Joining the Seahorse Party

[RiverRat]

Hi all,
I have been meaning to post some pictures of these guys. I have wanted these guys since I was in elementary school (finally made it happen)
These are a mated pair of Hippocampus erectus. I have them in a 40 gallon tall, with white/tan sand, a bunch of macro algae, live rock, and some fake plants and sponges. The light is a T12. To keep the seahorses constantly bright, I have painted the background blue and included yellow, red, and orange decorations.
They eat enriched frozen Mysis shrimp (and occasion will get some live shrimp and a bunch of copepods for some hunting fun).

Thanks for looking:smile:

 

[Mrfresh]

Wow very nice there colors are great

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

They look great!! I love their colorations!!

 

[RiverRat]

Thank you!:bigsmile:

 

[Salty heart]

do you have any advice for keeping seahorses??? I would looove to have some!!! I heard they are for expert care because u have to raise their live food--do u raise the brine shrimp?? please let me know anything u can! thankyou!

 

[revhtree]

Beautiful seahorse!

 

[uall8up]

do you have any advice for keeping seahorses??? I would looove to have some!!! I heard they are for expert care because u have to raise their live food--do u raise the brine shrimp?? please let me know anything u can! thankyou!

They are not that hard. And no, you don't have to raise the food. They eat frozen Mysis. They do need a dedicated tank.

 

[uall8up]

Very pretty ponies!!

 

[RiverRat]

Thank you everyone! :smile:


@Salty Heart - I agree with uall8up, they are not that hard to keep (especially if you already have experience with salt water).
My seahorses happen to be easier to keep than most because they successfully eat frozen food (enriched mysis). If they didn't I would have to be growing my own food for them. As far as their tank goes, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that my reef tank has. I have some hang on back equipment and thats it, very simple.
Besides the clean up crew, the tank only houses the two seahorses. There are people who keep certain gobies, clowns, and cardinals with seahorses, but I am trying to help these two ponies breed (so their stress remains as low as possible, no territory issues or having to fight for food). Seahorses are slower eaters.
I have a pretty good size clean up crew because seahorses can be messy eaters. The CUC consists of just snails (Florida cerith, dwarf ceriths, nerites, and nassaurius), I don't trust hermit crabs (I don't have any in my reef tank either).
Seahorses are best kept in taller tanks (I think its best to have something 16"-18" tall).
I got a lot of information from Reef2Reef through posts and articles, it is an excellent source for information with many seahorse keepers far more experienced than I am.
Good for you for doing some research before you make the plunge and purchase your own seahorses. If your tank is set up properly and your prepared, you will certainly enjoy the seahorse hobby to the fullest extent.

 

[Salty heart]

Thank you sooo much!! This does help to ease my mind about having some one day!! I currently have a 125 gal mixed reef tank and I know I cant keep seahorses in it---but now that I know they are pretty easy to care for I do believe asking santa(aka the hubby) for a smaller tank for our bedroom for seahorses will be my next thing to talk him into!! I will definetly do more research on them though!! Thank you so much for responding and for the great info!

 

[kes]

so gorgeous!! maybe one day..... ;-)

 

[Liquid360]

There's a seahorse party?!?!!? Nobody told me do we have a candidate? What's the party's platform?!? Where do we stand on the issues?!

 

[RiverRat]

There's a seahorse party?!?!!? Nobody told me  do we have a candidate? What's the party's platform?!? Where do we stand on the issues?!

haha :smile: I nominate you........you can create the platform, we will vote on it later

 

[Liquid360]

Seahorse politics is difficult. Equality for all seaquine species is a deserved and god given right! There should be hitching posts at every place which is available to those lacking a prehensile tails! All seaquines deserve a feeding trough and shouldn't have to depend solely on free floating food! I'd be proud to be the one to lead the seahorse community into a new world!! Im honored to be nominated however I'm currently trying to focus my abilities into my other appointment as a high priest in the Church Of Banzarr The Twelve Eyed Goat. I just can't be responsible for two entirely different fictionalized organizations simultaneously. I am but one man.

haha :smile: I nominate you........you can create the platform, we will vote on it later