Seahorses...anyone keep them?

[slipstreamv2]

While doing research on brine shrimp, I came across this seahorse blog:

http://www.buttercreamdreams.com/seahorse_blog.htm

Other than her unique PETA stance, it was a pretty interesting blog overall. Are seahorses popular in SW? Reading the blog, it seems they have a significantly high mortality rate? Can you breed/keep them without giving live food all the time?

[archer772]

Not sure who all on here is into horses but I know Seamaiden37 is into breeding and keeping them so you might want to try to PM her. I think you need to feed alot of live food but also if your tank is full of pods that will help to offset the live feedings I THINK so dont qoute me on this.

[Dustin83]

Very Very tough to keep and fragile I heard...

Also doesn't do well with strong current.

[Amphiprion]

I kept them for a number of years. They can actually do just fine in higher current (not a whole lot, though), so long as it is diffused, intermittent, and there are plenty of places to hold on. Having a cleaner tank as a result of good flow far outweighs the disadvantages. The other key is to make sure that they eat enough. That is the main disadvantage to having a little higher current. Feeding can be solved with a "feeding trough" that can contain the food without it blowing away. I never attempted to breed them, though mine spawned on many occasions. Seamaiden37 would likely be a better source for breeding info than me. My other recommendation is to have all necessary medications on hand so that if a disease were to manifest, you can treat them immediately (that also implies the setup of a quarantine tank).

[Seamaiden37]

It still boggles my mind as to the 'old school beliefs', still going around. Here are a few facts:
Many species are being Captive bred and it is these that are available 85% of the time.
CB seahorses DO NOT need live foods to survive. They are pre-trained to eat frozen mysis shrimp before being sold and do fine on this as a mainstay. Live food can be offered as a treat once a week.
Dwarf seahorses are the only seahorses that will need a staple of live food in the form of Hatched brine shrimp. Due to their tiny size (1" to 1.5") they require newly hatched BS as well as copapods.
Seahorses are HARDY fish that need a little more attention to there overall needs to be kept properly and happy. As with many exotic species, once this is met, they are a joy!
Keep in mind that like anything living, there health is important. Having the right meds before hand can help in this. (Having a well stocked Medicine cabinet for any pet is good practice.)

HTH,
Jaime :-)

[wcolwell88]

Very Interesting. I find seahorses to be fascinating but never thought I would keep them because of their needs I hear about. Might do some research on them. If you can find a copy, the Volume 9 2007 Annual issue of Marine Fish and Reef USA has a article on breeding them which tells a lot about their needs. I bought the mag at Petco.

[Skaven]

MY first SW was a nano dwarf seahorse tank that needed fresh nupli daily. They did just fine with the stock bio-wheel filters current but I had to slow it down when they started breeding. I've been thinking about adding a larger specimen to my FOWLR my LFS has a few they've had no problems with and love frozen food. They breed like rabbits when happy and the fry are pretty hearty (I've fished several from my filter pad with no ill effect)

[david123]

I know someone who purchased two seahorses over 2 months ago and they are fine. Like someone said earlier they are mostly tank bred and feed of frozen mysis (although need to be fed about 5 times a day as apparantly they do not have a digestive system or something like that which means they cannot hold the food - this is why so much feeding is needed)

also not good to keep with other fish due to the feeding as the others will eat the food before the slow seahorses get to it.

my friend has the seahorses in with two clownfish and two cleaner shrimp and thats it.

[slipstreamv2]

Sorry, I haven't had time to reply in a while. Great info, guys. Good to know that they can be kept with frozen foods, but must take care in making sure they get enough food and often. Thanks.

[oddsbotkins]

seahorses are very easy to keep. Have many myself. Water quality is a must. ANY nitrite or ammonia and they are dead. Live food is not necessary, but they do much better with live mysis. Sachs aquaculture in Florida has the best prices I have seen. I get weekly drop shipments. Tank must have great water flow, very few dead spots, and peaceful tankmates. A lot of people try to keep clowns or gobies ect, but they still compete for the food source, expecially if it's live. i use a clear plastic trap, the horses get used to it, and will swim right into it, I put the food in, they eat what they want, then I release them. I always have lots of live mysis shrimp in the tank, along with LOTS of pods. Horses will change color due to mood, or colors in tank. I was reading someone elses remarks about having lots of medicine for them. THIS IS A MAJOR NO NO. NEVER GIVE ANY FISH ANY TYPE OF MEDICINE. If you have to medicate your fish or your tank, there is another problem, and its not the fish. If you slowly lower your salinity down to 10-15 (specific gravity to 1.008-1.012) your tank will NEVER get sick. I know what people are saying "OH my god he's nuts". Everything will survive, and thrive. All fish, corals and inverts will do just fine and reproduce. When you lower the gravity and salinity, it raises the allowable oxygen levels. No parasite can survive in the hyposalinity. The colors of your fish and corals will explode. They will eat more, and grow and reproduce faster. I have been doing this for nearly twenty five years, it works, and works very well. I have NEVER lost a fish due to disease.
Dont go do a massive water change overnight and drop your salinity, it will cause shock. (think this is a no brainer, cant tell you how many morons due just this, even at your local fish store). If your salinity/gravity is around say 35 and 1.022, next time you do your 10% water change, use water with the gravity of 1.010-1.015 and do this every change there after. This will SLOWLY bring the levels down. Try it it woks wonders.

