Can I keep dwarfs in a 13.5 gallon?

[zsly]

Hello everyone! Recently I setup a fluval evo 13.5 gallon! I decided I want to keep seahorses and have done all research necessary to keep them. From what I have seen it is wayyy to small for larger species but may be to big for dwarf seahorses. I wanted to ask for some extra input. I've read that's it's possible to keep them in a larger tank if I spot feed them using a pipette. I also wanted to ask how many would be a good amount to keep in this size tank. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would say at least 6, probably more. But dwarf seahorses eat live newly hatched brine shrimp. It is basically a 4 year commitment to daily hatching brine shrimp and feeding a few times per day. I've never seen dwarf's eating frozen. Tank husbandry is also super important.

 

[littlefoxx]

Check out Alyssa’s seahorse savvy website. Good info on all kinds of sea horses including dwarves and they have captive bred for sale

 

[zsly]

I would say at least 6, probably more. But dwarf seahorses eat live newly hatched brine shrimp. It is basically a 4 year commitment to daily hatching brine shrimp and feeding a few times per day. I've never seen dwarf's eating frozen. Tank husbandry is also super important.

I'm thinking around 10, and yes the shrimp I've already thought about it and to practice have raised some and used them as supplementary feeding for my other animals. Also is the 4 years their expected life expectancy? Because everything is read said they only live 1 to 2 years. Thanks!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I'm thinking around 10, and yes the shrimp I've already thought about it and to practice have raised some and used them as supplementary feeding for my other animals. Also is the 4 years their expected life expectancy? Because everything is read said they only live 1 to 2 years. Thanks!

yes you're right, sorry, I was thinking of the big seahorses. Good luck, take some pictures to share when you get going.

 

[zsly]

yes you're right, sorry, I was thinking of the big seahorses. Good luck, take some pictures to share when you get going.

I definitely will thank you :) I actually was thinking of a doing a build thread too since the tank is very new and has not been fully setup yet

 

[vlangel]

I have kept greater seahorses. I toyed with keeping dwarfs but the rigorous routine of hatching and enriching artemia was an obstacle that I just couldn't get over so never got them.

However once when I was ordering live grass shrimp for my erectus seahorse, a dwarf seahorse was in the order of the grass shrimp. I kept her in a clear vase with macroalgae and an open airline tube. The vase was probably between 1-2 quarts. Every 3 days or so I would change about half the water in the vase. I had her over a month until I could re-home her and she seemed to be thriving. I think that I easily could have kept several more mini ponies in there and doing such small water changes could be done so easily and quickly. The one variable that is hard to control however is that DSHs are very prolific and will reproduce in a favorable enviroment until your herd triples or even more. I read of a keeper who started with 10 and ended up with 50+ in a 5 and a half gallon tank. They eat, poop and make babies!