The Cause of Our Seahorses Dieing

1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Another idea, possibly related to my previous, is tank size.
As Horses are not seen as being very motile people tend to have them in smaller tanks. I wonder if more success would be had in larger tanks with lot's of fresh liverock and a productive refugium?
I've posted this before, but the only habitat I've ever seen sea horses was in the Caribbean on wall dives in Cozumel. They were holding onto fan corals for what appeared to be dear life in a serious current. By serious current I mean virtually impossible for a diver to swim against and make any headway. Now, granted different species come from different environments, but this again makes me wonder if the typical calm, tall, docile tank horses are typically kept in is actually not the right kind of habitat.
 
ci11337

ci11337

Active Member
"It would be extremely helpful if we could get a hold of a successful breeder. People are successfully breeding and raising these animals for sale, so they must have some degree of success with health and habitats."
I may be able to do this, just found out one of my LFS's gets their horses from a local breeder and she actually works part time at the store, I'll try and get a hold of her.
 
zeke92

zeke92

Active Member
i'm going to probably get a little bit more live rock, but my tank is 55 gallons, wich isn't nessesarily 'small'.
i'm not sure what to do, if other species don't work out.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
http:///forum/post/2484035
Another idea, possibly related to my previous, is tank size.
As Horses are not seen as being very motile people tend to have them in smaller tanks. I wonder if more success would be had in larger tanks with lot's of fresh liverock and a productive refugium?
I've posted this before, but the only habitat I've ever seen sea horses was in the Caribbean on wall dives in Cozumel. They were holding onto fan corals for what appeared to be dear life in a serious current. By serious current I mean virtually impossible for a diver to swim against and make any headway. Now, granted different species come from different environments, but this again makes me wonder if the typical calm, tall, docile tank horses are typically kept in is actually not the right kind of habitat.
I agree 100%. If I had the cash. I get a 200 gallon drilled tank. Cycle the bujeebers out of it. Add 200 lbs of LR. Have at least a 4 inch LS bed. Have a hang off refugium w/protein skimmer, a Wave 2k wave maker. I'd basically set up the tank as a large reef tank. Stock it with sponges, gorgonians, shrooms, zoos, ricordea....any thing that doesn't sting when you hitch on it.
Another thought I had, was regarding the Madrine Goby. Many of us have found out the hard way the mandrine's only eat pods. Once in a blue moon a newbie, like me, get's lucky and gets one that's will to eat mysis until the population grows.
Jm, you mentioned about special food needs...those little pods have got to be loaded with all sorts of nutrients. With out a large enough tank to support a huge population of pods that can successfuly keep ahead of the seahorse's appetite...that's another negative against small tanks.
When I had my Kuda in my 90 gallon, Valiant had all the LR and LS pretty much picked over in 4 months. However, if I keep my 90 gallon set up as a reef it would had very different results. My mandrine was so fat and lazy...he rarely moved, cause food ran all over him, literally.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
http:///forum/post/2484035
Another idea, possibly related to my previous, is tank size.
As Horses are not seen as being very motile people tend to have them in smaller tanks. I wonder if more success would be had in larger tanks with lot's of fresh liverock and a productive refugium?
I've posted this before, but the only habitat I've ever seen sea horses was in the Caribbean on wall dives in Cozumel. They were holding onto fan corals for what appeared to be dear life in a serious current. By serious current I mean virtually impossible for a diver to swim against and make any headway. Now, granted different species come from different environments, but this again makes me wonder if the typical calm, tall, docile tank horses are typically kept in is actually not the right kind of habitat.
I agree with you here too. I was very surprised to see my Black Kuda(Valiant) racing all over the 90 gallon. He was rarely stationary, which I had read was unusual for horses to swim much. In the experiences I've had seahorses love current. Most amazing was my dwarf ponies daring "aquabatics" when they would dive head first into the strongest current, and would repeat this for at least a half and hour, just like kids sledding down a hill.
 
koi lady

koi lady

Member
Originally Posted by Rykna
http:///forum/post/2483087
It would be extremely helpful if we could get a hold of a successful breeder. People are successfully breeding and raising these animals for sale, so they must have some degree of success with health and habitats.
I know a breeder of Erectus. I will try to talk to her and find out what she is doing right. I have seen her SH tank and it is loaded with calurpea. She does have a refugium also. So what is she doing right that we are not. Hopefully I can add good information to the mix.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by veronicad
http:///forum/post/2484928
I am SO sorry. Do you have any plans to try dwarves again? I think I will try closer to the end of the year. Again, REALLY sorry.

Definitely!!!! I'm a very stubborn person, especially when people say "just give up" or "it can't be done!!!!" "Never give up Never surrender!!!" Just taking a important pause. I really want to get on top of what ever is causing our seahorses to die. I'm 100% sure what happened to my pony tank. Because of these major set backs, I want to take time to rethink and upgrade my tank set ups.
Thank you, I do miss the little buggers.
~Rykna
 
poniegirl

poniegirl

Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
http:///forum/post/2484035
Another idea, possibly related to my previous, is tank size.
As Horses are not seen as being very motile people tend to have them in smaller tanks. I wonder if more success would be had in larger tanks with lot's of fresh liverock and a productive refugium?
I've posted this before, but the only habitat I've ever seen sea horses was in the Caribbean on wall dives in Cozumel. They were holding onto fan corals for what appeared to be dear life in a serious current. By serious current I mean virtually impossible for a diver to swim against and make any headway. Now, granted different species come from different environments, but this again makes me wonder if the typical calm, tall, docile tank horses are typically kept in is actually not the right kind of habitat.
I agree..seahorses are not the fragile, anemic animals folks think. And I've often wondered whether that mis-conception could be part of the problem folks have in keeping them alive.
I think LR is essential. Hitchhikers, you can deal with, but base rock has nothing to offer these animals that hunt for the bugs in our tanks.
Waterflow has to exsist for any healthy tank. As long as there are low-med flow areas and plenty of hitches for the SH to rest, you should have good water movement to keep your tank healthy. This also helps the biological filter work.
I know I have said before, but I think it does bear repeating, the more mature the tank and the more stable, the better.
 
