yveterinarian
Super Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2012
- Location
- Innerkip, Ontario
Not sure if this is the best place to put this topic and if you wish to move it or setup a separate topic in the Library for it, please feel free. 
This article is by no means written by an expert and is meant only as a guide for people to use when inquiring about seahorse care. Much of my information has been taken from knowledge gained on www.seahorse.org and from personal experience. When in doubt, always consult an expert and please check out the seahorse website for the best advice. Here are the answers I have learned to many of the most common questions. I will be happy to answer any other questions you have (if I know the answer) For those of you who also keep Seahorses please feel free to add your knowledge as well. Enjoy
1) What kind of tank do I need to keep Seahorses?
There are many different kinds of seahorses but only a few available in Canada. The usual ones available in Canada are Hippocampus Kuda and Hippocampus Erectus. Sometimes others are available but not as often as we would like.
For either of these two main species available, they need a minimum tank size of 29 gallons for the first pair. For each subsequent pair, you need a further 15 gallons. That is not including the gallons in the sump if you have one.
The reason for this is that they are very messy fish and when they are eating, they masticate their food and send out a cloud of undigested food particles for every piece of food they eat. They also have a very poor digestive system and do not digest their food efficiently. This fouls the water very quickly.
They also need a tank that is 2 1/2 - 3 times taller than their adult uncurled length. For example an H. Kuda grows to 3 - 7 inches in length and H. Erectus can get up to 8 inches. Therefore your tank should be 21 - 24 inches deep to allow room for your seahorse when fully grown. Seahorses need the full height of the tank for egg transfer when mating and usually swim up and down rather than side to side across the aquarium. The following excerpt has been copied from the seahorse.org website and was written by Terrie Rennie:
"Before you buy a seahorse, be sure you understand the basic principles of how to keep seahorses in the home aquarium. The best overall source for this knowledge is Seahorse.org. Keeping marine fish of any type requires knowledge of basic marine aquarium keeping and water chemistry. There are many books and other sources of information available. If you prepare adequately and set up an appropriate sized, fully cycled, and stable tank, you will greatly improve your chances of success. Seahorses need hitching posts or something to cling to while they are resting. Not having these resting places is stressful for a seahorse.
Seahorses should be introduced into a mature, cycled aquarium. Various filtration methods and tank set-ups can result in a healthy, stable aquarium. A seahorse tank must have gentle to moderate currents, with 3 - 5 times tank volume turned over per hour. A seahorse tank needs to be void of intense currents and requires lower flow areas where a seahorse can retreat and rest. Water parameters should be stable before animals are added:
pH - 8.0 to 8.3
Specific gravity - 1.020 to 1.024
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - <20 ppm
Optimum temperature is dependent on whether the seahorse species is tropical, subtropical or temperate. Generally, beginners should start with tropical species as heating a tank is much less expensive than cooling one, and it is easier to maintain a stable temperature in a tropical tank. Try to keep to the lower end of the temperature ranges, and let the temperature fluctuate up towards the higher values of the temperature range."
The temperature range for a tropical Seahorse is 71 - 74 degrees F or 21 - 23 degrees C. A fan blown across the surface of the water or a chiller is often needed to keep the levels cooler in the summer months.
2) What is the difference between Wild Caught, Tank Raised and True Captive bred?
Wild Caught seahorses are taken straight from the ocean as the name suggests. They only eat live food but may be trained to eat frozen with a lot of time and effort on your part. Some never eat frozen. They also need a deworming process to help get them ready for a home aquarium. The deworming process takes approximately 9 weeks to complete using 3 different medications in a quarantine tank before adding to your display tank. For instructions on deworming please visit http://forum.seahorse.org/index.php?showtopic=47321&st=0&p=498798&#entry498798
Tank Raised or Pen Raised seahorses are usually kept in large tanks in the ocean. The pregnant males are captured in the ocean, placed in these large tanks until they give birth then returned to the ocean. The babies are raised in the tanks and gradually trained to eat frozen. The difficulty with these is that they often are sold to the LFS too early and are too small to survive well without added care. They often revert to eating only live because they still had a good quantity of live food in the ocean water. Most LFS carry Tank Raised seahorses even if they call them Captive bred. Before buying from an LFS ask them where the seahorses came from and how old they are. If they can't provide detailed information about them then they are most likely Tank Raised, not True Captive Bred. The LFS often don't understand the difference.
