breeding seahorses need info please

dee77

dee77

Member
ok so i work at a saltwater fish store and im trying to think of ways to make some cash... i have decieded to breed seahorse's what i need to know some info before i buy some seahorses.... ok so what seahorse is the easest to breed rember price is nothing for me cuz i work at a LFS and i want to know what seahorse pumps out the most and just some more info on food,lighting,pumps,and can i have any other fish in the tank
any info helps
 
dive girl

dive girl

Member
If you don't already have a love for seahorses, it's not worth it. The costs associated with breeding them as well as the huge investment in time isn't worth what you'll be able to sell them for.
Want to make extra money? You'd do better at having a second job. You'd put in the same amount of time as breeding seahorses but you'd be paid more and on a more regular basis. Remember, you won't be able to sell seahorses until they are several months old, AND that is IF the fry survive.
 
dee77

dee77

Member
yes i know that i have been stuyding it, and i have ni limit on funds i just work it off... ok so what type of seahorse do you think would be the best
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
Southern Erectus are the easiest. They eat bbs at birth and hitch. But raising any seahorse is not all that easy. It takes dedication. Hatching bbs everyday. Enriching them as you go along. Water changes everyday. Baby tanks must be kept very clean.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
what size display tank are you setting up?? If you plan on breeding, remember - TALL TANK -- you will also need a chiller
I would start with dead sand and dead rock. this insures no unwanted hitchhikers in the tank. Leave enough room for thier mating dances.
You can have small peaceful fish. see the compatibility chart. you dont want to over crowd or disturb a breeding pair.
T
 
dee77

dee77

Member
yes i have done that i have a 30 gallon and im setting up a 45 gallon to also how much rock i have rock in there and i was dead to start out with...
 
garick

garick

Member
I don't think live rock is that important in a Horse tank in fact LR can be detrimental because of the critters that can show up on it and hurt your horses or even kill them and besides Water quality is easier to control using mechanical and chemical filtration.
Main points would be water quality, and water temp. Hence the chiller since horses do not take well to warm tanks so you'll need a heater/chiller to keep the temp stable and chillers are rather expensive and in honesty seemed to be based on many factors. Where you live, your average hottest tempts, equipment that will be used in your tank that might produce heat and so on.
Water movement I think is less important (meaning very little movement which is why you might wanna go with a bare bottom for easier cleaning if its just going to be setup for breeding since sand will just look bad and be a bit more of a pain to clean when it comes to the waste building up on its surface and gravel will simply trap that waste causing lower water quality (paint the bottom black or blue I think).
Get yourself aqua cultured horses, they will eat prepared and frozen items, this will make life easier for you. As for the babies, I can't really advise on those since I do not have any idea if they will still require live or if they will eat same as the parents.
 
dee77

dee77

Member
ok thank you for all of that info!!!
well i already have about 2inch sand bed and i have three vho's a whisper hang on filter and a maxi jex 400... i live in oregon so it is raining most the time snd not to hot. what size chiller do you recomend.... and should i get a sump and skimmer or a differnt filter?????
 
garick

garick

Member
Always check with the pro's. These links will give you all the basic info that you need really:
This is a list of kept horses, and their requirements temp and tank wise. Consider it first, this will help you decide on a tank.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...d.php?t=348070
This will tell you about accessories. It will give you info on filters, chillers and such. Read up on everything cause horses are tricky and require special care.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...d.php?t=301907
 
dee77

dee77

Member
thank you for the links very good info..... i have just talked to someone who has done this for years and im going to buy the dwarf sea horses, i f you have any info on thos let me know thanks
 
garick

garick

Member
Very difficult for anyone not familiar with horses. Only eat live foods.
I advise against dwarves. They are an advanced care even for horses.
 
dee77

dee77

Member
well i will start a brine shrimp hatchery before i get the horses.... also can i keep the babys in the same tank
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
This is true, but you also have to have a small sterile tank. meaning dead rock and dead sand. Any hydroids in the tank will kill them. You also need to either buy decapped brine shrimp eggs or do it yourself. Hydroids can be brought in on the eggs. Please do a lot of research before you ever start this.
Also be aware that dwarfs dont have many fry at a time and they dont sell for that much. Even living in Fla where they are collected, I never see them in a lfs
T
 
reefnutpa

reefnutpa

Member
Please do not get in the hobby for the sole purpose of breeding/making money. You will be sorely dissapointed. Seriously.
I kept dwarfs for 4+ years. At it's prime, my tank had 50+ dwarfs. Trust me when I say, after a few broods of fry they stop breeding. This is thought to be nutritional, due to the diet most hobbyists feed in captivity (a heavy bbs diet). My oldest dwarfs were 2+ years old. Healthy as all get out....but didn't breed after the 1st year.
The only advise I can give, is to read as much as you can. I know you won't believe me, but really....this is not something the average hobbyist can do for a profit. I am living proof of that.
It really seems your main goal is to do something you enjoy, or think you'll enjoy, to make a quick buck. Nothing could be further from the truth. You'd make more money going to flea markets and re-selling items you bought on e*bay or something. Sad, but true.
Tom
 
garick

garick

Member
If you plan on selling, you will have to consider many things.
Time + expenses + losses (There will be a lot).
Plus if you are honest with your customers about the sheer difficulty of keeping dwarfs and having to raise and hatch brine. You will see that they will lose interest as fast as you can say "difficult".
With having to have a chiller on a tank for horses, your average fish keeper is not going to be willing to spend 300 bucks on something that might not live anyway and be difficult to care for as well.
You'd be better off getting aqua cultured corals, growing them out and fragging them and selling them it'd be alot less expensive and care intensive. Since all you need is lighting, corals, test kits, and trace minerals (Basics).
 
dee77

dee77

Member
well i have already gone to all of my lfs and they all said that they will buy the horses so it is something i want to do.. im not trying to make money off of the dawrfs will just be something to get me into the horses and get me some experince in the breeding...
 
dee77

dee77

Member
so i just got my brine shimp going and i put a teaspoon of eggs it one leter.... should i put any light on them when i put the eggs in????? i know not to suck the egg shell up and all that... also can i put more eggs in....thanks
 
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