zeke92

zeke92

Active Member
well i do know one thing, keloggi shouldn't be sold, cause everywhere i've seen including all 5 of my deaths, proves that keloggi are one of the worst.
i do believe we should all try to get more rock in our tanks, maby the lack of hunting natural foods is causing problems or something on the rock the seahorses need.
another thing, no one has thought of is we have always fed them frozen foods with supplements. i was thinking, we want there tank to be as close to nature as possible, so live foods may be one step closer to them feeling more at home, getting more exercise and hunting skills, and maby something in the live foods they can't get from our supplements.
just a thought. but i do think i may try using live foods on my next seahorse.
 
veronicad

veronicad

Member
When I finally do set up my dwarf tank (I know I've mentioned this before) I'm planning a 10-gal hex. It's taller than it is wide, and I'm thinking I'll try to somehow screen it of halfway up, so that my ponies (and I) will get the benefits of a 10 gal, while still maintaining the food density possible with a smaller tank. We'll see; I've still got months and months to plan and think up ideas before I actually set up.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by veronicad
http:///forum/post/2487730
When I finally do set up my dwarf tank (I know I've mentioned this before) I'm planning a 10-gal hex. It's taller than it is wide, and I'm thinking I'll try to somehow screen it of halfway up, so that my ponies (and I) will get the benefits of a 10 gal, while still maintaining the food density possible with a smaller tank. We'll see; I've still got months and months to plan and think up ideas before I actually set up.

Very good idea, however, I doubt you could find a screen with small enough holes to keep the baby brine shrimp(bbs) from escaping. The best way I've found to gather bbs is to turn off the tank lights at feeding time and turn on a light focused towards the bottom of the tank, kinda like a spot light. Bbs are hipnotized by light. They will all swim to the lights ripe for the snicking!!!!
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by PonieGirl
http:///forum/post/2487576
I know I have said before, but I think it does bear repeating, the more mature the tank and the more stable, the better.
So what really qualifies as a "mature stable tank"?
I started my first 55 gallon by cycling it for 3 months. I noticed the tank still went through small spikes here and there as I adding animals. It wasn't until I upgraded to my 90 gallon that I reached perfect water quality. The tank was at peak efficency. I only had to do a big maintenance job once a month. At this point the LS was 4 inches deep and the tank had 135 lbs of LR. By the end of the 2nd year I had a big ehiem canisiter, 2 aquaclear power filters, and a wave 2k. The installation of the wave 2k made a HUGE difference. The pod population really explodes after that.
My experience tell me to repeat the two years that create the perfect balance in the 90. But again...what really qualifies as a "mature stable tank"?
 
poniegirl

poniegirl

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rykna
http:///forum/post/2487808
So what really qualifies as a "mature stable tank"?
I think it is relative, depending on the stock you keep.
For seahorses, mature is a tank that has been filled with all that's going to go in and has been inhabited for at least a year by stock that leave the pods alone. My own opinion is that if there are not live foods available to supplement the frozen food, a seahorse would need to be fed enriched foods, small amounts, 4 or 5 times (at least) per day. In a mature tank, the biological filter is part of the system. Pods and other no-seeums don't have to be evident to be there. These are part of the bio-filter.
Stable, IMO, is a tank that is finished and maintained, so that fluxuations just don't constantly occur. Some folks like the changes of stock and corals and rock and decorations and plants. I would worry about dominoes in a tank, because it seems that in a system that depends so heavily on balance, too much change is going to cause problems.
I think we can make small errors if we are on a solid line with the tank. I don't think we can rush it or get around the basics. It's just time that seems to trip folks the most.
 
larrynews

larrynews

Active Member
the kelloggis i bought last time are fat and have not done any for the things that made me worry last time all 3 are great. the kuda is huge and looks great. i have a few new things in the tank to clean up extra food i have a cleaner shrimp a scooter blennie, crabs. the new stuff are 6 peppermint shrimp, a blood red shrimp and a dragon gobie, and have added an air stone
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Originally Posted by larrynews
http:///forum/post/2488319
the kelloggis i bought last time are fat and have not done any for the things that made me worry last time all 3 are great. the kuda is huge and looks great. i have a few new things in the tank to clean up extra food i have a cleaner shrimp a scooter blennie, crabs. the new stuff are 6 peppermint shrimp, a blood red shrimp and a dragon gobie, and have added an air stone
Just gorgeous!!!!!! Keep the pictures rolling. What changes, if any, have you noticed since you added the air stone?
 
larrynews

larrynews

Active Member
mostly they seem more active and not breathing as hard. everyone always says that there horse play in the bubbles mine never hardly ever notice it. i also have the power sweep 212 that helps give the tank a little current along with the air stone. with the first batch that died i had that ammonia alert thing i my tank and it didnt work so i,m wondering if that is also what might have killed the others.
 
zeke92

zeke92

Active Member
guess i'll add an airstone then. i got lots of surface agitation but it looks like everyone is doing better with an airstone so it can't hurt i guess.
the mollies, if you see my thread, are helping keep my tank cleaner. i have had no problems yet at all and there doing great, i'm glad i decided to expiriment with them. they eat algae and other crap they can find on the ground and stuff, very helpful. i would almost suggest everyone try these.
 
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