Seahorse help!

[katiebug545]

I am looking to start a small seahorse tank, about a twenty gallon i would say.. I have a fifty five gallon tank that i have had for 3 years and have lots of experience with saltwater tanks but would like to have any advice anyone could give me. I am open to suggestion and would like any help i could get.

 

[katiebug545]

By the way, I want to do Yellow Reidi seahorses..

 

[bender77]

Read the stickys at the top. They really help alot. IMO 20 gallons is 2 small for reidi, it is the bare minimum for a pair. A reidi could get 12 inches. Ideal you would want a tank that is at least 24 inches tall

 

[teresaq]

I agree with bender. 20 gal is too small, 30 gal would be bare min. something tall is better, though if you dont plan on breeding then you dont have to worry about the 3x the height. I have used the 37 gal cube tanks, and they are really nice for one pair of horses.
T

 

[katiebug545]

. lol just to explain better I plan on moving them to a forty sometime. or maybe just get dwarfs. i just want a pair I have my 20 all set up. I have a horseshoe shape set up with my rock. Real thin through the back and thicker on the side. My Manderin Goby and Clown fish are in it right now. (It looked to empty) I do not plan on getting the ponys for another 3 months of so.. My Clown wont be in there, but it just looked so empty i needed something!! My stock list for it is...
A pair of ponys (Undecided what kind)
3 Manderin Gobies
and my soft Corals (Mushrooms, Zoas, toadstoods, Chilli Coral)
Any comments /Suggestions... Anything else i should put in. Would a small reef safe wrasse be ok?

 

[bender77]

I also think that tank is way too small for 1 mandrin goby much less 3. With the bioload that 2 horses make on a tank, they would be the only thing I would have in a 20. Honestly, if you are going to move them to a 40 eventually, I'd take down the 20 and set up the 40 to cycle and use the empty 20 to QT the horses.

 

[teresaq]

3 mandarins?????? I don't think a 20 gal can support them. Even one in a 20, unless you are adding pods will not live long.
I use a 20 gal as a qt, and believe me, 2 adult horses will not do well. They will become stress from such a small tank especially if you add other fish.
Please read the first three threads at the top of this forum. Watch what corals you add, nothing that stings.
You might be able to house a pair of juvenile erectus for a few months, but remember they get 6 to 8 inches long. Horse tanks should be set up around the horses and their needs.

 

[teresaq]

I am not trying to discourage you, I just want to educate and help you set up your tank right the first time.

 

[katiebug545]

I know you are not trying to discourage, I appritiate the advice Your not upsetting me at all. i can take constructive criticism i know your only trying to help It is most def a temporary tank. I didnt mean to hit 3 on the gobies. I meant to put 2 haha. my typo. sorry. (i dont like uneven numbers) I have two gobies right now and they actually eat flakes i have had them for four years haha never had a problem. Fat and healty as can be I have read the threads. I am leaning towards dwarf ponys. Would that be better for now ya think? my two mandrins lived gal. the first two years of their life. It may be a mistake movin them back but i am going to try it. If they start to look ill i will just move them back to my 55. I am going to start my 40 as soon as possible. But i am kind of set on a 20 right now.

 

[smartorl]

The 20 gallon would be too large for dwarves. Not only would a pair be lost in it completely, but you would have to add waaaayyyy too much food in order for them not to starve that you would destroy the water quality with one or two feedings. Also with dwarves, they eat live enriched baby brine shrimp so just raising their food becomes a time consuming chore in and of itself.

 

[katiebug545]

Well, What kind would you guys suggest?

 

[smartorl]

I don't know much about the larger seahorses and could be wrong but I think the 20 gallon will be too small for normals and too large for the dwarves. The tank would probably be better used for another purpose or trade it for either a larger or smaller tank?

 

[katiebug545]

It will be more of a holdin tank while my 40 is cycling

 

[smartorl]

Seahorses really need a established tank, in my opinion. You really need to know your tank and your parameters and how to keep them extremely stable. The people I know that have jumped in quickly usually end up with dead horses, they are fragile animals under the best of circumstances and deaths can occur with the slightest of fluctuations.
I don't want to discourage you at all, they are amazing creatures, there is just a whole lot that goes into keeping these guys successfully and long term.

 

[katiebug545]

I completely understand I like constructive criticism and really appritiate all your help. Do not hold back. i know your just tryin to help. I Started my 20's cycle by putting rock from my 55 and water from my 55. It had all its spikes within two day. I let it cycle another week and a half and nothing else happened. So i went ahead and put my Clown and Goby in there. They have been in there for a week and have been great. I have a little orange sponge growing, and quite a few tube worms. I have my cleaning crew coming in tomorrow so we will see how that goes. I do not want to even THINK about getting any ponies for another four months or so. The day i get the ponies will be the day i start the 40.

 

[clatong]

You could go for yellow Erectus seahorses, which are a little smaller (though still 6-8 inches), and supposed to be very hardy.

 

[dingus890]

You could do a Fuscus pair in a 20 gallon no problem. But they are getting harder to find and are pricey. But they are a smaller horse that can be trained to eat frozen mysis.
Any other horse though I am affraid will get to large for a 20 gallon. It's better to get your 40 gallon set up and running for atleast 6 months before adding seahorses to it.