True Captive bred seahorses are ones born and raised in home aquariums or in some breeding facilities dedicated to raising seahorses in aquariums without seawater. These seahorses are often much better suited to the home aquarium environment as they have never known the ocean. They are generally stronger than Wild Caught or Tank Raised and new seahorse owners generally have better luck with them. They are always weaned onto frozen food before they are sold ( except H. Zosterae who never eat frozen) and are not sold until they reach a viable length.
3) Can I keep them in my refugium or reef tank?
No.
Most reef tanks have fish and corals that are not safe for seahorses. They either compete for food, carry diseases that the seahorse isn't immune to, intimidate them or in the case of corals, sting them. The refugium, although separate from the fish or corals is often not deep enough to house seahorses and is also connected to the main reef tank so that diseases can still transmit to the delicate seahorse. Temperatures in a reef tank or the refugium attached to it are too high to safely keep seahorses.
Seahorses are very shy fish and will often go into hiding and not eat when housed with other fish. Some people do choose to keep other fish etc with seahorses but these must be chosen with care and quarantined before adding to the seahorse tank to minimize the chance of disease transmission. Seahorse.org has a very good tankmates guide that I suggest you visit if you do wish to keep other fish or corals with them. please visit http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/tankmates.shtml for the list. The only truly safe tankmates are the ones listed as "threat level 0".
Many Seahorse keepers recommend seahorse only tanks, myself included. After having several bad experiences trying to keep them with other fish and failing, I have come down firmly on the side of "Seahorse only" with a safe cleanup crew. This is a partial list of compatible "clean up crew" animals most likely to be safe with small to large seahorses.
· Fan worms including Feather Dusters (Phylum Annelida)
· Astrea Snail (Lithopoma [Astraea] spp.), Turbo Snail (Turbo spp.), Nassarius
Snail (Nassarius vibex), Trochus Snail (Trochus niloticus), Cerith Snail (Family
Cerithiidae), Nerite Snail (Nerita spp)
· Scarlet reef hermits (Paguristes cadenati)*
· Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)*
· Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes vulgaris)*
*Shrimp and most hermit crabs are not considered safe around seahorse fry or H. Zosterae
4) What do seahorses eat?
The species of seahorse available in Canada eat live mysis shrimp or frozen mysis. When adults, the seahorses cannot survive on brine shrimp, even if enriched. They will eat it very well but will slowly starve to death. The brine shrimp do not have enough nutrition to sustain their life (with the exception of H. Zosterae - the Dwarf Seahorse). Usually, the best frozen mysis is Hikari or P.E. Mysis. The Hikari is somewhat smaller than the P.E. Mysis. Most do best on P.E. Mysis. For more information on feeding seahorses and raising live food, please visit the Seahorse.org Library. One link is here: http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/SeahorseFoods.php
Seahorses have a very rudimentary digestive tract and do not have a stomach. Therefore they need to eat at least twice a day, every day. They will not eat pellet or flake food so an automatic feeder doesn't work. Be careful not to overfeed them as too much food can be just as harmful as not enough. Studies have found that too much food just results in the seahorse passing intact food straight out of the digestive system without any digestion taking place and the seahorse dies of starvation. A seahorse can survive a couple of days without food but this places a great stress on them and should be avoided except in instances when shipping them to their new home. Fry need to be fed multiple times a day. But that's a whole other topic unto itself which I am not going to get into here.
5) How do I choose the right seahorse for me?
As with any purchase, always research your subject thoroughly. Get to know the attributes of the seahorses for sale and decide for yourself how much work you wish to put into your new acquisitions. Often a good seahorse for beginners is the H. Erectus that has been Captive bred.
