Setting Up First Seahorse Tank

[lemonyellowdevintage]

Hi everyone, after being in the hobby for 7 years and stopping just last year. I'm getting back into it with a seahorse tank setup. I keep getting conflicting information from other sources so I thought I'd ask here. My questions are:

Are seahorses really as hard to keep as people say?
Do they absolutely need to be kept in pairs?
Is it true that they need their temp at around 74 degrees?

 

[Doctorgori]

A few of the more experienced breeders are on Facebook. I‘m pretty sure Alyssa from SEahorse Savvy has a page and I think Dan does also, I also have read competent info from RayJay (I think he’s here somewhere, maybe summon him) Anyway, You can read below but there are far more Seahorse experienced hobbyist..

I’ll try to regurgitate some info and my own experience And things I’ve read
- Supposedly bacteria are more ”viral” at higher temps (“supposedly” is more like certainty) .... I can’t confirm as I my temps are never > 75 And at $200/pr I don’t dare

- I think Low flow rates are over blown... I keep my flow at reef tank levels and use a Apex to give the fish a break morning and evening... The fish will retreat during midday eitherway...

- Use/train them to a feeding dish. VERY important... They will get into a feeding rhythm and you can keep the tank cleaner... Keep Duncans or similar safe corals near the dish

-Not sure on tank inhabitants .. they have guides but I keep mine with soft corals and acans .. a mandrin is the only other fish

- I‘m pretty sure you can keep single specimens but they are definitely social fish, and breed easily

- older/adapted fish are dang hardy, youngins and newly arrived: not so mucH

- I have 2pr in a 60G and 10 adults in a 150G ... I’d call those tanks @ capacity

-Breeding? IMHO all the “Kriesel” tubling/current theories are bunk ... You want competent info: Dan, Alyssa and others are professional breeders. I’m not ... I throw All my fry in a 20G w/sponge filter and see no difference In mortality. I feed 3-4 day old Gut loaded BBS Pre-rinsed for 15min in peroxide (see Dans vid)... Formaldehyde treatment is used for scratching (happens often)

 

[rayjay]

Are seahorses really as hard to keep as people say?

For some yes, for others no. It depends on the overall outlook and approach of each individual IMO.

Do they absolutely need to be kept in pairs?

NO!! They should not be kept as an individual though.

Is it true that they need their temp at around 74 degrees?

For tropical seahorses the recommended range is 68° to 74°F even though in the wild their temperatures will range higher. In the wild, the water is ever changing, but in tanks where it isn't, the bacteria growth can be deadly to seahorses with their weak immune systems. The nasty bacteria growth rate is exponential with each rising degree, but ESPECIALLY above 74°F.
The combination of keeping water quality up and restricting temperatures can go a long way to success. The water quality that promotes bacteria growth rate CANNOT be measured with any test kits (think dissolved organics for instance) so we need pro-active husbandry/water changes as opposed to RE-active.
There is a lot of info in the stickies at the top of the forum to glean information from, but in addition to that, the Facebook groups, Seahorse Sources Group and Seahorse Solutions Group each have a lot of info if you go to their pages and click on "MORE" followed by clicking on "FILES".
At lot has changed in the hobby over the 18 yrs I've been doing it, like the recommended tank volume, temperature, and especially tank flow rate. Unfortunately there is a LOT of this old info still floating around on the internet, which coupled with a lot of MISS-information can really make it confusing for new hobbyists.
No one thread will be able to give you all you need to know, but after you have done your research, you can be more specific in your questions to help you make better decisions.
There are a multitude of methods in use today and it's a case of finding what works best for you.
Starting up new, it's my belief that it's best to adhere to the KISS principal and once you've gained experience you will be in a better position to decide what you want for the long term.