GPCRalph Posted June 21, 2002 Share Posted June 21, 2002 Hey, This is another question regarding what I can stock in my tank. Sorry for all of these questions but I would like to try something different and out of the ordinary. This site: http://www.zosterae.addr.com/mates.html compares owning and caring for seahorses as easy as goldfish. These are apparently dwarf or pygmy seahorses. I found the site by clicking on a link in a post by Totlxtc. I wanted to know if anyone has dealt with these people? and/or information about seahorses in general? Could someone inform me as to the care requirements or a site that can break this down for me? How time consuming or labor intensive are they? and is hatching your own brine annoying?difficult? messy? worthwhile? Thanks Ralph Link to comment
SLOreefer Posted June 21, 2002 Share Posted June 21, 2002 ok as far as requirments for seahorses i only recomend them to advanced aquariasts because they are hard to feed anything but live birne especially if they are wild caught. hatching brine is easy but since the seahorses eat 2 times a day you have to hatch alot so you better be making a whole bunch of it. seahorses in nanos also is not a good idea because seahorses like very low current when corals and such need a much higher current. just a htough if you ant to do this go with very low flow corals and nothing with strong stinging capabilities or it will kill the seahorse. Link to comment
Carinya Posted June 21, 2002 Share Posted June 21, 2002 I would agree that (from what I've understood) seahorses' feeding habits make them better suited to advanced aquarists. I'm pretty sure dwarf/pygmy seahorses require cooler temperatures than most reefs are usually kept at. However, pygmies can be kept in a very small tank. An excellent source of info on seahorses in general is http://www.seahorse.org/ Best of luck in your search for something different for your nano. I share your goal. Hopefully you can find something that works for you. Carinya P.S. whoever said they were easy as goldfish was not telling the truth. Link to comment
GPCRalph Posted June 21, 2002 Author Share Posted June 21, 2002 Thanks Carinya, This site has a lot of info. I am learning a lot about these guys. Let us know if you find something cool for your nano. Ralph Link to comment
wulffenstein Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 the feeding issue has been sloved with captive bred seahorses. check out www.oceanrider.com . All seahorse from here are raised on prepared foods and are guarenteed to take prepared food. I have recently been reading articles in FAMA about their stock. They are a critical publication but have nothing but good things to say. As far as in nano's I would maintain excellent water quality. I would put something for "hitching post" such as branching macro algeas or branch sps. I could be done. Also search the posts here. There were some long discussions a while back on seahorses. Link to comment
rhinoivory Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 Hey, I just started a topic in the members nano reef board, I should have looked here first. I love seahorses, they are truly one of the most elegaent creature on this planet. I would love to have a nano with at least 1, I'm going to do some research and see if it has ever been done before, and if it hasnt, I'm most likely going to be doing some practical work on setting up my future nano with slow flowing areas, and higher flowing areas. Link to comment
Mr Spam Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 another problem with dwarf horeses in our tanks, they will eat hydroids on the live rock and die.... Link to comment
rhinoivory Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 I've just done some research, looks like I'm going to have to skip the seahorse idea. As Mr Spam mentioned, they will eat hydroids, once its feeding time, the tank will flourish with hydroids (they feed on the diet of many wild seahorses). Having a wild nano reef with clams, sps, lps and a couple of seahorses would be amazing..... Link to comment
Toyfreek Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 unfortunately it can't be done easily, Due to the nature of most corals the flow we try and recreate will blow a seahorse around and around untill it is battered and dead, species tank for these guys. feeding has become much easier these days but I can't figure out how to get around the flow problem. If you do lemme know:) Toy Link to comment
Sahin Posted June 22, 2002 Share Posted June 22, 2002 I too had the idea of keeping a smallish type seahorse in my nano which is actually much larger at 24G than most of the nano's you guys keep, even so, I found out that it wasnt a good idea at all. I guess it better left to advanced hobbyists and a seahorse tank specifically. Link to comment
rhinoivory Posted June 23, 2002 Share Posted June 23, 2002 A great Idea would be having a tank with a designated slow flow area (maybe a pump attached to a spraybar for slow and even districution?) and then a designated high flow area. The problem is, will the seahorse stay in that area? I had a betta that I kept in a large high flow aquarium (those that are unaware, betta's need slow flow to suck up air from the surface). He learnt to stay in the slow flow area by learning that venturing out would cause his fins to be shreaded. Maybe a designated back corner would be efficient, with aquacaping that reaches the surface (maybe even breaking it,) and having a spraybar that potrudes into this area for the seahorse?) This would be efficient, as for water flow. But hydroids? I've never heard of this term until two days ago, and they sound PRETTY bad for seahorses...... I wouldnt say that it is so much a water flow problem, there are ways around it, I would rather be examing ways to keep the seahorse away from hydroids, which is, lets say, IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!! I may be wrong here? Either way, give it a few years, and I'm sure we will find a way to keep them! Link to comment
Chromis Posted June 23, 2002 Share Posted June 23, 2002 Don't have any experience in the subject but this might give some insight... http://home.pacbell.net/powerfx/html/setupdetail.htm Link to comment
Toyfreek Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 so if I understand you correctly, You are going to place an animal in an already tiny space then force it to stay in an even more tiny space to mearly survive. Not what I call nice. Toy Link to comment
rhinoivory Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 It's highly unlikely I would do it, after toyfreek's comment, but yes, I think there is a way around the flow problem, maybe some of you with larger tanks can take up the idea? Link to comment
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