Please offer advice

[mcbdz]

Hello. I'm posting on here, because I want to help my son get off to a good start. He is going to be 13 this October and he wants to start a sea horse tank. I have a 55 reef and he does help with it some. I am making him do everything himself. This is what he is starting with. He has a 35 hex tank with regular cf lights that came with it. As he does chores he is going to use his money to slowly build this tank. What would ya'll suggest for filtration?, Decoration, Substrate?, Ect.,
It will take him awhile to build this, and he has plenty of time to resarch. Please give any advice I should pass on to him. He started googling them yesterday and a little reading on this forum.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

 

[reefreak29]

this might help a little bit but it is very important to do lots of research before setting up a seahorse tank . feel free to ask away.

[hr]
TANK SET UP:
seahorse set up is different then a reaf enviroment. u dont want wall to wall live rock seahorses are not found living near live rock in the wild instead put your live rock in the middle of the tank so u have lots of open water. seahorses need lots of hitching posts of different shapes and sizes. u can use calurpa , fake corals and plants and gargonians. the substrate should be live sand. u will need a skimmer and about 5x turnover rate for water flow as the horses get bigger u can have 10x turnover rate.
lighting shouldnt be stronger then pc lighting about 3 watts per gallon.
water perameters should be 000 nitrates etc. temp about 74 to 78 degrease
PURCHASING YOUR SEAHORSE:
u want to stay away from wild caught seahorses because they will not eat frozen foods.
2 horses u want to start out with are kuda are reidi , they are typically easier to keep.always make sure the seahorse is healthy free of any disease and alert. always ask to watch them eat before purchasing.
after purchasing your sea horse drip acclimate for 2 hrs before placing him in your tank.
FEEDING:
seahorses need to be fed at least 3 times a day because they have very high metabilizms, food for the seahorse should consist of frozen mysis shrimp and live pods.

 

[reefreak29]

this is by ponie girl
Seahorses 101.00

[hr]
Like their horizontal cousins, seahorses that are purchased healthy from a reputable source, are QT'd before adding to the DT, live in appropriate climates for their species and are kept with great water quality, acceptable flow variations and minimum twice daily feeding...(breath, sorry) should be no more prone to disease or death than any other addition.
Keeping seahorses successfully in a home aquarium is a fairly daunting idea for a few valid reasons:
1) Not long ago, seahorses were predominantly available as "Wild Caught" (that is netted from the reef, bay or depth to your LFS) and, as such, came with the same difficulties in feeding and keeping free of disease as butterflyfish, just to name one readily recognized fish that falls into a similar class. Wild caught seahorses do not readily accept thawed frozen foods and starve to death. They are more prone to disease from the stress of capture and malnutrition due to their preference for live food. The tank will be preferably mature with a good natural live food source (pods) for supplimenting the prepared food diet.
2) The seahorse anatomy requires special feeding schedules, even if the seahorse is "captive bred" and readily eats prepared foods. They have a very primitive digestive system (somewhat like a fetus) and they do need a consistent source of nutrients. Not constant; consistent. A schedule of at least two small meals daily that doesn't vary. Plan on a sitter if you go out of town.
3) Identifying a seahorse for sale from any place other than a breeder is very complex and can be heartbreaking. There are many different species out there and some are still wild caught. Seahorse species vary so greatly in needs for tank size, temperature and tankmates that is is imperative that you have some idea of where your seahorse originates.
4) Seahorses breed easily, which is a fun and romantic idea until you are faced with 150 to 300 seahorse fry that will not survive without intervention.
Many new seahorse keepers end up with mating seahorses without a clue what that will mean. Very disheartening. Insist on same --- animals unless you are prepared otherwise.
5) Tank size and decor again can depend greatly on the species.
6) Most often there is probably no simple answer to a question about keeping these amazing animals in your home.
But they are SO worth it, if you have the time and the inclination.

 

[rykna]

You have to have a lot of time, dedication, and experience to successfully keep seahorses.

