# Seahorses?



## fs49864 (Mar 10, 2007)

Though I'm not currently ready to add new fish etc. I was wondering if someone could answer a few questions.
The tank in question this is about is the 50 gallon tank. I have some live sand, and plan to add more live rock slowly. Right now this is a Fish Only tank. I use a hang on penguin bio wheel filter and I have a protein skimmer and good aeration.

I have in that tank a mollie, yellow tailed damsel, and a percula clown.
(I will be adding the basslet from the 20 gallon tank soon)

If I left out any important information please ask.

Okay the first question, is it possible to keep a seahorse in a 50 gallon tank?
What type of diet do seahorses have?
Are there any special lighting requirements for a seahorse? 
Anything else I should know about seahorses?


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## Sleepy (Feb 5, 2007)

Seahorses are very special. I guess you will find in-depth informtion here.


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## fs49864 (Mar 10, 2007)

From what I understand they do best in reef tanks, but I'm just interested to learn more about them. 

I will probably not get one because I believe I don't have ideal conditions for one, possibly in the very distant future when I set up an even larger tank and if I do have a coral tank I would considering getting one.


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## Rue (Jan 28, 2007)

I believe they also have very specific food requirements...usually too demanding for the more casual owner...


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

sea horses are very slow eaters and wont get enought to eat in tanks with other fast eaters like you have. it you want a seahorse its best for it to be the only thing in your tank.


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## Bamboo_Kitten_Shark (Feb 24, 2007)

You have ALOT of research before getting seahorses, trust me. I've been planning and researching for a couple months and still have tons to learn.

this is a good place to look http://www.seahorses.org 

another place i hang out alot is google.com =P


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

dedicated sea horse tanks are much better then reefs for seahorses. In fact the 30x turnover rate for flow to keep the corals healthy would kill the seahorses.


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Seahorses are cool pets, extremely social and interactive, but you are correct, your set up is not proper for keeping them. Don't think you need a huge tank to keep them, it will depend on what species of seahorse you decide to keep. Kudas get large, and would do best in a 50 gallon or larger, while kellogi and reidi don't get quite so large, and can be kept in smaller tanks. There are also pygmy seahorses that should not be kept in tanks larger than about 10 gallons.
There is a lot to learn, and I will suggest finding some books on the subject if you are considering getting any. There are fish compatible in a seahorse tank, and you don't have to keep "reef" animals such as corals to have a good seahorse environment. There are a lot of options. I have a pair of seahorses now, almost 2 yrs old now. Theirs is one of my easiest and most fun tanks. I also know a few breeders who were helping me when my pair began breeding unexpectedly, so I can get information if you need it.
Their eating habits aren't as bad as some people might think. If you start with tank raised seahorses, frozen brine shrimp and frozen mysis shrimp are the typical foods offered. If you can supply live adult brine, even better. Mine get live brine and frozen mysis, they are fed twice/day, and they have tankmates such as gobies, starfish, urchin, snails, hermit crabs, emerald crab... if you know what is safe, you can do quite a bit with a seahorse tank.
In your situation, I would suggest planning a seperate tank, but don't decide on the size of it until you decide on the species of seahorse you wish to keep, and what you wish to keep with it. Pygmy seahorses should be a species only tank. 
Hope this helps!


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## Bamboo_Kitten_Shark (Feb 24, 2007)

please do alot of research before thinking about getting seahorses. not many, if any at all, would be fit for a reef tank. they can get harmed by some corals, such as anemone, they can be hurt by crabs and hermits, they could get caught in scallops or clams, there just not very good for these type of tanks. now if you had some live rock in a nice tank that is atleast twice as tall as the seahorse when it is not curled up, then you may take it into concideration.

i've learned a ton from talking wiht people on this forum and seahorse.org (gave wrong link before)

so if you really want to, be prepared for all the reading sutyding and preporation of getting seahorses ^_^


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## fs49864 (Mar 10, 2007)

yeah, I don't plan on getting any in the near future, or even within the next few years. Maybe if I win the lottery (kidding, but it would be nice).


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## Daniel Hortis (6 mo ago)

bettababy said:


> Seahorses are cool pets, extremely social and interactive, but you are correct, your set up is not proper for keeping them. Don't think you need a huge tank to keep them, it will depend on what species of seahorse you decide to keep. Kudas get large, and would do best in a 50 gallon or larger, while kellogi and reidi don't get quite so large, and can be kept in smaller tanks. There are also pygmy seahorses that should not be kept in tanks larger than about 10 gallons.
> There is a lot to learn, and I will suggest finding some books on the subject if you are considering getting any. There are fish compatible in a seahorse tank, and you don't have to keep "reef" animals such as corals to have a good seahorse environment. There are a lot of options. I have a pair of seahorses now, almost 2 yrs old now. Theirs is one of my easiest and most fun tanks. I also know a few breeders who were helping me when my pair began breeding unexpectedly, so I can get information if you need it.
> Their eating habits aren't as bad as some people might think. If you start with tank raised seahorses, frozen brine shrimp and frozen mysis shrimp are the typical foods offered. If you can supply live adult brine, even better. Mine get live brine and frozen mysis, they are fed twice/day, and they have tankmates such as gobies, starfish, urchin, snails, hermit crabs, emerald crab... if you know what is safe, you can do quite a bit with a seahorse tank.
> In your situation, I would suggest planning a seperate tank, but don't decide on the size of it until you decide on the species of seahorse you wish to keep, and what you wish to keep with it. Pygmy seahorses should be a species only tank.
> Hope this helps!


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