Considering a Seahorse Tank...

[alohami]

I am cycling a 65g which will be my new reef tank, and I am seriously considering setting up my old 16g bow front as a seahorse tank. Ideally, I'd like to do a pair of horses and a pipefish. I'm just beginning my research, but I am hoping someone can give me some ideas on what my options are.
The tank is well established (3+ years), but I do have some aiptasia that I know I would have to take care of first. I also vaguely remember reading something about not having any bristleworms in a horse tank, and I know I have those as well. I will probably change out the sand, but I'd like to clean up the rock and keep it. I'm open to all suggestions!

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by AlohaMI
http:///forum/post/2670727
I am cycling a 65g which will be my new reef tank, and I am seriously considering setting up my old 16g bow front as a seahorse tank. Ideally, I'd like to do a pair of horses and a pipefish. I'm just beginning my research, but I am hoping someone can give me some ideas on what my options are.
The tank is well established (3+ years), but I do have some aiptasia that I know I would have to take care of first. I also vaguely remember reading something about not having any bristleworms in a horse tank, and I know I have those as well. I will probably change out the sand, but I'd like to clean up the rock and keep it. I'm open to all suggestions!

The 16g is too small for Horses(seahorses), but it would be perfect for Ponies(dwarf seahorses). Most horses need at least a 30g...most require a 75g. Any type of stinging coral is a disaster waiting to happen if kept in a horse tank. For my ponies, after a huge invasion on aiptasia, I boiled and bleached every thing that was in their tank. Using cycled sand from your reef tank sounds great, except for the possible transfer of aiptasia into the 16g.
Which species were you considering?

 

[alohami]

Shoot, I didn't really want to do dwarfs because they seem more fragile. I was considering the Kudas at first, mainly because you can purchase them here, but I thought they were too big for my tank. I was actually hoping there was a smaller standard that I could do, but I haven't really decided on anything in particular. The 16 is already established, so the rock with the aiptasia and sand is already in there. I know there would definitely be some reconfiguring needed on this tank, and I'll have to do some more research on the dwarfs. Thanks!

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by AlohaMI
http:///forum/post/2674357
Shoot, I didn't really want to do dwarfs because they seem more fragile. I was considering the Kudas at first, mainly because you can purchase them here, but I thought they were too big for my tank. I was actually hoping there was a smaller standard that I could do, but I haven't really decided on anything in particular. The 16 is already established, so the rock with the aiptasia and sand is already in there. I know there would definitely be some reconfiguring needed on this tank, and I'll have to do some more research on the dwarfs. Thanks!
Fragile?? Heck no..they're tough little buggers(IMHO), much tougher than their larger cousins.
Here's a few videos of my ponies~

[/URL]

This was my first set up

This was a 5.5g I set up many months latter:

This is Titan, the largest male of the herd:

 

[rykna]

I'd be happy to walk you through the set up

 

[alohami]

Hm, I don't remember why I thought they were fragile. Maybe it had to do with the feeding. Can you get them to eat frozen, and how many times a day do they need to be fed? I am hoping to have most of what I need already. This is what I have:
Equipment:
16g bow tank
80w Current PC Light
Bak-Pak Skimmer
Aquaclear HOB Filter (I have a 10 and 30 available)
2 Aquaclear 10 Powerheads (I'm guessing I may not needs these)
3-year-old live sand
Approx. 30 pounds Live Rock
I'm not sure what to do about the sand. It's looking rather grubby, so I'm considering either stirring it up to clean it after all inhabitants are moved to the 65 or just replacing it -- although I had to do that and lose the biofilter. When it comes to the rock, my better bet is to probably swap it out for some clean rock that I have in the 65 right now.
A few questions off the top of my head: Do you run a skimmer on your pony tanks? I'd like to use gorgonians or other natural fauna for hitching posts. How practical is that for a pony tank and what might be good? Can you put a pipefish in with the dwarfs? How many dwarfs could I do in a 16?
Any help you can provide would be great!

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by AlohaMI http:///forum/post/2674415
~ I don't remember why I thought they were fragile.
Well, being seahorses they are a lot more work than your average reef tank.They're so tiny, and cute too. Many of the other seahorse keepers here online disagree with me regarding the ponies' toughness, however, I've kept over 8 different pairs of Horses....I lost them all....and the ponies had no complications.
Originally Posted by AlohaMI http:///forum/post/2674415
~ Maybe it had to do with the feeding. Can you get them to eat frozen, and how many times a day do they need to be fed?
Ponies need live baby brine shrimp that is enriched with some kind of vitamin enhancer. Their tiny snouts restricts them to tiny prey. My ponies all turned their snouts up at anything that didn't wiggle or swim.
The Brine Shrimp hatchery may look intimidating, but it is very simple once you get the set up going.