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by Rykna
You have to have a lot of time, dedication, and experience to successfully keep seahorses.
This is a very different mindset from keeping a reef, temperature, flow, feeding, lighting, landscaping, the whole environment...everything needs to be nudged just a bit. Not an impossible task, but with your guidance (being an experienced reef keeper), your son will probably do just fine. Research like crazy everything...we can help out...I will help with my limited experience. Just ask.
Lisa

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by MonaLisa
This is a very different mindset from keeping a reef, temperature, flow, feeding, lighting, landscaping, the whole environment...everything needs to be nudged just a bit. Not an impossible task, but with your guidance (being an experienced reef keeper), your son will probably do just fine. Research like crazy everything...we can help out...I will help with my limited experience. Just ask.
Lisa
Deffinately

Saddle up and get ready for the ride/swim of your life! As Lisa said, just ask

 

[reefkprz]

IMO a seahorse tank is not the best choice for a first tank. have him start with hardy stuff first, keeping in mind the final goal of seahorses, set it up get it running and make sure he can manage it just like there were seahorses in the tank. keep it set up long enough to tell if like a lot of younger kids his interest wanes in keeping the tank or not. if your going to make him do evrything himself (good idea) you cant pick up his slack, helping out though is good, and a great way to interact with a common interest.
This is just my view on it, I am definatly not trying to discourage the keeping of tough to keep animals but a crash course in keeping tough to keep animals almost never works out for the animal. I am a highly expirienced reptile keeper and breeder and even I sometimes have a hard time being successfull with tricky captive care animals. Even when you know all the tricks in the book by memory somethings go wrong. when you dont know through expirience how to deal with most of the common problems that can occurr, by the time you figure out what is going wrong its too late.

 

[mcbdz]

Thanks everyone for all your replies. What would be something he could start with that later could stay in with the horse?
Clown, firefish, cardinal, or maybe some kind of goby?

 

[reefkprz]

firefish goby, purple firefish goby, banggi cardinal, flame cardinal, pajama cardinal, percula and false percula clowns, scooter blennies, jawfish, pipefishes, and the black cap basslet, would all make compatible tank mates for seahorses.
if you go with the firefish make sure you have a secure cover as they are known jumpers.

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
IMO a seahorse tank is not the best choice for a first tank. have him start with hardy stuff first, keeping in mind the final goal of seahorses, set it up get it running and make sure he can manage it just like there were seahorses in the tank. keep it set up long enough to tell if like a lot of younger kids his interest wanes in keeping the tank or not. if your going to make him do evrything himself (good idea) you cant pick up his slack, helping out though is good, and a great way to interact with a common interest.
This is just my view on it, I am definatly not trying to discourage the keeping of tough to keep animals but a crash course in keeping tough to keep animals almost never works out for the animal. I am a highly expirienced reptile keeper and breeder and even I sometimes have a hard time being successfull with tricky captive care animals. Even when you know all the tricks in the book by memory somethings go wrong. when you dont know through expirience how to deal with most of the common problems that can occurr, by the time you figure out what is going wrong its too late.
This is very true. My response was based on the understanding that this seahorse tank was going to be set up under the watchful guidance of an experienced reef keeper.
I wouldn't keep perc clowns or false perc clowns in with seahorses. Mine (in my reef) can be very aggressive eaters and the horses would probably be out-competed for food. This is also true for the basslet.
Lisa

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by mcbdz
Thanks everyone for all your replies. What would be something he could start with that later could stay in with the horse?
Clown, firefish, cardinal, or maybe some kind of goby?

My response was based on the understanding that this seahorse tank was going to be set up under the watchful guidance of an experienced reef keeper.
Firefish are very popular starter fishes. The only problem with them is, as stated previously, they can be jumpers so you will need to accommodate for that. Cardinals are also good fish to have with horses (I have NO experience with them), as they are very docile and easy going.
I would not put clowns into a tank intended for seahorses because they can be much more aggressive eaters than the horse and will outcompete for food. A really cute little fish that I had originally considered in my seahorse tank...and may still consider...is the little green or yellow clown goby. Very cute little fish and very easy going.
Lisa

 

[poniegirl]

All species CAN be aggressive, even the sweet little gobys (firefish belong to this family).
My experience has been that adding one of a presumably compatible species will work better than adding two or more and then trying to add seahorses. A pair or a school of most species will be aggressive to the newcomers.
1 perc clown or 1 firefish would be a good start. You and your son may feel that the fish is lonely, but it will really be OK. You will know that you will be adding friends down the road, even if the fish does not!
A bit of posturing once the seahorse comes home is to be expected, and should subside quickly. The seahorse will duck his head and try his darndest to be invisible for a while (a day maybe two). Each should find their area soon enough.
Keep the first fish well fed and in healthy conditions; this will lessen the aggression, which is, after all, only a survival reaction.

