Thinking of starting a Seahorse Aquarium!

[Nickel]

Hey Im thinking of starting a Seahorse Aquarium. It'll be my first salt water tank and I Know Nothing. I was wondering if salt water tanks are hard to keep? Im 18 doing an extra year of high school and can get really busy but I always try to make time for my pets. I love seahorses they're so beautful and mysterious looking and I don't want to end up having them die. So if any one has any info for me that would be helpful.

Thanx =)

 

[skoh]

I don't know a whole lot either but I think you're getting ahead of yourself, first thing I leared was not to rush anything. Take the time and read, and when you think you're ready to start buying things, take some more time to read. I have already wasted atleast 100$ because of ignorance, and that is only because I have a 5 gallon tank. I know that seahorses are a lot more to maintain than just a regular reef tank, ie harder to keep in captivity. Good luck and follow your dreams.

 

[metalac]

I know that they need a lot of room to move so plan on a 50+ gallon tank at least. If you're thinking of schooling them you'd probably want a lot more, especially since they can get very large, depending on the breed, 12"+. also the height of the aquarium is important since they swim differently than fishes.

 

[Chubosco]

Feeding them the right kind of food or just getting them to eat can be challenging.

 

[Anonymous]

Too cool! Another aquatic equine lover!

I have had them for a few years and am now on my third generation of breeding them. I think they are a great fish: hardy, easy to care for.

I have mine in a 75 but they could easily be in a smaller tank.

They eat frozen mysis, but I do give them a treat of enriched brine shrimp once in a while.

Are there any specific questions you have?

 

[Nickel]

Hey Thanx For your Replys they're helpful. I am reading A book About Seahorses. My parents won't let me even think about buying anything untill I've done at least 2-3 months of research. One of the Aquarium stores I've gone to told me about this forum and told me I'd get more info here than from any book.

I was wondering whats the best species of seahorse to get. My book says to get a species that you can easly mimic there natural habitat.

=)

 

[Anonymous]

There are a few species that need a chiller, but they are not readily available for purchase. I would get the species that your local fish can get for a relatively cheap price to start with. Our LFSs get them for under $30. I have had good luck w H erectus, H kuda and H reidi. I would avoid H zosterae at your beginning venture.

But, you are in Canada, so you might have limited choices. Can your LFS get you some?

 

[Nickel]

One of the places I've gone to the guy there said hes got about 100 Seahorses but he didn't have them there because he was redoing the tanks. But I'm not sure what species they are.

My mom asked me a question at lunch today and I didn't know how to answer it. She ask me what we would have to do if we went away for a week or longer?

=)

 

[Mike612]

You teach someone else to feed them and get them to feed the ponies while you're gone. Keep in mind that ponies need to be fed at least twice a day, so you'll have to get someone to come in two or more times to feed them.
I have seahorses and I don't find them too hard to keep, but they are definately somewhat delicate. Seeing as how this is your first saltwater tank and your knowledge is still limited, I think the best idea is to start off with something easier to care for. You can set up the tank as a pony tank with all the plants you want and some live rock. Put something that will be keepable with seahorses later on, like a small goby or a firefish. After a few months of keeping the fish, extensive research of seahorses, and when you feel prepared, you could probably care for one. Seahorses are usually not for the beginner or average keeper, which is why I'm recommending you get experience with something that is a little less delicate first.
Just a warning about male seahoses: the male seahorses can some times get air bubbles trapped in their pouch. In such an event, the seahorse will start floating around the tank and won't have control of his movements. Should this happen, you'll have to open up his pouch yourself and release the air bubbles. This is usually referred to as burping the seahorse.
Let me also say that seahorses do not need too much room. They are not too active and usually just like to sit around on a plant for a while. A pair of Kuda seahorses can easily be kept in a tank as small as 20 gallons. You don't need to go as high as 50 gallons as metalac said you do.

 

[Nickel]

Thanxs What Fish can I put with Seahorses?

I want to get a star fish, coral, live rock and a clam.

My mom wants me to get a clown fish but I think they would compete for food with the horses.

I think I'm also only getting a 24 gallon tank.

=)

 

[Mike612]

One very timid and peaceful fish is the best to keep with seahorses. I'm keeping a Yellowhead Jawfish with my seahorses. It is very peaceful, it doesn't bother the ponies, it isn't too aggressive of a feeder, and is easy to care for. That's a good option. Orange Firefish is very similar to the jawfish in terms of disposition so that's also a good idea. The Purple Firefish is slightly more aggressive than the Orange Firefish so I can't say how it would react with seahorses. I think the jawfish is my highest recommendation, but only because it's the only fish I've ever kept with the ponies. If you do that, just make sure that the tank finished its cycle before you put it in and that the jawfish has at least 3 inches of sand or crushed coral (sand's better but mine's doing very well with crushed coral alone) so that it can dig its tunnels. I have seen clowns being kept with ponies but I think it's a little risky. Clowns are pigs and so they'll probably eat up most of the food before the ponies can get to it.
Forget about clams with seahorses. Seahorses like dimly lit aquariums and clams need bright lighting. The only coral I would recommend with seahorses are zoanthids and some peaceful species of mushroom. Most coral have powerful stings, strong enough to kill seahorses, which is why you rarely see them in reefs. Nonetheless, you mentioned that you wanted to mimic the seahorse's natural environment and coral aren't really part of it. Their habitats are made up of lots of plants and very few pieces of live rock.
Since you're considering a 24 gallon, I would recommend only keeping a pair of seahorses. The more ponies you have in a tank that small, the dirtier it will get since they produce a lot of waste. The more waste they produce, the more ammonia problems you'll have. I only have a pair with the jawfish in my 30 gallon and the pair always turns a pinkish color in the morning and hold on to each other's tails. The male's never been pregnant, but it's nice to watch the seahorses show affection for each other. They are very fascinating to watch, and you don't need to have a lot of seahorses to enjoy the tank.

 

[metalac]

The male's never been pregnant

Heard only on a post about seahorses

 

[Anonymous]

I have chromis with mine. I am a big fan of chromis, so gentle and peaceful but active and fun to watch.

I agree about a clam in a 24 gallon tank. I have strong lighting on my tank but it is a 75 plumbed to a total of 250 gallons. In 24 gallons, heat will be an issue with strong lighting.

There are some corals that look great with seahorses. Corallimorharians ('shrooms, ricordia) can be extrememly colorful. I have Sunployps and 'shrooms and colorful algae with mine.

If you get a pair, be prepared to raise fry.

 

[Nickel]

Wow ok, I got a lot to think about. Maybe I should get a 30 gallon. Man I don't know my head hurts. Well I know two things for sure I going to finish my Seahorse Book and I really want Seahorses to do at least 2 to 3 months of reasearch.

If you could send me pics of your tanks it would really help me to get ideas on how to set up my tank. When I get one.

Thanx =)

 

[Anonymous]

Here' s a few from mine:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/10/aquarium

 

[Nickel]

What kind of fish is that greenybule fish in the pic and would it be good in my horse tank?

=)

 

[Anonymous]

A blue chromis. Very hardy and peaceful. Also comes in a green flavor.

 

[Anonymous]

Here' s a few from mine:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/10/aquarium

Wow. Great pic and interesting tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks! I like it.

 

[bleedingthought]

The degasing of seahorses is what turned me off.

Maybe one day I'll have enough courage to set a seahorse tank up, though.