Whether you choose to buy Wild Caught, Tank Raised or Captive bred, always make sure the seahorse is eating before you purchase it. Check to see the condition of the seahorse and make sure it's sides are not caved in (a sign of malnutrition), it doesn't have any sores or bubbles under the skin and the store or person selling can tell you it's exact breed, age and history. Here is a good link of things to consider when buying from a LFS http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/LFS_guide.shtml
Never "rescue" a sick seahorse from a LFS unless you have a lot of seahorse experience. This is a recipe for disaster as it will need a lot of care and medicine before it is healthy enough to put in your main display tank and many do not survive.
6) What kind of flow do seahorses need?
Seahorses are not strong swimmers but they still need a good turnover of water in their tanks. A common rule of thumb is 3 - 5 times tank volume turned over per hour. A seahorse tank needs to be void of intense currents and requires lower flow areas where a seahorse can retreat and rest.
That being said, they often love to play in the current and will deliberately put themselves in the current's path, shoot across the aquarium, and come back for more. Mine did and they were great fun to watch.
Return flow is best acheived when using a spray or diffuser to aim the water across the surface of the tank. This helps aerate as well as avoid a concentrated flow. A small powerhead is also a good idea to help keep detritus off the bottom of the tank. An airline in the tank is also a good idea to help oxygenate the tank.
7) How Do I Cycle a Tank?
Many seahorse keepers prefer to cycle using the Ammonia method to reduce the potential for unknown pathogens to be added to your tank. It is a very good and measurable method that ensures your tank is ready for the high bioload that seahorses bring to a tank. The rock you add would then become "live" with the bacteria you add and not the harmful bacteria that live rock can bring in. That being said, some also prefer the live rock method of cycling that you are all familiar with. The ammonia method is listed below and is taken directly from the seahorse.org website and was written by Karen Barber.
Cycling with the ammonia method
"Another method of cycling a tank that is increasing in popularity, is using 100% pure household ammonia. Instead of utilizing ammonia-producing organisms to start the cycling process, the ammonia method involves directly adding bottled ammonia along with a starter culture of bacteria.
The ammonia must be clear, unscented, 100% pure, and with no additives. However, you may find typical household ammonia to be mostly water with an actual strength of only 5 -10%. Since the concentration may vary, you will need to experiment a little to find the right amount needed to cycle your tank.
When using the ammonia method, the necessary bacteria can be introduced to your system a couple of different ways. If you have access to an established and healthy tank, obtain a small amount of sand or gravel or even used filter media. This can then be placed in the tank to be cycled and will provide a starter culture of bacteria. Another option is to use a commercial preparation of bacteria, such as Hagen's Cycle, to introduce the nitrifying microbes.
After the tank has been set up and the bacteria have been introduced, begin to add the ammonia. If the tank is on the smaller side, start with only a couple of drops. Let it circulate in the water for a short time, and then test for ammonia. You want to raise the ammonia level to about 1 - 2 PPM Continue adding drops of ammonia and testing, while keeping track of how many drops total it takes to get to 1 - 2 PPM
Once you've reached the desired level, you now need to wait for the bacteria to multiply and do their job. It may take several days to a couple of weeks for your ammonia test to register zero. Once it does, add the same number of drops of ammonia again. Keep repeating this many times, each time waiting until ammonia reads zero, until finally the ammonia test goes to zero within 8 - 12 hours of the addition of ammonia.
When the tank is able to clear the ammonia within this time frame, that means that there are large numbers of bacteria present. At this time, test for nitrites. If nitrites are present, perform 3 - 4 more ammonia cycles to further establish the second group of bacteria. If the nitrite test reads zero, perform a very large water change and then you can begin slowly stocking your tank.
It's been suggested that elevating the temperature of the tank to the mid-80s F during cycling with the ammonia method can have beneficial effects. Just make sure that there are no animals in the tank being subjected to this temperature extreme (and ammonia), and also make sure to lower the temperature again prior to stocking.
