wanting to start a seahorse tank.

[nu2salt]

hey guys i was wondering if a 20l tank would be suitable for seahorses. these creatures are all that seems to interest my wife when it comes to saltwater. i have a 75 mixed reef but she shows very little interest in it. so i as thinking about setting her up a horse tank.
i have probably all the equipment to set the tank up but i have read that one shoud have meds on hand in case they get sick. what kind of meds? and were do i get them?
i was thinking maybe dwarf horses.or if someone can recomend a good starter horse that the 20l would be suitable for.
the only thing that will be in the tank other than the sh's will be zoo's
thanks for you help
nu2salt

 

[bronco300]

dwarves really aren't the best as a starter seahorse....they take a lot of special care,even above that or a normal seahorse...especially since they need live food....also a 20gallon is a bit big for them...I have them and they could fit on a quarter....so i wouldn't really suggest it in that big, if you are up for a challenge and can give dedication to them then with prior saltwater experience you could probably do it, i did...but just not in something so big...10gallon is really the max for them or they'll get lost, flow will be an issue, feeding will be ridiculous to make sure they get all they need....
but as far as other horses the tank chosen is preferably 3x the seahorses height...so 20 would be a bit small in my opinion

 

[rykna]

I 2nd Bronco. What is in your reef tank? Seahorses do best in a species only tank.

 

[poniegirl]

Originally Posted by nu2salt
hey guys i was wondering if a 20l tank would be suitable for seahorses. these creatures are all that seems to interest my wife when it comes to saltwater. i have a 75 mixed reef but she shows very little interest in it. so i as thinking about setting her up a horse tank.
i have probably all the equipment to set the tank up but i have read that one shoud have meds on hand in case they get sick. what kind of meds? and were do i get them?
i was thinking maybe dwarf horses.or if someone can recomend a good starter horse that the 20l would be suitable for.
the only thing that will be in the tank other than the sh's will be zoo's
thanks for you help
nu2salt
With your reef experience, you should be able to keep seahorses just fine.
1) A mated pair (or prospective pair) who will or might breed should be housed in a tank 3X their adult height. For a beginner, I would strongly suggest a same gender pair. My preference is female. In the case of a 20L, you could house 2 comfortably, but you will have to stay on top of the water quality.
2) Don't keep a seahorse alone. They are social.
3) Seahorses do best with a stable source of natural food supplement that they can hunt, in addition to your twice daily feeding of mysis shrimp. This food source would be amphipods, copepods and the like. Seahorses are carnivorous predators.
4) Seahorses have a rudimentary digestive system. They are much like a human fetus in that they do not store nutrients, so they require at least two small feedings daily. This adds to the battle of staying on top of the water quality, especially in a smaller tank.
5) For beginner species, Kuda, erectus or reidi will be good choices.
6) The tank needs to be mature, or seeded with mature algaes, live rock, live sand. Your reef would be a good donor?
7) Research a lot. Google "project seahorse" and you will find a wealth of info. I don't thhink they are suppliers, so I hope this is OK to add!
I hope this helps.
Michele

 

[nu2salt]

thanks michele i will google that and read all i can.
my other question is were can i find the meds they may need is there a good online supplier.
and what meds should i start off with?
the 20l is already set up and running i was gonna make it a small reef it has a big zoo colony and some snake polyps in it know but that is it.
thanks for the help

 

[bronco300]

there are a lot of places with meds...some people can find meds cheaper at their local vet, i've never tried though....
Formalin and methylene blue are recommened...help with parasites and meth blue will help relax as well....if you are actually considering dwarves then panacur is a must for hydroids...

 

[freejury]

PonieGirl is right on the button on these species. They are the easiest to raise and maintain, and are, in fact, very hardy, compared to many of the dwarf and rarer species. Hopefully you have a good local dealer to obtain livestock from. Another great seahorse resource is Seahorse.org. They have great info on diseases, treatments, biology, care, etc. Really an invaluable info resource.