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by PonieGirl
All species CAN be aggressive, even the sweet little gobys (firefish belong to this family).
My experience has been that adding one of a presumably compatible species will work better than adding two or more and then trying to add seahorses. A pair or a school of most species will be aggressive to the newcomers.
1 perc clown or 1 firefish would be a good start. You and your son may feel that the fish is lonely, but it will really be OK. You will know that you will be adding friends down the road, even if the fish does not!
A bit of posturing once the seahorse comes home is to be expected, and should subside quickly. The seahorse will duck his head and try his darndest to be invisible for a while (a day maybe two). Each should find their area soon enough.
Keep the first fish well fed and in healthy conditions; this will lessen the aggression, which is, after all, only a survival reaction.
So...if I was going to add a clown goby in with my horses, I should've done that first and then introduced the horses? Oh well, I've been back and forth on adding anything in with my ponies from the get-go. Talk about a species only tank, 'eh? Horses it is.
Lisa

 

[poniegirl]

Originally Posted by MonaLisa
So...if I was going to add a clown goby in with my horses, I should've done that first and then introduced the horses? Oh well, I've been back and forth on adding anything in with my ponies from the get-go. Talk about a species only tank, 'eh? Horses it is.
Lisa
No, not necessarily.
When you are talking about adding a fish before the seahorses, it is a different set of circumstances. That is the idea with mcbdz's situation to allow her son to aquaint himself with his saltwater tank without having to jump into the added specifics that seahorses require.
When the seahorses are established in the tank and you then add a clown goby, the seahorses are playing on the home field.
Make sure you acclimate the newcomer, make sure he has been well fed before you add him to the seahorse tank. This way he won't be starving and see anyone else as a threat to his survival.
I think the goby would be a fine addition.

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by PonieGirl
No, not necessarily.
When you are talking about adding a fish before the seahorses, it is a different set of circumstances. That is the idea with mcbdz's situation to allow her son to aquaint himself with his saltwater tank without having to jump into the added specifics that seahorses require.
When the seahorses are established in the tank and you then add a clown goby, the seahorses are playing on the home field.
Make sure you acclimate the newcomer, make sure he has been well fed before you add him to the seahorse tank. This way he won't be starving and see anyone else as a threat to his survival.
I think the goby would be a fine addition.
Cool, still in the running then. Thank you!
Lisa

 

[reefkprz]

I wnat to note that all the fish I listed are compatible tank mates some may not specificly suit the needs of tyhe tank, I would try to avoid pairing up a seahorse and a clown in a very small tank like a 12g, But every fish I listed IS compatible for life with seahorses (I would exclude dwarfs from this as they are a far more specific needs seahorse)

 

[mcbdz]

Thanks again everyone for all your help. He still has awhile before he is ready to add anything so lots of reading. I do plan on him doing everything, but willkeep a close eye on it(just not let him see

) . I have had to take care of some of his pets in the past because I did too much for him from the beginning. That is why I'm trying to make him do more from the start. Maybe he will bond better and get addicted.

 

[slowburn22]

Just to let you know, some people on these boards are seahorse hippies. They act like seahorses are the most delicate thing known to man and you must be a demigod like themselves in order to keep them alive. (You people know who you are.)
YES, seahorses require more commitment and some certain special needs met. But all in all its not as bad as people make them out to be. As long as you do some reading and keep it in perspective you will be alright.
Oh, and for tankmates... ReefkeeperZ hit the nail on the head! Those are all great choices. I would add a clown goby to that list as well.

 

[reefreak29]

Just to let you know, some people on these boards are seahorse hippies. They act like seahorses are the most delicate thing known to man and you must be a demigod like themselves in order to keep them alive. (You people know who you are.)
its ok i guess to make that assumption , some of us are trying to give accurate advise that we have obtained through years of experience so those people wont make the same mistakes we did or at least the mistakes ive made and there are more then one way to set up a seahorse tank and you shouldnt take everything you read literally . but there are many things you should know about seahorses before purchasing them or you are just throwing money out the window .

 

[slowburn22]

Originally Posted by reefreak29
its ok i guess to make that assumption , some of use are trying to give accurate advise that we have obtained threw years of experience so those people wont make the same mistakes we did or at least the mistakes ive made and there are more then one way to set up a seahorse tank and you shouldnt take everything you read literally . but there are many things you should know about seahorses before purchasing them or you are just throwing money out the window .

I wasnt talking about what you said or really anyone in general on this thread. I was talking about how people typically respond to seahorse comments throughout this board... I actually thought you had informative information, but I didnt agree with the 3 feedings a day portion. Twice a day is adequate in my opinion.