Too small for seahorses?

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Seahorse37

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
1
I am a complete newbie to owning marine life, but my Mom has always wanted seahorses and I recently discovered one place in my city that sells them and supplies for them. So I was thinking getting her a set-up for Christmas would be kind of awesome (but not the actual seahorses as I will make her do some research first). I'm the kind of person who refuses to get a pet before knowing everything about their PROPER care and I dispise pet stores for being so misleading.

So here is what the pet store has told me they have as far as sea horses and sea horse supplies go (sadly, there is NOT a lot of choices or selection):

A "Seahorse Stable" set-up which includes:
-7.8 gallon tank with glass top
-Salt supply
-Filter with media
-Aqua light with bulb
-Heater
-Floating hyrdometer/thermometer
-Crushed coral
-3 Marine steps/reef effects (for maintaing proper tank chemistry)

They only sell the basic large seahorse species (didn't catch the scientific name, but it's the least exotic one, if that helps - they only only come in yellow).

They also sell live and frozen food for them.

But that is all they have as far as their seahorse supplies go. Now 7.8 gallons seems a little small to me, but apparently a lot of people out there keep seahorses in these sizes of tanks with no issues???

There would be 2 sea horses at most, no more. Can they be kept alone or is a bonded pair a must? What about sexes, are same sexes okay? I don't really want breeding.

And no other species kept in this tank (except maybe a snail or two for clean up). I think it also comes with hitching areas too, at least they had some in the tank

Is this honestly too small or is it do-able? The species they sell doesn't get very big (but isn't dwarf either).

Is there anything the tank is missing?

I also read that the water needs to be cycled for 4-6 weeks before adding the seahorses. This seems like a crazy long time... is it neccessary?

Thanks :)
 
The part about cycling is very true. You want ur water to be near perfect to keep them happy and healthy
 
Welcome to AA! :)

Seahorses are amazing. I still haven't had the time or resources to set a tank up for them, but maybe someday. I wouldn't recommend them as a first experience in SW keeping.
 
I had a seahorse tank once and it was an honest pain. They're finicky eaters at best. So make sure that before you buy one that you can see them eat at your LFS. And usually they only eat live food. So of you want to sustain them and not have to pay an arm and leg for brine once a week you can breed them in a little 5 gallon tank with a airstone in it. Also your water conditions have to be spot on all the time and if your new to sw the bigger your tank is the easier it is to care for.
 
xxStLxx said:
I had a seahorse tank once and it was an honest pain. They're finicky eaters at best. So make sure that before you buy one that you can see them eat at your LFS. And usually they only eat live food. So of you want to sustain them and not have to pay an arm and leg for brine once a week you can breed them in a little 5 gallon tank with a airstone in it. Also your water conditions have to be spot on all the time and if your new to sw the bigger your tank is the easier it is to care for.

Brine shrimp is fairly cheap at my LFS. Only $1 for a 16oz cup filled with live brine. 3 cups lasts for about a week in my 75g so that's only $12 on live monthly. 1 cup would be enough for more then a week in that tank but maybe their prices are different
 
Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread with that side talk. Honestly if I were you and new to SW I'd get a bigger tank and get to learn the hobby before jumping into a more advanced topic like seahorses or file fish
 
My local fish store specializes in salt water (I have no personal experience). The owner of this store has known me for years, and caught me looking at the sea horses he has for sale (apparently I had a yearning look on my face)...and he told me outright that he would never sell them to me! He knew I had decades of freshwater experience under my belt, but have never had a saltwater tank. And he was emphatic that sea horses would be a very bad choice for a salt-water beginner. Even more emphatic that they needed a larger, rock-stable tank.

So, no sea horses for me!
 
Sorry to hear. I would say if you have a 55g laying around set it up for salt, if your interested in having a FOWLR or reef. FOWLR would be easier and a good way to learn the water chemistry and get a feel for things.
 
If you are set on it though 7.8 gallons would be horrible for anything but dwarf seahorses
Maybe look in your local area for a marine fish keepers club. Someone there would be able to assist you in your endeavor.
Your on the right step though I'm sure everyone here has a mistake that could have been avoided with a bit of research.
 
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