Seahorses in a nanocube

[blind1993]

I am planning on getting a 12g Nanocube DX and i was wanting to put seahorses in it. Which type of seahorses would be a best fit? i would prefer to get ponies that accept frozen food, which means no dwarfs.

 

[crazynemo]

You will need to find a way to decrease current from pump return. Any type of strong current will slap seahorses against the glass and kill them over time.

Other than that, look at Kelloggi seahorses.

 

[ripped tide]

Just aim the return at the surface of the tank. This will also help with gas exchange.

 

[crazynemo]

Ripped Tide;702581 wrote: Just aim the return at the surface of the tank. This will also help with gas exchange.

You would think that would work...... but it doesn't. Unless I had stupid seahorses, they liked to ride the trans-atlantic.

 

[thanh386]

I had seahorse in my solona 34. I had 2 mp10. They all did fine. They actually weren't too bad of swimmers either.

 

[jennm]

I've never heard of seahorses killed by current. My H. reidi used to like to play in the current from the return in my tank.

A 12 is a bit small for most species. They prefer a taller, narrow tank as they tend to swim up and down, particularly during greeting and courting.

Jenn

 

[peachyreef]

Yes i agree 12 is small. Then a gain I have a breeding pair of H. comes in a 14 biocube. I would say you can keep 1 or 2 in there based on experience. Kellogi , comes, breviceps, Kuda, fuscus and zosterae are all smaller species and some are often hard to come by. Zosterae, dwarf seahorse, would be a challenge based on their size (getting sucked in the back) and live food requirements. I would recomend ORA Kuda, that way you know they are eating frozen.

 

[blind1993]

What gph would be good for the tank then? the current gph is 105 for the nanocube and it is 15in tall.

 

[blind1993]

and does anyone breed seahorses on the forum?

 

[peachyreef]

I used too...
I just got a new pair of kellogi and erectus in a trade for my H. comes so I hould get them breeding soon.

Edit: I dont know the "set" gph for a seahorse but, put food in the tank in the tank if it drifts slowly then it should be okay. They should be able to swim and catch prey other than that flow is not a huge factor. Mine love to play in the current.

 

[glowfish]

12 gallons is way too small for the larger seahorses in my opinion, b/c their bioload is way too big for a tank that small (they require frozen mysis 2x a day). Everyone on the seahorse forum (seahorse.org) would agree with me too. That kind of tank would also heat up too easily in the summer which would could cause a vibrio outbreak when the water reaches over 78 F and the seahorses would probably die. You could try a smaller species like fuscus seahorses, but they are almost 100% impossible to get, b/c of importing permits. The only people that I know with that species cannot get their pairs to breed.

I would really try to get a tank that's at least 20 gallons and try to have LED's or lighting that would give off less heat for the summer situations.

 

[blind1993]

well it will take about 3 months before the tank will even be ready for seahorses. I came up with a plan for the tank. I am going to build a rock wall that will have 2 spraybars. One near the top and the other near the bottom. Then ill have macro algae growing on all the rocks and in the sand.
Hopefully by the time i am ready for ponies you will have some to sell.

 

[crazynemo]

JennM;702658 wrote: I've never heard of seahorses killed by current. My H. reidi used to like to play in the current from the return in my tank.

A 12 is a bit small for most species. They prefer a taller, narrow tank as they tend to swim up and down, particularly during greeting and courting.

Jenn

It happens. Smacked against the glass one too many times

Glowfish;703074 wrote: 12 gallons is way too small for the larger seahorses in my opinion, b/c their bioload is way too big for a tank that small (they require frozen mysis 2x a day). Everyone on the seahorse forum (seahorse.org) would agree with me too. That kind of tank would also heat up too easily in the summer which would could cause a vibrio outbreak when the water reaches over 78 F and the seahorses would probably die. You could try a smaller species like fuscus seahorses, but they are almost 100% impossible to get, b/c of importing permits. The only people that I know with that species cannot get their pairs to breed.

I would really try to get a tank that's at least 20 gallons and try to have LED's or lighting that would give off less heat for the summer situations.

Proper maintenance is ok with a 12g

 

[blind1993]

has anyone been able to get a dwarf to eat prepared food? I have read that people have been able to but i have also read that they only thrive if fed live food.

 

[gafishman]

I know this is an old Post But I had dwarfs about 15 years ago from aqualand and I used prepared food back then. It is some work but you could possibly train them. I am about to get a set up going. Im gathering equipment now.