Also, tanks with low alkalinity may experience pH spikes with the addition of household ammonia. These spikes may also hinder the growth of the necessary bacteria. To counteract the problem, use a good buffering product prior to cycling with ammonia, and perform a large water change after cycling (prior to stocking) to get pH levels back on track.
When can I start stocking?
Once your ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero, whether it be from cycling with live rock or several cycles with the ammonia method, you are close to being able to stock your tank.
If you used a skimmer during cycling with live rock and/or did not have extreme ammonia or nitrite spikes, you will probably only need to perform a standard 10% water change prior to stocking. If you did not use a skimmer and/or you registered significant ammonia and nitrite levels with a lengthy curing/cycling process, you will need to perform a more significant water change, such as 50 - 75%.
As mentioned earlier, since the ammonia method may cause problems with pH, a very large water change, approximately 90%, will be necessary following the use of this method, prior to the introduction of animals.
When ammonia and nitrites test at zero, nitrates are <10 PPM, pH is between 8.0 - 8.4, water changes have been performed, and equipment is functioning properly, you are ready to start stocking your tank.
Try to keep nitrates at 10 PPM or less. If nitrates are high or continue to climb over time, more frequent water changes and/or the addition of macroalgae will help bring them down. If your pH is below 8.0, add a high quality buffer to raise your alkalinity and pH.
How do I stock?
Patience is a virtue with marine tanks, and stocking too many animals too soon can have disastrous effects. Start with a very small number of animals (acclimated properly), and test the water daily for several days after introduction for any ammonia or nitrites. If ammonia and nitrite levels consistently read zero, continue to wait for at least two weeks before adding any new animals to allow time for the bacteria to multiply and effectively handle the new load.
If you ever find your ammonia and/or nitrite levels approaching 0.4 PPM or greater in a stocked tank, you will need to act fast. Diluting the toxins in the form of one or more large water changes, adding more bacteria (live rock, 'seeded' media, commercial products, etc.), the addition of macroalgae or a chemical filter to absorb the toxins, or temporarily relocating the animals to another tank are all effective ways to handle an ammonia or nitrite spike.
Do I need to test after cycling is complete?
Even after cycling is long over, it's a good practice to periodically test for the presence of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, especially after adding new livestock. Equally important is knowing your tank's pH range, and making sure that it stays between 8.0-8.4. (Your pH will typically be lower in the morning before your lights come on, and higher in the evening just after the lights go off. )
Catching a potentially serious problem early and taking immediate steps to correct it can help prevent a lot of heartache."
8 ) What equipment do I need for a Seahorse tank?
The equipment list isn't much different than what is needed for a reef tank. A protein skimmer is a very good idea with seahorses to help keep the water clean. A good filtration system whether mechanical or using live rock in a sump is a must just like reefing. Some people use a UV sterilizer but not all. A heater that can be set at 71 or 72 degrees F to allow it to come on if the temperature gets too low. The heater should be covered if you are putting it in the Display tank because they like to hitch on it and without a cover, they will get burned. A clip on fan or chiller to keep the temperatures below 74 degrees F. Lighting doesn't need to be expensive or very bright. A simple florescent light fixture will do unless you choose to keep corals or macroalgae in your tank. There is more equipment that you can use eg: reactors but they are not needed in the beginning.
Even though this all seems like a lot of work and effort for one kind of fish, most seahorse keepers find a lot of satisfaction from their horses. The first time one comes to eat out of your hand or hitches on your finger is a thrill never to be forgotten. The more bold ones often follow you when you go past the tank in the hopes you will feed them again. They each have a personality, some hide more than others but they all have something interesting about them. Males are often more shy and tend to hide a lot when pregnant. Females are often more outgoing.
They do not swim a lot as they prefer to hitch so are not exciting in the sense of some of the more colourful reef fish but they bring a lot of satisfaction and are exciting in their own way.
Seahorse keeping is a bit different than Reef keeping and we tend to do things differently, so don't be surprised if a seahorse owner tells you something different than your normal way of doing things that you are used to with Reef keeping, but the rewards are wonderful. These methods have been developed with the distinct needs of the seahorse in mind.
