# Seahorse basics / Attempting to make a small seahorse species tank



## Citizen Snips

Hey guys my girlfriend is interested in funding a mini-bedroom tank for a sort of mini-marine tank with just seahorses and seahorse compatible organisms. Any hints on how this might work? various LFS employees informed me I could pull it off in a 15-20 gallon tank as long as they have space and nothing to prey upon them or stress them out as they are extremely sensitive little guys.

I am very interested in Synchiropus Splendidus and I know they are also delicate but obviously the most beautiful fish I've ever seen. I know they are one of the few fish compatible in such a tank.

Any info and guidance would be great to help start me in the right direction to set this up!

Thanks guys


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## Corwin

I just want to let you know that seahorses are VERY fragile animals and if your going to attempt to have them you should do a LOT of research before you buy them


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## petlovingfreak

I agree, and a good skimmer is a must to keep the water quality very good.


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## Citizen Snips

that wasn't informative at all ._.

I KNOW seahorses are extremely fragile, in fact I think I already mentioned that in my original post. Which is why I posted on this forum in the first place to get some first hand experience info.


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## TheOldSalt

First and foremost-- Mandarinfishes--> NO WAY!!
Compatible? Hardly. In fact, they are actually pretty much THE LEAST compatible fish you could have picked for a seahorse tank.
Both Mandarins and Seahorses are extremely picky, slow, dainty feeders which cannot withstand competition. To house them both in the same tank is insane. There is no way they could survive unless you were able to spend about 40 bucks EACH WEEK on their food, and then a whole lot of time and effort on the waterchanges needed to keep up with the waste.
Otherwise, it takes about 40 pounds of very matured ( like a year old ) liverock to support one mandarin. That simply won't fit in a tank that size.

In other words, fuggeddaboudit.
The petshop guys will try to sell you mandarins anyway, just so they die in YOUR tank instead of in theirs. Don't fall for it.

So, moving on to the seahorses, that's easily doable.
Your best bet by far is to go ahead and spend the bucks on tank-raised horses. These will survive. Wildcaughts probably won't, and fish that die are always far more expensive than fish that live, no matter what the purchase price. After that, it's just a matter of providing them plenty of food, peace, clean water, and things to grab onto all over the place.


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## Citizen Snips

Thanks for the info salt, I'm trying to find the best site that explains how to get a tank perfectly ready to house seahorses. And the smallest possible tank this could work in.


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## jrdeitner

15-20 gallons is just about right because in too large of a tank the seahorse will have trouble finding food. have your salinity about 1.025 sg, and your temp around 78. they need plenty of things to wrap their tail around and feel safe, so some mangrove pods or something like that would work great. feed them mysid shrimp twice a day ( live is best).
dont think about adding your fish before your tank is stabilized (will take 2-3 months after cycle is finished). NO (normal output) flourescent lights about 3 wpg is good.
a hob filter will suffice ( in addition to a protein skimmer) but turn it off while feeding.
keeping them in a species tank will give you the best chance of success but if you keep them with other fish choose small slow moving ones.


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## Fishfirst

Actually I don't agree with much of what was said here. 
1) Yes get captive bred seahorses, wild ones come with vibrio, a virus that easily kills seahorses
2) Seahorses do best in a larger tank its more stable, and as far as finding enough food... seahorses aren't dumb... infact they are generally gluttons, and can be trained to eat out of a dish.
3) You want your temp to be around 70-72 degrees or even lower. Vibrio infections become more aggressive at higher temperatures.
4) Frozen mysis for cb seahorses is fine. Live is definately not needed.

Try www.seahorsesource.com I'm pretty sure they have some great info and of coarse great seahorses for sale.


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