big for the 3 gallon and you'll need a 29 gallon tank or larger. If they are dwarf seahorses, they need pretty specialized setups and live foods multiple times a day.

10/26/2008, 02:29 PM	#3
numbr1westsida Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: East Bay, Ca Posts: 445	im told they r dwarfs.

11/13/2008, 06:09 PM	#4
mrme Moved On Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LA Posts: 465	Your in a rut then. You will need to keep the dwarfs in a net pen in your display untill you can cycle a small 1-3 gallon tank. The tank should have only Sponge filtration. Some time sponging off a HOB or small canister filter works. But make sure they can't get sucked up. They may have babies, so make sure these will not be sucked up either.

11/13/2008, 10:10 PM	#5
numbr1westsida Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: East Bay, Ca Posts: 445	the tank is hooked up to the main tank...it has been running for about 4 months off the main tank. numbers read Ammonia, Nitrite - 0 Nitrate >1 ph 8.3 dKH - 9.5 Salinity - 1.023 Temp - 78 F

11/15/2008, 05:51 PM	#6
RocknReefr Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: oregon Posts: 38	What I know, is Seahorses need more vertical swimming area over horizontal swimming area. Small-Particle foods that are high in nutrition. PE Mysis shrimp, cyclopeeze and LOTS of Copepods. Foods that have at least 60% crude protein is really important, especially because Seahorses do not have any stomachs to digest foods. Be cautious of putting corals in this tank as these animals are EXTREMELY slow moving. Certain corals may produce too strong of a sting. Which may harm them which in turn, will leave them more prone to getting other infections. Any soft-coral, caularpa algea-which help promote copepod population, lots of food, mild lighting, vertical swimming and places for them to latch their tails onto would be an ideal space for them.

11/15/2008, 05:56 PM	#7
numbr1westsida Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: East Bay, Ca Posts: 445	i was only planning on adding zoas, shrooms, and xenia.

11/15/2008, 07:42 PM	#8
RocknReefr Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: oregon Posts: 38	Seems like they should do ok. Good Luck!

11/15/2008, 08:00 PM	#9
reefusaca Moved On Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Orange CA Posts: 158	Nice. I've tried before but they did not live long.

11/16/2008, 07:34 AM	#11
numbr1westsida Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: East Bay, Ca Posts: 445	im no student of uci....im a cal bear come january. im a gaucho atm....and this handle comes from 10 years ago. juz kindastuck...the only reason as to why its connected now is juz to cycle the tank.