If you do choose to own some seahorses, I hope you get as much enjoyment and satisfaction out of them as I have.
This article is by no means written by an expert and is meant only as a guide for people to use when inquiring about seahorse care. Much of my information has been taken from knowledge gained on www.seahorse.org and from personal experience. When in doubt, always consult an expert and please check out the seahorse website for the best advice. Here are the answers I have learned to many of the most common questions. I will be happy to answer any other questions you have (if I know the answer) For those of you who also keep Seahorses please feel free to add your knowledge as well. Enjoy
1) What kind of tank do I need to keep Seahorses?
There are many different kinds of seahorses but only a few available in Canada. The usual ones available in Canada are Hippocampus Kuda and Hippocampus Erectus. Sometimes others are available but not as often as we would like.
For either of these two main species available, they need a minimum tank size of 29 gallons for the first pair. For each subsequent pair, you need a further 15 gallons. That is not including the gallons in the sump if you have one.
The reason for this is that they are very messy fish and when they are eating, they masticate their food and send out a cloud of undigested food particles for every piece of food they eat. They also have a very poor digestive system and do not digest their food efficiently. This fouls the water very quickly.
They also need a tank that is 2 1/2 - 3 times taller than their adult uncurled length. For example an H. Kuda grows to 3 - 7 inches in length and H. Erectus can get up to 8 inches. Therefore your tank should be 21 - 24 inches deep to allow room for your seahorse when fully grown. Seahorses need the full height of the tank for egg transfer when mating and usually swim up and down rather than side to side across the aquarium. The following excerpt has been copied from the seahorse.org website and was written by Terrie Rennie:
"Before you buy a seahorse, be sure you understand the basic principles of how to keep seahorses in the home aquarium. The best overall source for this knowledge is Seahorse.org. Keeping marine fish of any type requires knowledge of basic marine aquarium keeping and water chemistry. There are many books and other sources of information available. If you prepare adequately and set up an appropriate sized, fully cycled, and stable tank, you will greatly improve your chances of success. Seahorses need hitching posts or something to cling to while they are resting. Not having these resting places is stressful for a seahorse.
Seahorses should be introduced into a mature, cycled aquarium. Various filtration methods and tank set-ups can result in a healthy, stable aquarium. A seahorse tank must have gentle to moderate currents, with 3 - 5 times tank volume turned over per hour. A seahorse tank needs to be void of intense currents and requires lower flow areas where a seahorse can retreat and rest. Water parameters should be stable before animals are added:
pH - 8.0 to 8.3
Specific gravity - 1.020 to 1.024
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - <20 ppm
Optimum temperature is dependent on whether the seahorse species is tropical, subtropical or temperate. Generally, beginners should start with tropical species as heating a tank is much less expensive than cooling one, and it is easier to maintain a stable temperature in a tropical tank. Try to keep to the lower end of the temperature ranges, and let the temperature fluctuate up towards the higher values of the temperature range."
The temperature range for a tropical Seahorse is 71 - 74 degrees F or 21 - 23 degrees C. A fan blown across the surface of the water or a chiller is often needed to keep the levels cooler in the summer months.
2) What is the difference between Wild Caught, Tank Raised and True Captive bred?
Wild Caught seahorses are taken straight from the ocean as the name suggests. They only eat live food but may be trained to eat frozen with a lot of time and effort on your part. Some never eat frozen. They also need a deworming process to help get them ready for a home aquarium. The deworming process takes approximately 9 weeks to complete using 3 different medications in a quarantine tank before adding to your display tank. For instructions on deworming please visit http://forum.seahorse.org/index.php?showtopic=47321&st=0&p=498798&#entry498798
Tank Raised or Pen Raised seahorses are usually kept in large tanks in the ocean. The pregnant males are captured in the ocean, placed in these large tanks until they give birth then returned to the ocean. The babies are raised in the tanks and gradually trained to eat frozen. The difficulty with these is that they often are sold to the LFS too early and are too small to survive well without added care. They often revert to eating only live because they still had a good quantity of live food in the ocean water. Most LFS carry Tank Raised seahorses even if they call them Captive bred. Before buying from an LFS ask them where the seahorses came from and how old they are. If they can't provide detailed information about them then they are most likely Tank Raised, not True Captive Bred. The LFS often don't understand the difference.
