Seahorse Tank Startoff

[Munchkin041804]

My husband and I are starting a new 5 gallon tank for seahorses. I have been reading loads of articles and have some questions before we begin, since a lot of these articles seem to contradict each other. First, the initial setup, we want to use live rock, but a lot of articles have said not too, and not to add corals/grass/macro algae( even seahorse safe corals/grass/macro algae) due too hydroids. I really want the tank to be as natural as possible, but I don't want to potentially harm the seahorses either! We currently have a 30gal reef tank and I have never seen any in it. Next is feeding, live vs frozen. I like the idea of a feeding station but was not sure how dwarf seahorses would take to it.

 

[marty20]

Im posting here because im in the same position you are. My thread is posted on here too about seahorses and someone left some good information. Its titled seahorses. I can't imagine having a tank without the live rock and sand. I use that along with my cleanup crew to keep my tank spotless...

 

[Munchkin041804]

What do you use as your clean up crew? I'll check out your posting and read that info too. Thanks!

 

[marty20]

In my 20 gallon reef tank I have about 8-10 hermit crabs. A sand sifting star fish and multiple of those tint starfish... they help to get an of the food that my clowns don't get. I tried a snail once but I was in a rush and didn't acclimate him properly. I read that a snail in a seahorse tank is great because it can't out compete them for food and will clean anything that falls to the bottom. Hope you find the posts helpful (although a little discouraging). I still am gonna give it a go and challenge myself with the dwarf seahorses. But like you just want to know everything before I start.

 

[Munchkin041804]

Thanks!

 

[marty20]

Let me know how things go when you start. Where are you planning on getting your seahorses?

 

[Munchkin041804]

Our local fish store special orders them in.

 

[Munchkin041804]

My husband and I setup the tank today, live rock and sand, so now we have to wait for it to cycle.

 

[marty20]

You wouldn't happen to live in the western Massachusetts region of the world would you? My lfs sucks here lol there is no way they would order me seahorses so ill probably have to order them online

 

[Munchkin041804]

No I'm in Florida, it's a lot easier for us. I could go out to they bay and get some if I wanted(not dwarfs), but I could never do that! I'll get tank raised. I bet it's hard to get things up there!

 

[Munchkin041804]

Well we backed out of the seahorse tank. A little bit to much work for my liking. We placed coral and 1 clown in the tank. Maybe some shrimp later on.

 

[marty20]

Oh no! Im sorry to hear that but it would be a pain if you room temp is higher thank your tank needs to be. Ill keep you posted on mine. I probably wont start it until the end of the semester though

 

[marty20]

So I thought about the seahorses some more and I live in new England where we could get really hot days in the summer so I decided I should hols off to make sure my room temp doesn't go to high im my basement where I plan on putting the tank. There is no AC down there but it is usually much cooler than the upstairs I just want to make sure that the temp down there doesn't increase too much before I get the little guys

 

[Munchkin041804]

I understand. I'm glad we both got good info before jumping into it! Maybe you could keep a log of the room temp for a couple months to give yourself an idea, if you still want to do it. I'm really happy with mine, I'll attach some pics. I'm gonna add some shrimp soon

 

[marty20]

Yes I plan on taking note on the temperature this summer before planning more for my seahorses. But wow that tank looks great! Your clownfish actually resembles mine (I get they all look the same) but mine also has a very wide middle stripe which is what I like most about him. And what type of corals are those? I like them both a lot

 

[Munchkin041804]

Thanks! One is a leather coral, the other is duncan coral.