Originally Posted by AlohaMI http:///forum/post/2674415
This is what I have:
Equipment:

• 
  16g bow tank
• 
  80w Current PC Light
• 
  Bak-Pak Skimmer
• 
  Aquaclear HOB Filter (I have a 10 and 30 available)
  2 Aquaclear 10 Powerheads (I'm guessing I may not needs these)
  3-year-old live sand
  Approx. 30 pounds Live Rock

Most seahorses, especially ponies live in coastal areas that have a very high water flow. Filter intake covers are a MUST. My ponies loved high flow. They actually test the currents!
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/292980/ponies-love-the-ehiem
This is a link to one of my pony tank set ups.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/298285/seahorse-tank-set-up-for-koi-lady
Originally Posted by AlohaMI http:///forum/post/2674415
I'm not sure what to do about the sand. It's looking rather grubby, so I'm considering either stirring it up to clean it after all inhabitants are moved to the 65 or just replacing it -- although I had to do that and lose the biofilter. When it comes to the rock, my better bet is to probably swap it out for some clean rock that I have in the 65 right now.
I would transfer all LR and LS...anything that could possibly carry potential pests like aiptasia. After my disaster with aiptasia I boiled everything, and started only with a sterile tank. Then I slowly "seeded" the sterile tank with cultured pods and other little helpful clean up bugs.
Currently I have a 55g sump tank simmering. Contents include:
20 lbs DS(dead sand)
20 lbs CS(cultured sand)
35 lbs BDR(boiled dead rock)
I have several different kinds of filters..mostly Aquaclear..that's my favorite.
and 1 green brittle star(other wise know as the "green death" but I got this guy for the sump only. They are great clean up stars...but once they reach a certain size they'll eat anything they can wrap they legs around.
Once the sump tank cycles, I'm setting up the DT(display tank), most likely my 15g high. Everything in the DT will be artificial or cultured. Until I can find a flow that fits both gorgonian needs and it's to high for ponies, ponies are best left to a species tank only.
Here's another link I think you'll find helpful:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/295520/so-you-want-a-seahorse
Originally Posted by AlohaMI http:///forum/post/2674415
A few questions off the top of my head: Do you run a skimmer on your pony tanks?
No...pony tanks require at least one water change a week if not two.
Originally Posted by AlohaMI http:///forum/post/2674415
[*]
I'd like to use gorgonians or other natural fauna for hitching posts.
Can you put a pipefish in with the dwarfs?
To both of theses I answer NO.
Originally Posted by AlohaMI http:///forum/post/2674415
~How many dwarfs could I do in a 16?
You can easily fit 50 in a ten gallon tank.
baby Size:

Adult Size:

Specific questions are the easiest so ask away

 

[alohami]

Wow, I have lots to go over, thanks! I just remembered that I do have a HOB refugium laying around too. The only problem is it's either that OR a filter. I don't have room for both unless I can hang the filter on the side. That's good news about the skimmer too. I can move that over to the 65 to tide me over until I get an in-sump one for that tank. Now that you mention it, artificial plants and such would probably be better, and I'm sure starting over with fresh everything is a good idea.
I've done brine shrimp before, although my hatchery needs some work. I also need to find it a new home because I got tired of it being on the bathroom vanity.

I plan on raising baby Bangaii again once I find another male (lost my first one while he was holding

), so that would give me two uses for the BBS. I still have San Francisco strain eggs (the smaller ones) and Super Selco on hand, so it wouldn't be hard to get it going again. Do you feed standard brine shrimp or do you use the smaller strain?
Frequent water changes aren't a problem now that I finally have my own RO/DI system. I always have a pail bubbling away, again, in the bathroom.

I've also been thinking about getting a box of dry rock to fill up my 65, so it might be a good idea to do that and use some of it for a pony tank.
And, wow, are they tiny! I knew the were small, but I didn't realize quite how small they are. I would probably want to start out with a dozen or so since I know I would be doing a head count all the time at first. Do they seem to do better in larger groups?
Oh, I forgot to ask before, what's a good clean up crew? I'm sure hermits and other crabs are out, but it doesn't seem like snails would bother anything. Oh, and what putting a yellow clown goby in with them? They are quite small and docile, so it seems like they would be okay. I love the little gobies, but I'm afraid they will be lost in my bigger tank so it would be nice to have them in the pony tank.
I'll go over all the links and check things out some more, and I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go along! You've been really helpful!

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by AlohaMI
http:///forum/post/2674654
I've done brine shrimp before, although my hatchery needs some work. I still have San Francisco strain eggs (the smaller ones) and Super Selco on hand, so it wouldn't be hard to get it going again. Do you feed standard brine shrimp or do you use the smaller strain?
These are the kind I use:

The decapsulated cysts do not muck the water quality as much.
Originally Posted by AlohaMI
http:///forum/post/2674654
Do they seem to do better in larger groups?
Definitely! Seahorses are very social fishes, the larger the family the happier they are. The online store I purchase mine from sells several different packages. I like the mixed 12 package, they guarantee a certain numbers of males and females(if you'd like the link, please PM me)
Originally Posted by AlohaMI
http:///forum/post/2674654
Oh, I forgot to ask before, what's a good clean up crew? I'm sure hermits and other crabs are out, but it doesn't seem like snails would bother anything. Oh, and what putting a yellow clown goby in with them? They are quite small and docile, so it seems like they would be okay. I love the little gobies, but I'm afraid they will be lost in my bigger tank so it would be nice to have them in the pony tank.
I'd advise against it, I'm quite certain that the gobies wouldn't hesitate to eat a baby pony or a adult for that matter. The biggest problem with tank mates is that all seahorses are extremely slow eaters. They do not have a stomach, just one long digestive tract; as the food moves through the seahorses' body absorbs what nutrition it can. Hence why seahorses excrete so much.
As for a clean up crew nassarius snails, and pods too. There are also mini stars you can use too.
Glad to be of help

