Hippocampus reidi - Maximum Nitrate short term.

[garick]

My LFS rarely has tank raised horses. Today they have some but will probably be out very soon. I have an empty tank that has been running for 8 months and wanted to know (Short term, 1.2 Months) with its nitrates being 100+ If it would be wise to keep them there until my fresh 75 Gallon cycles since I've only ever seen them in the shop about once every year or two

I also wonder if they must be kept in pairs or if a single would be ok as well.

 

[bender77]

You said they were tank raised. Do you haved the proper medicine to deworm them? Tank raised usually means they are raised in the ocean in a concrete tank and still have all the parasites of wild horses. Are you planning on tearing down the the other tank when the 75 is done? Can you do a few large water changes this week then weekly to get and keep the nitrates down some? I love my horses, but they do take a lot of work and maintinace. I'd say if you can do several large water changed, keep an eye on the water parameters (seahorse are messy), and can deworm them over the next 6 weeks then get a pair. If not then let them pass. There is a very reputable breeder online with captive bred reidi that would be a better option after the 75 cycles.

 

[garick]

I do not have any meds to remove parasites internally. I decided it best I just cycle my 75 and wait. Patience and education. As far as deworming I think that is what I need to look up and after doing some reading I think it might be best to find myself some H. Erectus (Southern) due to the fact that if I have a pair they will probably breed and the Reidi seem to be very difficult (I don't want to breed them but I assume it will happen regardless unless its ok to keep males together).
As far as water changes go. I do changes on my other salt tanks but I keep my salt high for my inverts at 1.026 I do weekly changes on all of them at around 10-25 gallons a change and this tank happened to be empty but was used to QT inverts (29 gallons) and has just been running empty for a few months with no changes to its water.
So I think my first question is.. What type of medication would one use to remove internal parasites from the horses. Seeing as it probably needs to be ingested yes?
If External parasites. Yes I keep a basic stock of external parasite treatment.

 

[bender77]

Google "captive bred seahorse" The first sight is a good place that breeds their own horses. Then google "fat and happy seahorses" the first sight that pops up is another good source, that is where I got my horses. If you get captive bred horses from a good breeder then you don't have to worry about deworming. That is what I would recommend. I have 3 erectus, 1 male, 2 females.

 

[garick]

I asked and they did some research. Their supplier of Horses is O.R.A Farms. Do you happen to know how they care for their horses?

 

[novahobbies]

I have heard good things from ORA aquacultured animals. Their drawback, IIRC, is that you cannot order directly from them. The two sites that our friend Bender mentioned are both direct-order sites, with members of their staff patrolling these boards who are very helpful. I would say wait for the tank to be fully cycled, and order directly from one of the two sites bender mentioned.
Oh, and back to your original question: Seahorses can live in areas of high nitrate, but 100+ nitrates is definitely too much. I get worried when my Nitrates climb into the 40s......I wouldn't push them beyond 40 or 50ppm for seahorses for any length of time. Ideally you should keep nitrates under 20 in a SOWLR tank, or under 10 in a tank with some coral.

 

[garick]

Yea that's what I decided to do. I am filling my 75 now. Will be adding in about 50 lbs of Arag Alive Carribsea live sand. Do I really need to add alot of live rock into it?
I am considering Two things. Less live sand and a better skimmer along with using fake hitches, and putting in soft corals up on shelves inside plastic tubs with lots of holes for flow to protect the horses from any stinging.
(Would this work? and is there a list of pony safe corals?)
Also what about the risk of hydroids with live rock? Wouldn't it be better to go with dry base rock?

 

[teresaq]

How many pairs of horses for your tank, and do you plan on any fish.
Take a look at the first three posts in this forum. There is a compatibility chart
I would use dry rock to avoid adding brissle worms. I dont care for them in a horse tank.
Fake hitches are fine, but dry branch rock is also.
You dont have to worry about hydroids with big horses, they only effect dwarfs and Fry.
T

 

[garick]

I only plan on a single pair of H. Erectus. I do not think I will have fish, If I do I will research compatabile species.
As for the Hydroids, I do worry about the fry. I plan on getting Southern H.Erectus and hoping to see my pair breed mainly for the experience and the chance to watch little ones grow in my tank.
Yes the base rock I get is completely dry, never been in the ocean as far as I am aware its completely white as well no growth on it at all.
As far as caring for the Fry. I plan on moving them to one part of the parent tank and separating it with an acrylic sheet with large holes cut into it and placing nylon mesh over the holes to continue to allow water flow.

 

[teresaq]

OK, one thing, lrg horse fry are not raised in the same tank as their parents. They are usually raised in bare bottom tanks with air lines for the first few weeks to months. Their tanks should be kept with perfect water, and cleaned several times a day. Because of all the bbs they are fed, it would soon pollute a display tank.
T

 

[garick]

Hmm guess I need to read up on that. Would it be ok to use sponge filters to give it a bio filter and is there a minimum tank size for fry? I do have a 29 gal right beside the 75.

 

[teresaq]

I have 10 gal and 20 gal tanks for fry. A 29 gal would be fine for older fry, but may be hard for new borns. A ten gal with a sponge filter is all that is needed to start with.