i want SH

ok so i have a 20 gallon long tank that will have a 10gallon sump, my question is. is 20 gallons big enoughe for a pair of sea horses, what type of stuff to put in with them, i was told mangroves make a good addition since its offers good places to wrap thier tail around. any other suggestion (this tank will be built after i build my 47 octagon corner predator (lion fish) tank) just want to know so i can figure out if its really worth the trouble for sea horses

 

Sea horses can be very difficult to keep,require a lot of care and time spent,it would be good to research the idea well.

 

Depends where you are going with your tank. I've got 2 SH in my 30 and it is stuffed full of coral (chosen carefully not to sting, since stinging coral is out).

Mushrooms, zoas, gorgs are compatible and simple to keep/fast growing/low light and the SH's like the gorgonians . I've also got monti's and a lot of other varieties, but if you want to keep soft corals they do fine.

 

I'm wondering what type of lighting for Seahorses is best? Is biocube okay for SH?

 

Any tank will work fine for Sh's...but they are extremely weak swimmers - so with a few caveats:
1. no pumps for them to get pulled into, anything that their pointy little tail will fit into will chop them. All my current comes from my sump returns (which is still pretty powerful). I'd shy away from most in tank circulation pumps.
2. areas where they can get out of any strong currents
3. no unprotected heaters that they can get burnt on.

I think a biocube would work perfect for them since most equipment is in the back.

They prefer a little dimmer light, but will tolerate whatever you need. You just may not see them as much in high light.

 

Actually, all of the "plug-n-play" setups aren't the best for keeping SH...they all run too warm unless you chill them. They're also a bit tight, space wise.

A 20L is way too short...the minimum tank size for a single pair of large species Sh is a std 29 gal, which is a lot cheaper than a plug-n-play anyhow. Add 15 gals for each additional pair.

They'll do fine with a HOB power filter and normal fluorescent lighting. Be sure to give them places to hitch (we run LR and live macro). SH will use as much space as they're given, so why keep them all cramped up?

Contrary to popular belief, SH are pretty decent swimmers, and actually do OK with a bit of flow as long as they have some calmer areas to chill in if they want.

Also, tropical species should not be kept above 74*F, as they're susceptible to bacterial infections. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, and is one of the biggest mistakes made.

Finally, INSIST on TRUE captive bred (CB) stock. SH ship well, and I'd only get SH from a reputable breeder. They will come to you happily eating frozen mysis, so no weaning is involved. My top choice is Dan and Abby over at SEAHORSE SOURCE. Dan is the top SH guy in the world as far as I'm concerned...seriously.

Don't fall for the "tank raised" SH you often see in the LFS...they're actually raised in net pens in the ocean, and don't always eat frozen, or go off of it. They're also exposed to all the same pathogens as wild caught (WC) specimens. To be honest, these SH were generally slated to be dried and ground into powder for the TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) trade, so they really aren't good quality.

WOW...that was way more than I wanted to say, but it did need saying. Not that is means anything, but I've been a mod over on the top SH forum for several years (as has Incognito/Renee@Lionfishlair).

 

I read this out of curiosity because sea horses are so awesome. I think you gave the op AWESOME advice. Sometimes we need to be a little winded when we're trying to clearly explain something.

Do you think he needs a chiller (just curious)?

 

It really depends...If your home stays at 75*F or less, you may be OK if your tank runs intrinsically cool on its own.

You can also use the ol' fan blowing across the water surface trick as well.

Another thing to be careful about is in the winter, if you use a heater, to either have a guard on it or put it in the sump, as a SH may hitch to it and get a nasty contact burn.

Also be careful of any pump/PH intakes or open propellers (eg, non-mini Korallias), as we've seen amputated tails.

 

I probably should have a chiller as the temps in my tank were almost 86F for 2 months, but the seahorses did fine as did the coral (no air conditioning either). Seems odd that they'd be more vulnerable as the water temps along the coasts can be in the high 80's or 90's (it was when I was there).

My seahorses came from a local hobbyist raising them and were very secluded, and I don't have any other types of fish and don't often add coral. I'd imagine if you have more exposure to more different types of fish and more seahorses that this would be a bigger issue.

 

You're in the minority if you SH made it thru a temp spike like that with no symptoms.

The thing about SH being found in warmer water in the wild is this:

In the wild, the amount of water is bascially infinite, so there is a MUCH lower bacterial count per gallon in the ocean than in say a 30 gal system. Add to that a stressor (such as a temp spike), and the sheer proximity of your critters to potential pathogens, and you generally end up with sick fish.

Every year when folks' tanks spike, there is an influx of cases (generally vibriosis) in the "SH ER".