True Captive bred seahorses are ones born and raised in home aquariums or in some breeding facilities dedicated to raising seahorses in aquariums without seawater. These seahorses are often much better suited to the home aquarium environment as they have never known the ocean. They are generally stronger than Wild Caught or Tank Raised and new seahorse owners generally have better luck with them. They are always weaned onto frozen food before they are sold ( except H. Zosterae who never eat frozen) and are not sold until they reach a viable length.
3) Can I keep them in my refugium or reef tank?
No.
Most reef tanks have fish and corals that are not safe for seahorses. They either compete for food, carry diseases that the seahorse isn't immune to, intimidate them or in the case of corals, sting them. The refugium, although separate from the fish or corals is often not deep enough to house seahorses and is also connected to the main reef tank so that diseases can still transmit to the delicate seahorse. Temperatures in a reef tank or the refugium attached to it are too high to safely keep seahorses.
Seahorses are very shy fish and will often go into hiding and not eat when housed with other fish. Some people do choose to keep other fish etc with seahorses but these must be chosen with care and quarantined before adding to the seahorse tank to minimize the chance of disease transmission. Seahorse.org has a very good tankmates guide that I suggest you visit if you do wish to keep other fish or corals with them. please visit http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/tankmates.shtml for the list. The only truly safe tankmates are the ones listed as "threat level 0".
Many Seahorse keepers recommend seahorse only tanks, myself included. After having several bad experiences trying to keep them with other fish and failing, I have come down firmly on the side of "Seahorse only" with a safe cleanup crew. This is a partial list of compatible "clean up crew" animals most likely to be safe with small to large seahorses.
· Fan worms including Feather Dusters (Phylum Annelida)
· Astrea Snail (Lithopoma [Astraea] spp.), Turbo Snail (Turbo spp.), Nassarius
Snail (Nassarius vibex), Trochus Snail (Trochus niloticus), Cerith Snail (Family
Cerithiidae), Nerite Snail (Nerita spp)
· Scarlet reef hermits (Paguristes cadenati)*
· Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)*
· Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes vulgaris)*
*Shrimp and most hermit crabs are not considered safe around seahorse fry or H. Zosterae
4) What do seahorses eat?
The species of seahorse available in Canada eat live mysis shrimp or frozen mysis. When adults, the seahorses cannot survive on brine shrimp, even if enriched. They will eat it very well but will slowly starve to death. The brine shrimp do not have enough nutrition to sustain their life (with the exception of H. Zosterae - the Dwarf Seahorse). Usually, the best frozen mysis is Hikari or P.E. Mysis. The Hikari is somewhat smaller than the P.E. Mysis. Most do best on P.E. Mysis. For more information on feeding seahorses and raising live food, please visit the Seahorse.org Library. One link is here: http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/SeahorseFoods.php
Seahorses have a very rudimentary digestive tract and do not have a stomach. Therefore they need to eat at least twice a day, every day. They will not eat pellet or flake food so an automatic feeder doesn't work. Be careful not to overfeed them as too much food can be just as harmful as not enough. Studies have found that too much food just results in the seahorse passing intact food straight out of the digestive system without any digestion taking place and the seahorse dies of starvation. A seahorse can survive a couple of days without food but this places a great stress on them and should be avoided except in instances when shipping them to their new home. Fry need to be fed multiple times a day. But that's a whole other topic unto itself which I am not going to get into here.
5) How do I choose the right seahorse for me?
As with any purchase, always research your subject thoroughly. Get to know the attributes of the seahorses for sale and decide for yourself how much work you wish to put into your new acquisitions. Often a good seahorse for beginners is the H. Erectus that has been Captive bred.
