seahorses
- Thread starter aquaannie
- Start date
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by aquaannie http:///t/396840/seahorses#post_3535690
I have just acquired new seahorse so am unfamiliar with how they should be, they hanging onto the filters and heater but now hanging upside down!! is this ok? HELP
Hello and welcome to the site....
Seahorses do hang upside down...but you shouldn't have a heater in the tank at all. Even tropical seahorses need the temps at no higher then 74...the heat can injure them because as you have discovered, they hitch to everything.
I need info about the seahorse and the tank. So please answer the following:
Originally Posted by aquaannie http:///t/396840/seahorses#post_3535690
I have just acquired new seahorse so am unfamiliar with how they should be, they hanging onto the filters and heater but now hanging upside down!! is this ok? HELP
Hello and welcome to the site....
Seahorses do hang upside down...but you shouldn't have a heater in the tank at all. Even tropical seahorses need the temps at no higher then 74...the heat can injure them because as you have discovered, they hitch to everything.
I need info about the seahorse and the tank. So please answer the following:
- What size tank?
- Did you cycle the tank before you added the seahorse?
- What equipment is in the tank?
- How long has the tank been set up?
- Did you do water tests, and if so...what are the readings?
What kind of seahorse?
Where did you get it?
Is it eating frozen or live food...have you actually seen it eat?
How long have you had the seahorse?
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by aquaannie http:///t/396840/seahorses#post_3535715
1.my tank size is 60-70 litres
2.ive had my tank going for 2 months prior to placing my seahorses into it
3.i have plant live rock
4. 2months
5. yes ive done all the readings 6. Asian emperors
6.in Adelaide on Anzac highway.
7. yes they are eating live food
8. a week.
Hi,
Can you post a picture?
So an 18g or so tank???....now you said seahorseS...so how many? What size are your seahorses and where did you get them? Did you catch the horses or purchase them?
What equipment do you have? How many, if any power heads...what kind of filter...what kind of lighting... are you running a chiller?
I don't know a thing about Asian Emperor seahorses. I tried to google some info, but I can't even find a chart with their adult size, or what size tank they should be in, all it says about them is that they are from Australia, and are tropical. The species I do know about are either too small for an 18g (zots), or way too large for it....Kuda...Erectus...Potbelly...Redi...for example.
LOL...I'm glad to hear you did do the water tests...care to share the results please....the exact numbers will help us see if any problems are lurking.
On my tanks, I use a chiller, since seahorses are prone to bacteria infections...cooler water keeps them healthy. Tropical seahorses (what Asian Emperors are) need a tank at bout 72-74....but I'm sure 70 degrees is fine, the temps can be dropped to 68 when a horse is sick.
Instead of power heads, I use two air lines, no stone. It moves the water without beating the horses. Saltwater has less oxygen then freshwater...so it's important to create water movement, and also move the surface for good gas exchange.
Heaters are dangerous for seahorses because they hitch to them, and it will hurt them. If you must heat the water, you might need to use a canister filter, and put an online heater on it, so you don't have it right in the tank.
Originally Posted by aquaannie http:///t/396840/seahorses#post_3535715
1.my tank size is 60-70 litres
2.ive had my tank going for 2 months prior to placing my seahorses into it
3.i have plant live rock
4. 2months
5. yes ive done all the readings 6. Asian emperors
6.in Adelaide on Anzac highway.
7. yes they are eating live food
8. a week.
Hi,
Can you post a picture?
So an 18g or so tank???....now you said seahorseS...so how many? What size are your seahorses and where did you get them? Did you catch the horses or purchase them?
What equipment do you have? How many, if any power heads...what kind of filter...what kind of lighting... are you running a chiller?
I don't know a thing about Asian Emperor seahorses. I tried to google some info, but I can't even find a chart with their adult size, or what size tank they should be in, all it says about them is that they are from Australia, and are tropical. The species I do know about are either too small for an 18g (zots), or way too large for it....Kuda...Erectus...Potbelly...Redi...for example.
LOL...I'm glad to hear you did do the water tests...care to share the results please....the exact numbers will help us see if any problems are lurking.
On my tanks, I use a chiller, since seahorses are prone to bacteria infections...cooler water keeps them healthy. Tropical seahorses (what Asian Emperors are) need a tank at bout 72-74....but I'm sure 70 degrees is fine, the temps can be dropped to 68 when a horse is sick.
Instead of power heads, I use two air lines, no stone. It moves the water without beating the horses. Saltwater has less oxygen then freshwater...so it's important to create water movement, and also move the surface for good gas exchange.
Heaters are dangerous for seahorses because they hitch to them, and it will hurt them. If you must heat the water, you might need to use a canister filter, and put an online heater on it, so you don't have it right in the tank.
S
saxman
Guest
"Asian Emperors" are tropical H. kuda, as opposed to "Southern Knights" from Australia, which are a temperate species. Flower is correct in that 74*F is the max temp. one should keep tropicals at. She's also correct in that you do NOT want to keep a heater in a SH tank without it having some type of cover on it.
I've seen way too many SH with heater burns, and it's not a pretty sight:
Also, an 18 gal tank is at least 10 gals too small for a single pair of large species SH, and kuda can get pretty large (in the wild, they can be as long as 12"), but juvies are fine for awhile.
