care and feeding of dwarf seahorses

[lumin9]

I'm planning to get some dwarf seahorses soon for my first saltwater tank. I'd really appreciate it if someone could share a guide on cycling a tank - I've got a good grasp on their care, but I'm looking for advice on setting up a 5-gallon tank for 4 seahorses. I'm thinking if they breed, I can give some away or sell them to fish stores or on Craigslist.

I've decided against live rock and sand due to the hydroids and the stings they can give the dwarfs. I know they can be tough to keep, but I'm up for the challenge.

I just need some help with setup, choosing the right filter, light, and heater, and of course, cycling. I've got experience with a 10-gallon freshwater tank, so I'm not completely new to fish-keeping.

[lumin9]

Anyone know where I can find dwarf seahorses online for purchase?

[rileyon]

I gotta say, seahorses are super sensitive to changes in their environment, so you'll want to make sure you've got everything dialed in before bringing them home. I'd recommend doing some more research before diving in, just to make sure you're prepared for the challenge.

Typically, when cycling a saltwater tank, people use live rock to kickstart the process - the die-off creates the ammonia that gets the cycle going.

[brunobear]

There are two ways you can cycle your tank, either by using a canister filter and doing a fishless cycle, similar to what you'd do with a freshwater tank - just search the forum for more info on that. Or, you could opt for dried live rock or base rock instead, give it a good clean and soak it in RO water for a few weeks to get rid of any impurities like nitrates and phosphates. I personally think using the rock is the way to go, since it won't take up food from the tank, which you'll need to keep dense for the dwarf seahorses, especially when they're eating baby brine shrimp.

You'll also want to make sure you've got your brine shrimp hatchery up and running smoothly, and that you can maintain those live cultures 24/7 before bringing home your seahorses. As for buying them, I'm assuming you're in the US since you mentioned Craigslist - I'm not familiar with any US sellers, but I do know they're extremely hard to come by in the UK right now. One more thing, I'd definitely recommend using an auto top-off on your tank to keep things stable.

[rusticore]

I think you're moving a bit too fast with getting dwarf seahorses. I'm not saying it's impossible to keep them, but you should really take your time to research and learn as much as you can about their care. I spent almost a year reading up on reef tanks before I even started setting one up, and I still had some issues at the beginning. Many experienced aquarists here have spent even more time researching and learning about their tanks.

If you're serious about keeping your seahorses healthy, I would recommend waiting a few months before getting them. Spend some time reading and asking questions, then a few more months researching and buying the necessary equipment. After that, wait a few more months until your tank is ready for life, and even then, be prepared for some unexpected issues.

I'd like to share a couple of websites that can get you started on learning about seahorses: <a href="http/www.seahorse.com/" target="_blank">http/www.seahorse.com/</a> and <a href="http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/hcs3/index.php" target="_blank">http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/hcs3/index.php</a>. Please, take the time to read everything thoroughly, don't just skim through it. You might also want to join a seahorse forum and ask questions there, as the members can be very helpful.

I don't mean to offend you, but if you're not familiar with the process of cycling a tank, I'm not sure you're ready to care for dwarf seahorses. I could be wrong, though.

One more thing to keep in mind: try to buy captive-bred seahorses. This will reduce the impact on the natural environment, and captive-bred seahorses are generally easier to care for. They're also more likely to accept frozen food, which makes feeding them much simpler and less time-consuming.

[reefkeeper1]

I really hope you take the advice given here seriously. I've been down the seahorse road before, and let me tell you, it was a tough ride. I had a decent amount of experience with fish, and even some time with marine tanks, but seahorses are in a whole different league. They're extremely challenging to keep, and losing them can be very costly. One thing I did learn from my research is that they need a super stable and established tank to thrive. I actually have a 29-gallon tank running right now that was meant to be my next attempt, but the economy has put those plans on hold. If I were you, I'd get some more experience with marine fishkeeping before diving into seahorses. They're not something to be taken lightly. Keep us posted on what you decide to do.