Whether you choose to buy Wild Caught, Tank Raised or Captive bred, always make sure the seahorse is eating before you purchase it. Check to see the condition of the seahorse and make sure it's sides are not caved in (a sign of malnutrition), it doesn't have any sores or bubbles under the skin and the store or person selling can tell you it's exact breed, age and history. Here is a good link of things to consider when buying from a LFS http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/LFS_guide.shtml
Never "rescue" a sick seahorse from a LFS unless you have a lot of seahorse experience. This is a recipe for disaster as it will need a lot of care and medicine before it is healthy enough to put in your main display tank and many do not survive.
6) What kind of flow do seahorses need?
Seahorses are not strong swimmers but they still need a good turnover of water in their tanks. A common rule of thumb is 3 - 5 times tank volume turned over per hour. A seahorse tank needs to be void of intense currents and requires lower flow areas where a seahorse can retreat and rest.
That being said, they often love to play in the current and will deliberately put themselves in the current's path, shoot across the aquarium, and come back for more. Mine did and they were great fun to watch.
Return flow is best acheived when using a spray or diffuser to aim the water across the surface of the tank. This helps aerate as well as avoid a concentrated flow. A small powerhead is also a good idea to help keep detritus off the bottom of the tank. An airline in the tank is also a good idea to help oxygenate the tank.
7) How Do I Cycle a Tank?
Many seahorse keepers prefer to cycle using the Ammonia method to reduce the potential for unknown pathogens to be added to your tank. It is a very good and measurable method that ensures your tank is ready for the high bioload that seahorses bring to a tank. The rock you add would then become "live" with the bacteria you add and not the harmful bacteria that live rock can bring in. That being said, some also prefer the live rock method of cycling that you are all familiar with. The ammonia method is listed below and is taken directly from the seahorse.org website and was written by Karen Barber.
Cycling with the ammonia method
"Another method of cycling a tank that is increasing in popularity, is using 100% pure household ammonia. Instead of utilizing ammonia-producing organisms to start the cycling process, the ammonia method involves directly adding bottled ammonia along with a starter culture of bacteria.
The ammonia must be clear, unscented, 100% pure, and with no additives. However, you may find typical household ammonia to be mostly water with an actual strength of only 5 -10%. Since the concentration may vary, you will need to experiment a little to find the right amount needed to cycle your tank.
When using the ammonia method, the necessary bacteria can be introduced to your system a couple of different ways. If you have access to an established and healthy tank, obtain a small amount of sand or gravel or even used filter media. This can then be placed in the tank to be cycled and will provide a starter culture of bacteria. Another option is to use a commercial preparation of bacteria, such as Hagen's Cycle, to introduce the nitrifying microbes.
After the tank has been set up and the bacteria have been introduced, begin to add the ammonia. If the tank is on the smaller side, start with only a couple of drops. Let it circulate in the water for a short time, and then test for ammonia. You want to raise the ammonia level to about 1 - 2 PPM Continue adding drops of ammonia and testing, while keeping track of how many drops total it takes to get to 1 - 2 PPM
Once you've reached the desired level, you now need to wait for the bacteria to multiply and do their job. It may take several days to a couple of weeks for your ammonia test to register zero. Once it does, add the same number of drops of ammonia again. Keep repeating this many times, each time waiting until ammonia reads zero, until finally the ammonia test goes to zero within 8 - 12 hours of the addition of ammonia.
When the tank is able to clear the ammonia within this time frame, that means that there are large numbers of bacteria present. At this time, test for nitrites. If nitrites are present, perform 3 - 4 more ammonia cycles to further establish the second group of bacteria. If the nitrite test reads zero, perform a very large water change and then you can begin slowly stocking your tank.
It's been suggested that elevating the temperature of the tank to the mid-80s F during cycling with the ammonia method can have beneficial effects. Just make sure that there are no animals in the tank being subjected to this temperature extreme (and ammonia), and also make sure to lower the temperature again prior to stocking.
Also, tanks with low alkalinity may experience pH spikes with the addition of household ammonia. These spikes may also hinder the growth of the necessary bacteria. To counteract the problem, use a good buffering product prior to cycling with ammonia, and perform a large water change after cycling (prior to stocking) to get pH levels back on track.