 

[pjlovesbaskets]

Okay, I am just beginning to research a seahorse tank. The ones I have seen are about 1 to 1/2 inches long. Are they dwarf or regular ( for a lack of a more educated term)? Please explain why you need a 30g tank for seahorses? I would have picked a much smaller tank not realizing the needs. They are so small why such a big tank.

 

[alohami]

Originally Posted by Pjlovesbaskets
http:///forum/post/2675857
Okay, I am just beginning to research a seahorse tank. The ones I have seen are about 1 to 1/2 inches long. Are they dwarf or regular ( for a lack of a more educated term)? Please explain why you need a 30g tank for seahorses? I would have picked a much smaller tank not realizing the needs. They are so small why such a big tank.
Those have to be dwarfs. The "regular" varieties are closer to the 4" to 6" range, approximately. What size tank do you have, PJ?

 

[alohami]

Quick question, Rynka, how long does the bottle of decapsulated artemia cysts last you, and how many ponies are you feeding? I previously looked into another variety of decapsulated cysts for my Bangaii babies, but they stated those wouldn't hatch because the heat produced during the decapsulation process made them non-viable. I'm guessing these must be decapsulated differently in order for them to still be able to hatch live.

 

[pete159]

the water quality in a tiny 16g tank would go downhill fast if their were seahorse and a pipefish in it.
i'd make it into a refugium for the reef tank.

 

[alohami]

Thanks for the idea, but I already have a 20L as a refugium for my reef. I know I would have to be diligent with frequent water changes to keep the water quality up, but that's easy enough for me to do.

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by AlohaMI
http:///forum/post/2676324
Quick question, Rynka, how long does the bottle of decapsulated artemia cysts last you, and how many ponies are you feeding? I previously looked into another variety of decapsulated cysts for my Bangaii babies, but they stated those wouldn't hatch because the heat produced during the decapsulation process made them non-viable. I'm guessing these must be decapsulated differently in order for them to still be able to hatch live.
When I first started I had 10 ponies. The bottle that came with them was half the size of the one I posted and it lasted me for 3-4 months. I got up to 41 ponies and was going through the large bottle every 3 months I think. Depends to..sometimes you'll notice the ponies need extra chow, other days not as much. Because of this I cut down to one large feeding a day. when I fed the brine I'd turn the filter off for 15-20, sometimes 30 minutes when I had newborns to make sure everybody got their fill. I hatched enough brine that when I added the brine to the tank it looked like it was snowing(note this was when I had over 20 ponies) Once feeding time was over I'd turn the filter back on. Then the ponies could hunt on their own until the next day's feeding. You only need a couple drops per hatchery bottle. It will take some testing to get the right amount for your tank. The hatchery does need light on it 24/7.The artemia I use, was given to me by bronco300~he was the one who started me with ponies. I haven't tried any other types.
Hope this helps

 

[alohami]

Yes, it did help. I figured it would last a while, I've just never seen it in liquid form before. I've been slowly moving corals over to the big tank, so hopefully in the coming weeks I can start getting the 16 ready to go. Now I just have to figure out where to set up a hatchery since the bathroom vanity isn't a long term option. Between having the brine shrimp bubbling away and the bucket on the floor for water changes, it kinda weirded people out when they came over.

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by AlohaMI
http:///forum/post/2677071
Yes, it did help. I figured it would last a while, I've just never seen it in liquid form before. I've been slowly moving corals over to the big tank, so hopefully in the coming weeks I can start getting the 16 ready to go. Now I just have to figure out where to set up a hatchery since the bathroom vanity isn't a long term option. Between having the brine shrimp bubbling away and the bucket on the floor for water changes, it kinda weirded people out when they came over.

I know just what you mean. My mom calls it my "meth lab"!!!! I hide my hatchery in the laundry room. I'd put it in the garage, except I'd be serving "brinecicles" from October to April

Got any pics to post???

 

[alohami]

I don't have any pictures right now. The water quality is good, but it's very disheveled looking right now. I'd be too embarrassed to post pics! I had a couple of very large corals in there, in addition to other odds and ends that I accumulated in preparation for the 65. I'm still in the process of moving everything over, and then I need to deal with the aiptasia on the rock. The glass could use a good scraping too -- there just wasn't room to do much maintenance with everything packed in there. I could take some pics of the 65 if I could find my scrubbie to clean the front glass.

 

[rykna]

I know just what ya mean...."really there are fish in there..somewhere". Good ol angel hair algae. I'd love to see some pics of your coral