Seahorse getting black spots?

reefmonkey · Mar 7, 2010

rayjay said: ↑

First of all, the black spots themselves are most likely just the colouration the seahorse uses to self camouflage and can be affected by surroundings and by stress.
You haven't mentioned critical things other than there are clowns in the tank.
What is the tank size, water temperature and what other tankmates does it have.
Seahorses fall victim to a lot of things, one being stress from faster moving fish, to the point they may stop eating. It's also possible many times that the slow eating, picky seahorse, doesn't have time to make the selection it wants before it gets eaten by another fish, even if the pieces are not immediately eaten.
Seahorses while having grown accustomed to the parasites they have been reared with, succumb to those of other seahorses or fish reared somewhere else, especially from the wild. Even other seahorses from another captive bred source are known to cause this problem.
Temperature comes into play as the seahorses are extrememly susceptible to bacterial infestations.
Because the bacteria multiply exponentially above 74°F, the recommended tank temperatures are 68 to 74°, EVEN THOUGH the seahorse normally is found in waters around 80° or so.
In their normal habitat, the water is continually changing, but in your tank, it is always there, with the bacteria potentially increasing by the minute. The higher the temp, the faster the growth.
Seahorse losses from bacterial problems are probably the number one cause of mortality, with parasites coming second.
Now, does this mean that seahorses CAN'T be kept in reefing conditions? NO!!
BUT, for every one that DOES manage to survive, there are many many more that perish in the attempt to do so.
For the best chance of success with your seahorse, keep a seahorse specific, species specific, temperature controlled tank and only buy TRUE CAPTIVE BRED that are raised in artificial salt water, not in ocean water as offshore breeders use.
I have even gone to the point that all five (soon to be six) seahorse tanks have been sterilized and everything in them including hitches and live rock, before cycling the tanks with ammonium chloride.
Also, as already mentioned, check out the best site on the internet, (or in print for that matter) on the keeping of seahorses, seahorse.org.
Click to expand...

Tiny threadjack...My apologies to you OP
I'm glad that someone with so much apparent experience spoke up. When I got into this hobby I planned on adding a seahorse to my reef but decided not to after researching them just a little bit. To much specialized care and needs for a newbie imo. So I decided to build the reef and continue researching the ponies. Now I've moved on to researching the needs of just H. Fuscus cuz that's the breed I'll have a pair of in a 30g macro. This will be the slowest build ever. After it cycles I'm giving the macro's and pods months to establish before I even begin talking to the ppl @ www.seahorsesource.com and hopefully when I'm ready they'll have a pair available. ;D

rayjay · Mar 7, 2010

Well you see, I had been a member on the "org" since 02. I read everything I could, and still, when I finally got into the hobby, I had it all figured that because some people managed to buck the odds, surely my previous at that time 12 plus years of reefing would be enough for me to succeed.
I have learned different and now do what is necessary to increase the odds of success.
Even doing everything you can doesn't guarantee you won't have problems but it certainly makes it less likely, or that the situation might not end up being just as bad.
I've posted this before but for those not having seen it:
MY THOUGHTS ON SEAHORSE KEEPING

johnlocke · Mar 7, 2010

Thanx rayjay that was a good read

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Seahorse getting black spots?

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