As for upside down...perfectly normal:
HTH
I've seen way too many SH with heater burns, and it's not a pretty sight:
Also, an 18 gal tank is at least 10 gals too small for a single pair of large species SH, and kuda can get pretty large (in the wild, they can be as long as 12"), but juvies are fine for awhile.
As for upside down...perfectly normal:
HTH
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Is that pic a beginners build? I don't see any seahorses ... it needs more water, more flow, more décor and hitches, a background, and a light. Macroalgae will keep tank parameters pristine, and give the horses things to hitch to.
You need water movement, I run 2 air lines (no stones) in my SH tanks, the big bubbles break the surface and help with gas exchange. You need more décor and hitches for the good bacteria to build on, and give the horses something to hold as they move around the tank. A background will make the tank look 100% better and a T5HO light will make the colors pop. A small power head to help with a water current (the wave is the life of the ocean and your SW tank) The power head needs to have nothing that a horse could hitch to and hurt it's tail.
An 18g tank is too small for Kuda seahorses, they get big fast. Now, about the starfish. First, they need an established reef, those sea stars are had to keep even then. They do all kinds of weird movements, but if it's just not able to grip and barely hanging on...it's not going to live.
My advice is go for a bigger tank, a Column 56g is what I keep my Kuda in, it doesn't take up much space since the tall tank has a smaller footprint. A chiller set at 74 degrees is IMO a must have piece of equipment. I don't know how to keep a balanced seahorse tank without macroalgae, they are so messy, wasting so much food it pollutes the tank. The macros will keep the quality of the water up.
If your seahorse is not eating, or has weird growths or bubbles on it, has open sores or fins looking ragged, or if the horse can't hitch and floats around the tank without being able to upright or control itself...floating at the top with it's belly bloated...these are all sign that things are not well.
Is that pic a beginners build? I don't see any seahorses ... it needs more water, more flow, more décor and hitches, a background, and a light. Macroalgae will keep tank parameters pristine, and give the horses things to hitch to.
You need water movement, I run 2 air lines (no stones) in my SH tanks, the big bubbles break the surface and help with gas exchange. You need more décor and hitches for the good bacteria to build on, and give the horses something to hold as they move around the tank. A background will make the tank look 100% better and a T5HO light will make the colors pop. A small power head to help with a water current (the wave is the life of the ocean and your SW tank) The power head needs to have nothing that a horse could hitch to and hurt it's tail.
An 18g tank is too small for Kuda seahorses, they get big fast. Now, about the starfish. First, they need an established reef, those sea stars are had to keep even then. They do all kinds of weird movements, but if it's just not able to grip and barely hanging on...it's not going to live.
My advice is go for a bigger tank, a Column 56g is what I keep my Kuda in, it doesn't take up much space since the tall tank has a smaller footprint. A chiller set at 74 degrees is IMO a must have piece of equipment. I don't know how to keep a balanced seahorse tank without macroalgae, they are so messy, wasting so much food it pollutes the tank. The macros will keep the quality of the water up.
If your seahorse is not eating, or has weird growths or bubbles on it, has open sores or fins looking ragged, or if the horse can't hitch and floats around the tank without being able to upright or control itself...floating at the top with it's belly bloated...these are all sign that things are not well.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by aquaannie http:///t/396840/seahorses#post_3536802
This is my tank now (sorry the other pic was when it was getting set up) my seahorses are Asian Emperor and have live rock and one star fish and a fan hitching post and a plant which they love! They eat really well!
How will I know if they are not well!?
Hi,
Your seahorses need more hitches, your tank is too empty...you need to remove the heater, and you need to add some air lines or small power heads to move the water. The 18g tank is too small for the seahorses when they mature. A background will make the tank look 100% better.
You will know if the horses get sick, I explained that in the last post...the idea is to prevent them from getting sick in the first place. You don't want them hitching to the heater and getting burned. You don't want them gasping for air, so you add an air line or small power head (the kind they can't hitch to). You don't want them stressed, so you give them lots of hitching posts, so they can get around in the tank and feel comfortable. A stressed seahorse will get sick eventually, and the warmer the temp the faster that can happen. You don't need a heater in there.
Originally Posted by aquaannie http:///t/396840/seahorses#post_3536802
This is my tank now (sorry the other pic was when it was getting set up) my seahorses are Asian Emperor and have live rock and one star fish and a fan hitching post and a plant which they love! They eat really well!
How will I know if they are not well!?
Hi,
Your seahorses need more hitches, your tank is too empty...you need to remove the heater, and you need to add some air lines or small power heads to move the water. The 18g tank is too small for the seahorses when they mature. A background will make the tank look 100% better.
You will know if the horses get sick, I explained that in the last post...the idea is to prevent them from getting sick in the first place. You don't want them hitching to the heater and getting burned. You don't want them gasping for air, so you add an air line or small power head (the kind they can't hitch to). You don't want them stressed, so you give them lots of hitching posts, so they can get around in the tank and feel comfortable. A stressed seahorse will get sick eventually, and the warmer the temp the faster that can happen. You don't need a heater in there.