When can I start stocking?
Once your ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero, whether it be from cycling with live rock or several cycles with the ammonia method, you are close to being able to stock your tank.
If you used a skimmer during cycling with live rock and/or did not have extreme ammonia or nitrite spikes, you will probably only need to perform a standard 10% water change prior to stocking. If you did not use a skimmer and/or you registered significant ammonia and nitrite levels with a lengthy curing/cycling process, you will need to perform a more significant water change, such as 50 - 75%.
As mentioned earlier, since the ammonia method may cause problems with pH, a very large water change, approximately 90%, will be necessary following the use of this method, prior to the introduction of animals.
When ammonia and nitrites test at zero, nitrates are <10 PPM, pH is between 8.0 - 8.4, water changes have been performed, and equipment is functioning properly, you are ready to start stocking your tank.
Try to keep nitrates at 10 PPM or less. If nitrates are high or continue to climb over time, more frequent water changes and/or the addition of macroalgae will help bring them down. If your pH is below 8.0, add a high quality buffer to raise your alkalinity and pH.
How do I stock?
Patience is a virtue with marine tanks, and stocking too many animals too soon can have disastrous effects. Start with a very small number of animals (acclimated properly), and test the water daily for several days after introduction for any ammonia or nitrites. If ammonia and nitrite levels consistently read zero, continue to wait for at least two weeks before adding any new animals to allow time for the bacteria to multiply and effectively handle the new load.
If you ever find your ammonia and/or nitrite levels approaching 0.4 PPM or greater in a stocked tank, you will need to act fast. Diluting the toxins in the form of one or more large water changes, adding more bacteria (live rock, 'seeded' media, commercial products, etc.), the addition of macroalgae or a chemical filter to absorb the toxins, or temporarily relocating the animals to another tank are all effective ways to handle an ammonia or nitrite spike.
Do I need to test after cycling is complete?
Even after cycling is long over, it's a good practice to periodically test for the presence of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, especially after adding new livestock. Equally important is knowing your tank's pH range, and making sure that it stays between 8.0-8.4. (Your pH will typically be lower in the morning before your lights come on, and higher in the evening just after the lights go off. )
Catching a potentially serious problem early and taking immediate steps to correct it can help prevent a lot of heartache."
8 ) What equipment do I need for a Seahorse tank?
The equipment list isn't much different than what is needed for a reef tank. A protein skimmer is a very good idea with seahorses to help keep the water clean. A good filtration system whether mechanical or using live rock in a sump is a must just like reefing. Some people use a UV sterilizer but not all. A heater that can be set at 71 or 72 degrees F to allow it to come on if the temperature gets too low. The heater should be covered if you are putting it in the Display tank because they like to hitch on it and without a cover, they will get burned. A clip on fan or chiller to keep the temperatures below 74 degrees F. Lighting doesn't need to be expensive or very bright. A simple florescent light fixture will do unless you choose to keep corals or macroalgae in your tank. There is more equipment that you can use eg: reactors but they are not needed in the beginning.
Even though this all seems like a lot of work and effort for one kind of fish, most seahorse keepers find a lot of satisfaction from their horses. The first time one comes to eat out of your hand or hitches on your finger is a thrill never to be forgotten. The more bold ones often follow you when you go past the tank in the hopes you will feed them again. They each have a personality, some hide more than others but they all have something interesting about them. Males are often more shy and tend to hide a lot when pregnant. Females are often more outgoing.
They do not swim a lot as they prefer to hitch so are not exciting in the sense of some of the more colourful reef fish but they bring a lot of satisfaction and are exciting in their own way.
Seahorse keeping is a bit different than Reef keeping and we tend to do things differently, so don't be surprised if a seahorse owner tells you something different than your normal way of doing things that you are used to with Reef keeping, but the rewards are wonderful. These methods have been developed with the distinct needs of the seahorse in mind.
If you do choose to own some seahorses, I hope you get as much enjoyment and satisfaction out of them as I have.
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