Tell me your Seahorse experience...

[JennM]

Hi all!

I've recently come into possession of a 25 tall tank that I'm considering for a seahorse tank.

I've done some research and reading, found two great articles at the Breeders' Registry, and I'd like to learn about peoples' REAL experiences.

I'd absolutely be obtaining tank reared specimens, probably 2, possibly 4 horses for the tank, and would be equipping the tank with some live rock and feather caulerpa.

I've considered Ocean Rider as a place to buy, but I find the information on their website to be incomplete, and doesn't deal with what to "do" with the young after breeding. It emphasizes that they will breed ever 28-35 days or so, but doesn't talk about rearing the young, mortality rates, water quality issues arising from mortality rates, and a miriad of other questions I think should be answered before one makes the decision to buy.

I have kept seahorses MANY MANY years ago, when the knowledge wasn't such as it is today, and in those days I kept a 20 gallon tank of guppies to breed for food. I know this isn't an ideal food but it was what worked at the time. Ideally I wish to feed a variety of frozen (such as Piscine MYSIS) and live brine etc.

So this time BEFORE I do it, I want to learn as much as I can. The articles I've found so far are informative, and I'm still reading, but I'd like to hear the practical experiences out there.

Thanks!



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JennM

Our Evolving Tank
http://home.earthlink.net/~grashoppr

[mandarin1]

A good place to look is seahorse.org. It is a very informative website and has many people who can tell you about their experiances

[JennM]

Thanks Mandarin1!

I posed the same question on another board and someone there referred me to that site also. I've registered there and perused their site.......some good info there.

I'd still like to hear others' experiences, both good and bad.

Regards,

Jenn

[gpohly]

If you don't have it yet, buy the book "Seahorses: Conservation and Care," by Neil Garrick-Maidment. I got mine at Amazon, it's only about $8 and full of great info.

It does not answer some basic tank set-up questions, though, such as:

1. Every one says seahorses need "mild water flow" - what does that really mean in terms of an aquarium? Size the pump so your volume changes over 4 times an hour or 10 times an hour?

2. What is appropriate lighting for seahorses? They need a place to hide from bright lights, so establishing a balance between their needs and the needs of your caulerpa is something someone must have experience with, and can probably help you.

One thing is clear: seahorses need daily care, at least twice a day. I have a 50gal I have converted from FW to SW as a species tank, and wanted to do seahorses. Because of what I've learned, I decided against it for now - not because I don't feel like I could handle the commitment, but because I travel frequently for several days at a time, and don't want to force my wife into a twice daily chore. She loves my reef, but only because I take care of it! The reef tank can handle several days of minimal attention, or even days without adding food - seahorses can't.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Glenn

[JennM]

Thank you! I'll check out that book...I had done a search at Amazon.com but got nothing but kids books etc...

Thanks for the insight. I believe based on other replies at other forums, that I have an appropriate tank, and lighting appropriate for the caulerpa, I will make sure to decorate the tank in such away as to afford hiding places.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of firsthand experience out there, but I'm getting helpful informative replies!

Jenn

[GeorgeAmos]

I'm a Horseback Rider, so I naturally had to have seahorses in my tank. I LOVE those mysterious creatures. I jumped the gun however, and was not equipped with the knowledge that you are doing now, before you by them. One I had was not tank raised and the other one I'm not sure about. They lasted about nine months in my tank. I fed them frozen brine and mysis shrimped soaked in Selcon twice a day. The one would eat it. Twice a week (at least) I would go to the LFS and get live ghost shrimp which they went crazy over. Everyone was facinated by these beautiful creatures, it's so interesting to watch the clicking noise they make when they eat. I want to have a tank again devoted to only seahorses that have been tank raised. The people at Ocean Rider have started a Q & A column in one of the magazines, can't remember which one but if you want to know I can post here or you can e-mail me. The first column did have interesting information on seahores. Please enjoy your seahorse tank if you decide, and defintely get tank raised!

[humbug]

Go with the ocean rider seahorses, I have a pair and they do GREAT. They breed regularly, but I don't have the time to hatch brine shrimp to raise the babies, I feel terribly guilty. I keep mine in a 30 hex with a berlin system with really low current. I've had mine for about 4-5 months, I've done quite a bit of reading on them, if you have any other questions e-mail me.

[JennM]

Thanks to all for the input!

I ordered the book recommended, and surfed the 'net more...I actually found a newsgroup or 3 and one of them has the author of said book as a member!

There *IS* information out there, it's just tricky to find.

I found out that my boss can get me some very fancy specimens from a former schoolmate of his who is doing research on captive breeding.....but he said they'd probably be very pricy.

I think I want the "easier" ones first, ones I am more likely to succeed with and I'll probably move "up" to the trickier ones over time.....we'll see.

I will probably order from OR, as I haven't found another commercial retailer except for "seaponeys.com" which sells dwarfs in little plastic containers, and *I* really have a problem with that.....

Jenn

[Brooke]

Hi Jenn-

I'm starting a horse tank as well. It's been cycling for a few weeks now and I plan on filling it with caulerpa, photosynthetic gorgonians, sponges, etc. I probably won't be adding horses for about 2 more months...or more. I really want the tank to mature and get full of critters. The tank is a 37 gallon. Can you tell me what newsgroups you found?? I'll be posting more about my experiences as things progress. Good luck!

Brooke