Dwarf seahorse or pipefish in Fluval EVO 5

[MoshJosh]

My EVO 5 gallon (7.5 gallon if you count the sump) has been fishless for a while. Could I keep dwarf seahorse or pipefish? These require small live food though right? Pods work? I have plenty. . . or they need brine?

 

[i cant think]

They need constant feeding which could cause a spike in such a small tank, I personally wouldn’t try it.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I would expect them to last a few weeks....and then starve...

 

[AxolotlOverlord]

It depends on the filtration, you need to feed live baby brine or an absolute ton of pods daily for them, they will seriously consume way more than you think possible so I would plan on feeding bbs. But in order to keep both the brine shrimp in the water and the seahorses from getting sucked in, the filter needs to be relatively gentle and intake covered with a sponge. Most people use sponge filters for that reason but I’ve seen other types used with success too, it’s all just a matter of keeping food suspended in the water for them nearly constantly and in a relatively high concentration as they will just sit in one spot and wait for it to come to them, if it’s just a couple millimeters too far out of range they will starve lol. And that size tank would be plenty for a little group of dwarf seahorses, because as I mentioned earlier the food needs to be fairly concentrated, so once you go too big they just cannot get to their food which will of course kill them, but at the same time since it’s got to be so small you need to keep a close eye on water parameters because that can also very easily kill them. Very fun fish if you do it right but they need some very specific conditions and to be watched carefully.

 

[Mikala]

5 gallon is perfect size depending on the size of herd you want. I have 8 dwarfs currently in a 10 gallon and could hold a lot more however I'm waiting for them to have babies . I have a simple sponge filter and make sure they have plenty of enriched bbs as well as copepods, and larger brine shrimp to keep them sustained. They move all over the tank almost in a "hunting" pattern to find the best spots to eat. So much fun to watch them explore their "ocean".

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Wait your fluval has sump you say?

 

[i cant think]

5 gallon is perfect size depending on the size of herd you want. I have 8 dwarfs currently in a 10 gallon and could hold a lot more however I'm waiting for them to have babies . I have a simple sponge filter and make sure they have plenty of enriched bbs as well as copepods, and larger brine shrimp to keep them sustained. They move all over the tank almost in a "hunting" pattern to find the best spots to eat. So much fun to watch them explore their "ocean".

Would love to know more about this as I recently tore down my RS Max Nano and am tempted on trying Seahorses out.

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

I would say go for it. 6 dwarf horses! Put a couple gorgonians and or a couple macros - this sounds fun. Seed w/ pods before and get yourself a brine shrimp hatchery (they are relatively cheap). I might consider running (depending on your filtration setup) w/o filter floss at least for a portion of the day. Id say go for it!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

No idea about the seahorses but when I was considering adding a couple small pipefish to my 20 the general consensus from those with experience was that it just would not work out well in the end...again, I didn't ask about seahorses and I'm just conveying what those with experience told me at the time

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

No idea about the seahorses but when I was considering adding a couple small pipefish to my 20 the general consensus from those with experience was that it just would not work out well in the end...again, I didn't ask about seahorses and I'm just conveying what those with experience told me at the time

Would be interested in your tank set up. How it differs from a species only set up? Sump?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Would be interested in your tank set up. How it differs from a species only set up? Sump?

Oh, I've completely redone it since then...now I'm using it for a starfish observational study so no need for a sump now

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Oh, I've completely redone it since then...now I'm using it for a starfish observational study so no need for a sump now

Definitely NOT questioning you btw. I was - maybe still am lol researching for horsey and or pipefish tank. (My research has lasted a year - im slow to change lol dont want to part with my nems either hehe) was more just interested in what was said - may help all here!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Definitely NOT questioning you btw. I was - maybe still am lol researching for horsey and or pipefish tank. (My research has lasted a year - im slow to change lol dont want to part with my nems either hehe) was more just interested in what was said - may help all here!

Oh no, I didn't perceive it as you questioning me...I was just told that the likelihood I could sustain an adequate pod population even for the smallest species was pretty slim and even with culturing BBS it probably wasn't a good idea...no sump btw

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

My only concern would be again - the feeding. LFS has captive bred 5 dwarf seahorses in species tank (originally 6 but one got eaten or an attempted eating) by aiptasia but they had them supplemented over on to pe calanus, cyclopod+, and arctic ez pod on top of occasional live pod top off and newly hatched baby brine. Pretty successful in 5gal (minus aiptasia). They live w/ yellow gorgonian and a photosynthetic gorgonian.

 

[MoshJosh]

Wait your fluval has sump you say?

It did haha but I have since taken it down and am converting it into a "frag tank" with a canister filter. . .

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Pretty cool. Would take out the rock nem tho

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

^ For dwarf seahorses or pipefish.

 

[MoshJosh]

Pretty cool. Would take out the rock nem tho

Yeah rock nem is in my other tank now. . . but regardless I'm not looking to keep horses or pipefish anymore. I decided I wanted more flow. . . plus couldn't commit to the frequency of feedings. . . though I do have a brine shrimp hatchery. . .