H. zosterae

[Mikron]

I set up my 2.5 gal. tank four months ago expressly for a few dwarf seahorses. It's rapidly turning into a nano reef and I'm wondering why I don't read about people on this list keeping zosterae in their nano reefs. I still don't havew the seahorses, but expect to in a couple of weeks.

mikron

[tinyreef]

too much work for me.

 

the breeding tank and balancing the food/nutrient input with keeping the system 'clean' is another.

 

the aquascaping of the currently popularly available tanks usually preclude regular ponies of any type (i.e. 7g bowfronts are too short imo). maybe dwarfs, or is it dwarves? ??? altho i'm running a tall tank now but i'm a lazy bastage.

 

they don't live very long, 2 years on average. i'm sure if you're a really good rancher that can become 3 years but if you're not that can also become 3 weeks. X)

 

typical nano water flows are too strong.

 

seahorses are more of a chick-thing. jk, my bro was a rancher 20 yrs ago. he is a bit light in the loafers tho. :

[Mikron]

That water flow issue has been on my mind, how to have enough for the corals but not too much for the seahorses.

[tinyreef]

it's the classic struggle of forcing livestock to 'fit' into an artificial biotope not suited for them (either ponies or corals).

 

imo you'd be better off only raising caulerpa : , sarco elegans (not too much shedding but a bit fast growing for a 2.5g), colt coral (heavy slime issue tho), gorgonian-type corals, or other non-photo corals.

 

the non-photos are actually a good choice imo since you'll be feeding plankton-type to the ponies anyway. neither are 'easy' in any sense of that word tho.

 

a couple of duetto's on low setting and pre-filters may be ok.

[Mikron]

My thinking pretty much paralells yours. What's a duetto?

[tinyreef]

sorry, a Zoo-Med Duetto filter ($13~$15). tiny little bugger. i'm a power filter guy, techno-crutch as some would put it.

 

the duetto is about 1.5x the size of a rio 90. it has an adjustable output and filter compartment. they charge usurious rates for their propreitary filters tho. i use some tulle (veil material) and wrap it around carbon, presto save $$$.

[Mikron]

For the shoe boxes I sometimes use to raise killifish fry, I make a little filter out of a PVC pipe 'T' fitting stuffed with floss. Attach an airlift, presto.