Thinking about making a seahorse tank -- advice please

[Makoa59]

My wife loves seahorses and after a trip to the aquarium she said she'd be open to allowing me to make a (small) tank for seahorses. I currently have a 90 gallon FW community and this would be my first venture into SW. I am thinking of starting a moderate-sized (one of those new contemporary desk-top) or nano tank. I have a 5 gallon that I use for quarantine purposes, but I am fine with buying another tank.

Where do I start?
What size/type of tank is ideal for seahorses?
Type of filter? I may not have the space for a refugium (is it absolutely necessary?)
Is a skimmer necessary?
I know they like a bit of a current, so power head?
I assume marine sand as substrate... Live plants/fan coral or fake flora? Any other hard scape? Use some live rock or just sand and string-like plants to hold on to?
Water parameters?
What kind of food?
Can they be kept with cleaner shrimp or other invertebrates?

Thanks!

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

If you've never done a marine tank, I wouldn't start with sea horses. They are very difficult and require special setups. If your going to try best advice I can give you is do a TON of research.

 

[bduni50]

If you've never done a marine tank, I wouldn't start with sea horses. They are very difficult and require special setups. If your going to try best advice I can give you is do a TON of research.

X2!!!


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[Makoa59]

I know that they are difficult to maintain and I am starting the research. With all things in aquaria, patience is the key. I'm not starting this anytime soon... Just looking for tips.

 

[PB_Smith]

In my opinion the right way to do a seahorse oriented tank is too do a normal FOWLR or reef setup for the first year or two, by then the tank will be seasoned and established enough to transition it over to a seahorse focused tank.

They need a well established set-up with pristine water conditions, and very docile tank mates, if any.
Dwarf seahorses are small enough for a nano tank and are not cost prohibitive, but only live about two years max.
Larger seahorses can be had, but be prepared to pay a handsome price for them, well over $100, but they grow to a pretty good size and have a longer life span.

Seahorses are just about one of the trickiest critters to master keeping, octopi are about the only thing I can think of more difficult that are regularly available for home aquaria, that and jellyfish.

 

[PB_Smith]

I forgot to also mention the set-up you will need to have going in order to raise live brine shrimp, rotifers, copepods, amphipods and similar live foods in order to keep them in top health.

I did know someone who fed their huge seahorses black molly fry.....