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New Seahorse Tank Questions


Nathaniel Z

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Hello! I'm starting a new saltwater tank (35-40g) and I was thinking Seahorses (Kuda or Ingen's....im still not sure yet.) Now I have some questions about them.

 

1.) I really want to add some color to this tank. I wanted to add hammer coral or any type of Anemones. But they are poisonous...could I put anemones (are there any types I could put with seahorses?) Or Hammer coral with seahorses, because I think that would be a good addition to a new tank.

 

2.) I wanted to put some clown fish in the tank....are they compatible with seahorses?

 

3.) If there is any kind of Anemones or coral or ANYTHING that could add color to the tank and still be compatible, PLEASE inform me. Remember the tank will be 35-40 gallons.

 

THX!?

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This^^^

 

Here's another: http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/tankmates.shtml

 

Photo gorgs are probably the easiest/best for a seahorse tank. For color zoas and mushies give a good pop.

 

Please go captive breed!!! Pacific east has some good hybrids.

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Not overly difficult but many considerations must be made upon their behalf. Anyone who wants to keep one are defiantly going to want to do plenty of research.

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Seahorse Corral is also a good information site. They have a compatibility page for fish, inverts and coral from 0 to 3. 0 is safe even with pony fry, 3 is probably shouldn't try it.

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That is so cool that you are thinking of seahorses. They are awesome charming pets with such personalities. They are needy creatures however with multiple limitations.

 

They are not good with clown fish as tankmates. Clowns tend to be too bossy and aggressive. They are more suited to shy, quiet fish like gobies or blennies but even then not something that would scrape their skin trying to get algae. (Yes, seahorses sometimes grow algae on their skin).

 

There are not any nems or stinging LPS that will work with them. The reason is that they do not have protective scales like fish but instead have skin which is more easily damaged by stinging coral. Also once stung they are prone to bacterial infections, ( which they are vulnerable to anyway). Because they put a heavy bioload on a tank due to a primitive digestive tract their tanks usually have bacterias waiting to subdue a weakened horse. One way to help keep pathogen bacteria at a manageable level is keeping the tank temperature in the low 70s or high 60s, (different species have different temps). Another way is overkill water changes. The pathogen bacteria can not be tested for with a kit so one must just attack with due diligence. Sorry I am going way beyond your original questions.

 

The good news is there are lots of colorful corals and macros that do work with seahorses....most shrooms, zoas, leathers and even sps if the horses don't stress them by hitching on them. Macros are great in that they are fairly low light and maintenance and there are some beauties. I am happy to help with any questions you have if I can. There is still a lot I don't know about seahorses but I have had very good luck with mine.

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Probably some of the best info you can get on seahorses is through a free online course offered by Ocean Rider. They offer with the expectation that you will buy from them but you are not obligated. My ponies came from them and are extremely healthy hardy specimens but I highly recommend seahorse source as they also have very healthy seahorses and at a more reasonable price. Dan who owns it is excellant with customer service. He helped me tremendously with a personal call on the phone and I did not even buy my ponies from him. I will be buying all the rest of my seahorses from him however.

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I can't wait to see it! I hope you'll make a tank thread for it and take lots of pictures for us! I always love to see more seahorse tanks.

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Looking forward to seeing your tank and ponies!

 

So I was just looking on Ocean Rider's site, to see the tank requirements (husband doesn't want a large pony tank because "they're boring") and I saw they recommend 20 inches in height but that a 10 gallon can house 2 to 4 adults. I would have a system like this sumped for a skimmer and extra water volume (not to mention go up to 15 or 20, maybe even 30 gallons), but do you really think a 10 gallon tall tank would be enough? Seems small, I mean, they don't move much... but still...

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So I was just looking on Ocean Rider's site, to see the tank requirements (husband doesn't want a large pony tank because "they're boring") and I saw they recommend 20 inches in height but that a 10 gallon can house 2 to 4 adults. I would have a system like this sumped for a skimmer and extra water volume (not to mention go up to 15 or 20, maybe even 30 gallons), but do you really think a 10 gallon tall tank would be enough? Seems small, I mean, they don't move much... but still...

I personally would not recommend a 10g for any of the greater seahorse species. Both water volume and height are inadequate. They are not particularly active but even same genders engage in courtship dances and i think i also read somewhere that it aids in their digestion to have tall tanks. I do have a 10g for a QT so it is ok for a short time.

 

Dwarf seahorses could probably work in a 10g as an AIO tank that is partitioned off. A compartment for the little ponies to live in and a compartment for equipment and filtration. A 10g with a sump might work but dwarfs need a high density of hatched, enriched bb in their tank because they just stay hitched and wait for it to drift past their nose and they eat at least 3Xs a day. Thats a lot of bbs. The daily baby brine hatching is a rigorous task that can not be neglected.

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I personally would not recommend a 10g for any of the greater seahorse species. Both water volume and height are inadequate.

How about a 10 (14.5" x 12.6" x 18.4") or 20 gallon (18.8" x 16.3" x 20.7") hex tank that is plumbed for a sump?

30321_400wh.jpg

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How about a 10 (14.5" x 12.6" x 18.4") or 20 gallon (18.8" x 16.3" x 20.7") hex tank?30321_400wh.jpg

The 10 hex would still not be even close to the water volume recommended. I suspect that is because seahorses put a very heavy bioload on any tank so filtering such concentrated dirty water would not be optimum. It would a great QT though. A 20 hex is getting closer, with super big and frequent water changes, an oversized skimmer and excellant surface agitation to compensate for the small footprint for releasing gasses it probably could work. Still I am more comfortable recommending the 30 gallon tank with 20" minimum height for 1 pair of seahorses. I read 4 different forums daily on seahorses and they get sick so easily. I would rather not risk cutting down my margin for error because it will probably bite you eventually.

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I'm just curious, when they are born, they are too big to be eaten by their parents right and no paternal care? What do the babies eat? I'm following this, it's so interesting and one day I'd like to have some seahorses too :-)

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I'm just curious, when they are born, they are too big to be eaten by their parents right and no paternal care? What do the babies eat? I'm following this, it's so interesting and one day I'd like to have some seahorses too :-)

Actually, no: they are not too big to be eaten by their parents. The parents just generally don't eat them, as far as I can tell. That might not be a case of not seeing them as food so much as generally being finicky eaters. The babies eat zooplankton (copepods, rotifers, BBS, etc.).

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