Tank too large ???

[SueAndHerZoo]

Here's a "problem" you don't see often.... the tank I have planned for my newly acquired erectus (3) is too big! Background: I've had seahorses before, have even bred them, and lately got the bug again to have them again. Finally got my hands on 3 captive-bred erectus but they came in much smaller than I thought they'd be. They're about 2-3" inches with tail stretched out. Unfortunately they're not eating frozen yet so it was a mad rush for me to set up a hatchery because I was told they were eating great - didn't realize he meant "live" food.

Anyway, the tank I set up for them is a 72 gallon bowfront, drilled with sump, been established for over 5 years. Moving out the fish (into one of my other tanks), removing the sand, scrubbing it down, and filling it with clean RO/DI salted water and keeping the existing live rock. But after "meeting" these guys, the tank is much too large (in my opinion). I'll hardly ever see them with all the live rock and decorations, I'll struggle to get the flow correct and safe, and it will be VERY difficult to train them to eat frozen in such a large tank.

Instead I threw together an 8 gallon AIO and I have them in there, bare-bottom, with live rock from another tank. The size is good and I'll be doing once or twice a day water changes. I'm working on getting them to eat frozen but, as you know, it's a process and they are not interested at this point - they want their adult brine shrimp (which everyone local is out of right now. I hatched a quick batch of artemia but they don't seem to know what to do with something so small so I'm frustrated. Tank is too small, live food is too small, seahorse tank I set up is too big.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas? Do I section off a portion of the large tank to keep them more confined while I train them to eat frozen? I love this hobby / I hate this hobby.
Sue

 

[Devaji]

oh no! I cant believe they did not tell you they are not eating frozen. that a ton of work.
best of luck!

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

oh no! I cant believe they did not tell you they are not eating frozen. that a ton of work.
best of luck!

Right?!?!? Told me twice over the phone that "they were eating great!" (two separate calls) so when I finally got the time to go pick them up, that's when I said "let me see them eat." He said, we just gave them what we had left of live brine, will be getting more in 2 days so hopefully they will eat frozen brine until then. I said "THEY HAVE ONLY BEEN EATING LIVE?!?!?!?!? He said, no, we've been putting frozen in there, too when we run out of live but they really prefer live. (Well what marine animal, wouldn't?) I saw one of them snick at a piece of frozen today (that I am cutting into smaller pieces and getting the flow just right so that the frozen moves, but slowly.

I can't imagine moving them into the 72 gallon this week - they'll never find the food, but if I keep them in the 8 gallon too long I'm going to get fed up with the upkeep and twice daily water changes. Obviously I will train them to eat from a feeder in the big tank when they are larger but first things first - I've got to get them eating. Would still love to get them out of this tiny tank, though. Thought about putting them in a breeding box within the large tank but that won't be very enjoyable for them.
Sue

 

[Devaji]

hope you got a great price on them, that a ton of work and salt your gonna go through. but on the upside you can say you did it.

maybe add a bunch of macro on there for No3/ Po4 up take? IDK just an idea.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Yeah, he did OK by me with the price, and I really wouldn't mind the extra work if I had had just a little advanced notice. My bad for not asking WHAT they were eating. I really like the idea of adding some macroalgae but since I'm pretty much moving everything, including the ponies, once or twice a day to drain and re-fill the tank it would be just one more thing to disrupt. I could put some chaeto in there I guess, that would pretty much stay balled up since the flow is low.

Keep those thoughts coming!