Beginner with Seahorses

Twink_w_a_Reef · Dec 4, 2019

I’m going to do a reef tank with seahorses. I’ve been in the hobby for about a year but haven’t done seahorses before... is there any species I should start with? I’ve seen dwarfs and they seem pretty cost efficient.

rayjay · Dec 4, 2019

Dwarfs cannot be kept in a reef tank. They only get to about 1" +- and need constant supply of live food, usually in the form of enriched brine shrimp nauplii but can be supplemented with appropriate copepods.
Standard seahorses CAN be housed with reef type inhabitants if those inhabitants are chosen SPECIFICALLY to be seahorse suitable. No aggressive tank mates, no stinging corals or anemones, suitable for the cooler needs (68° to 74°F) that are best for seahorse keeping (most species) That's just the short list of specifics. If you check out all the stickies that head this forum it can educate you MUCH better than I can do in a post.

ThePurple12 · Dec 4, 2019

If you do dwarves, it’s best to do a small tank, like a 5 gallon, so that the concentration of food (baby brine shrimp) is high enough.

SueAndHerZoo · Dec 9, 2019

I've done both (in the process of setting up another large seahorse tank and still have my dwarves) and I think the dwarves require much more time and effort. But it depends on what size tank you're talking about, and what you mean by "reef tank".
Sue

Twink_w_a_Reef · Dec 11, 2019

SueAndHerZoo said:
I've done both (in the process of setting up another large seahorse tank and still have my dwarves) and I think the dwarves require much more time and effort. But it depends on what size tank you're talking about, and what you mean by "reef tank".
Sue

I’m going to do lots of different algaes, Gorgonians, sponges, zoanthids, and mushrooms. A more natural Floridian style reef tank.

BlindGirlReefing · Dec 11, 2019

I've found hippocampus erectus to be the most "beginner friendly" seahorse. Very hardy and beautiful. You will need a minimum of 30 gallons per pair. I strongly suggest buying from a reputable breeder. Starting with strong, healthy seahorses that have been captive bred and raised will save alot of headache (and heartaches). LOVE my seahorses!

Paulie069 · Dec 11, 2019

LisaMarie said:
I've found hippocampus erectus to be the most "beginner friendly" seahorse. Very hardy and beautiful. You will need a minimum of 30 gallons per pair. I strongly suggest buying from a reputable breeder. Starting with strong, healthy seahorses that have been captive bred and raised will save alot of headache (and heartaches). LOVE my seahorses!

Seahorses do give you a lot of joy and a stress free mind while you sit there and watch them I love my Seahorses also