[Grins]

Glad to see we have another experienced seahorse keeper here (I'm not one of them). Welcome to AC Odd, would love to see your tank(s).

[Amphiprion]

seahorses are very easy to keep. Have many myself. Water quality is a must. ANY nitrite or ammonia and they are dead. Live food is not necessary, but they do much better with live mysis. Sachs aquaculture in Florida has the best prices I have seen. I get weekly drop shipments. Tank must have great water flow, very few dead spots, and peaceful tankmates. A lot of people try to keep clowns or gobies ect, but they still compete for the food source, expecially if it's live. i use a clear plastic trap, the horses get used to it, and will swim right into it, I put the food in, they eat what they want, then I release them. I always have lots of live mysis shrimp in the tank, along with LOTS of pods. Horses will change color due to mood, or colors in tank. I was reading someone elses remarks about having lots of medicine for them. THIS IS A MAJOR NO NO. NEVER GIVE ANY FISH ANY TYPE OF MEDICINE. If you have to medicate your fish or your tank, there is another problem, and its not the fish. If you slowly lower your salinity down to 10-15 (specific gravity to 1.008-1.012) your tank will NEVER get sick. I know what people are saying "OH my god he's nuts". Everything will survive, and thrive. All fish, corals and inverts will do just fine and reproduce. When you lower the gravity and salinity, it raises the allowable oxygen levels. No parasite can survive in the hyposalinity. The colors of your fish and corals will explode. They will eat more, and grow and reproduce faster. I have been doing this for nearly twenty five years, it works, and works very well. I have NEVER lost a fish due to disease.
Dont go do a massive water change overnight and drop your salinity, it will cause shock. (think this is a no brainer, cant tell you how many morons due just this, even at your local fish store). If your salinity/gravity is around say 35 and 1.022, next time you do your 10% water change, use water with the gravity of 1.010-1.015 and do this every change there after. This will SLOWLY bring the levels down. Try it it woks wonders.

Hmm, I haven't heard of these practices working for too many other people. Honestly, people that have done some of these that I know of have ended up losing things. It also depends upon the seahorse species, too. Brackish conditions like you recommend are not ideal for all species (not to mention it would exclude other animals and organisms from doing as well). Not having medicine on hand is just reckless, IMHO. I never actually had to deal with any diseases with my own seahorses, but I dealt with them in other circumstances and trust me--the diseases act quickly and you must be quicker. But to each his/her own.

[Subliminal]

Seahorses.org had a showing at our frag swap this weekend. I asked them about getting an all-in-one and keeping seahorses.

They reminded me that seahorses thrive in colder temps, so a chiller would probably be necessary during some months.

Other than that, I don't think they're hard to keep in a species tank (from what I understand).

[Amphiprion]

Seahorses.org had a showing at our frag swap this weekend. I asked them about getting an all-in-one and keeping seahorses.

They reminded me that seahorses thrive in colder temps, so a chiller would probably be necessary during some months.

Other than that, I don't think they're hard to keep in a species tank (from what I understand).

That is true for most species, but again not all. Several more popular species are tropical. A lot of these blanket statements get used, even by more experienced hobbyists, and they simply don't hold true all across the board.

[Grins]

Although I prefer to use prevention over treatment when dealing with marine health I do believe it is sometimes neccessary..just as it is with humans. On the salinity are you suggesting to run hypo on your tanks always? I can't agree with that if so. I beleive in it for a treatment but not as the normal status quo for them to thrive.

[Grins]

That is true for most species, but again not all. Several more popular species are tropical. A lot of these blanket statements get used, even by more experienced hobbyists, and they simply don't hold true all across the board.

I'd agree with that. Amp, when you kept seahorses did you try pipefish with them too? I actually like them more than the horses.

[Amphiprion]

I never kept pipefish, actually (it was an option though). Looking back, it would have been interesting. If I didn't have my sea anemone in my 75, I may have even placed one of the reef dwelling pipefishes in my tank. The pipefish are a much larger, more diverse group than the sea horses and they do deserve more attention than they get.

[Amphiprion]

Although I prefer to use prevention over treatment when dealing with marine health I do believe it is sometimes neccessary..just as it is with humans. On the salinity are you suggesting to run hypo on your tanks always? I can't agree with that if so. I beleive in it for a treatment but not as the normal status quo for them to thrive.

Don't get me wrong--I'm all for prevention, but if/when something happens, ignoring (except in a few circumstances) a problem is a good way to lose your seahorses. Acting quickly in these situations makes a HUGE difference.

[Grins]

That matches what I've read on other forums as well as why they aren't a good beginner species as the aquarist often doesn't know how to recognize when something is wrong.