Setting up Your Seahorse Aquarium
Introduction
Never before has the
keeping of seahorses in home aquaria been so easy. Captive-bred
seahorses are fun to keep
in an aquarium
but like any pet they need to be fed appropriately and their
environment maintained. You should look into what
is required before purchasing
your seahorses, keeping in mind that requirements may vary
between species.
You can make your aquarium as simple or as elaborate as you
desire. There are literally thousands of accessories on the
market and
it can be daunting at first. Below is a guide for setting up
a seahorse aquarium. If you have any questions, feel free to
contact
us here at the farm or for more detailed coverage you can purchase
a book in the seahorse
shop.
Choosing a species
Temperate, tropical and sub-tropical species
are available. Temperate species, which require cooler water
temperatures (e.g. 16-20oC)
should only be kept in cooler climates or where other methods
of water cooling, such as a chiller, are available. Similarly,
a heater
may be required for tropical species kept in cooler climates.
Size
should also be considered. Larger species such as Southern Knights
or Asian Emperors require larger aquariums.
Southern
Champions are a small species and can be kept in smaller
tanks. Our current
range of captive-bred seahorses is found in the seahorse
shop (***link).
Choosing a tank
There are many different sizes and styles of aquaria
to choose from. An uncrowded aquarium will help you to observe
the
fascinating habits of your seahorses.
The minimum size should be about 50L (see individual
species pages), which will safely house two seahorses
up to about
14cm in length.
Larger fish should be given a minimum of 80L per pair.
However a larger tank (e.g. 150L) will allow you flexibility
in interior
design, while giving the seahorses room to explore
their habitat. Deeper tanks are desirable if you intend
to
breed your seahorses
(see Breeding).
The larger your tank, the easier it is to maintain
optimum water quality
Substrate and Filter
There is a vast array of filter systems available
on the market. Internal Powerhead filters are great,
though choose
a size
appropriate for your particular tank. Ideally,
you want the whole volume
of your aquarium to pass through the filter 3-4
times each hour. Eg,
for a 90-L tank, choose a Powerhead that filters
270-360 litres per hour. A common mistake when using a powerhead
as the sole
means of filtration, occurs when cleaning. Beginners
are tempted to clean
all the filtering material, however this destroys
much-needed
biological filtering capacity. It is pertinent
to clean only some of the filter
material at a time. See your local aquarium dealer,
or contact us at the farm for further details.
Undergravel
filters are commonly used in aquaria where they act as both a
mechanical and biological
filter.
These filters
are
usually inexpensive and work very well, though
are the most laborious to
maintain. A simple undergravel filter consists
of a base-plate on which 3-5cm of coarse washed
pebbles
are placed. Please
avoid very small stones, sand or shell grit as
there is some risk that
these may be ingested by the seahorses while
foraging for food. Scattering larger stones on top of your
pebbles
makes
a great
looking tank. These filters are usually driven
by air and therefore help
to keep the water well saturated with oxygen.
External
Canister filters are more elaborate and expensive, they work
great (be sure to choose
the
right size for
your tank) and
are the easiest to maintain.
Large tanks may incorporate more than one filter.
For the best system for your needs and budget
consult your
local
dealer
or contact
us at the
farm.
Air supply
When setting up air-stones, be aware that excess
air can be problematic, as the male seahorses
can get air
trapped
in his
pouch. Seahorses
love to sit in the stream of bubbles coming
from airstones. Occasionally, a male may
get some
air trapped in his
pouch (this can also occur
during courtship with a female). This can
be easily remedied by a gentle massage:
1. wash hands thoroughly
and ensure there is no soap or moisturiser residue
2. Hold your male in both hands, just under
the water surface, with his pouch-opening
facing upwards.
3. Starting at the base of the pouch, very
gently squeeze from the bottom up, encouraging
him to
open his pouch
and release
the air. It may take 3 or 4 attempts. Be
patient, he will thank you
for it. If you are nervous about doing
this the first time, ring Rachelle at the
farm
for further
guidance.
Holdfasts and Corals
Some artificial branches or other structures
should be added that provide sites for
the seahorses to
wrap their
tails
around. Rope
and netting are fine or choose artificial
ornaments from your aquarium shop that
have suitable
structures for
the seahorses
to wrap their
tales around. Avoid items with sharp
edges. Live corals require temperatures outside
the range
of temperate
species, and
therefore are not compatible inclusions.
For the tropical species some
corals are safe but others emit toxins
so corals may not be the best additions
if you are unsure. Some claim that Chargers
(H. barbouri) are the best suited species
for aquariums
with corals.
Take care
if adding
live rock to your tank as it can be a
source of harmful parasites. See "Tank Companions" for
other great temperate marine animals that complement Southern
Knights and Southern Champions.
Biological filtration & the nitrogen cycle - Looking
after your water quality
Biological filters
are a normal part of keeping any aquarium. Your biological
filter
(which
is your pebbles
/ substrate
in an undergravel
filter, or your sponge and noodles
in a suspended Powerhead filter) is designed
to grow ‘helpful’ bacteria,
which convert toxic products (excreted
from fish) into non-toxic forms.
Fish
excrete ammonia, which is toxic if
it accumulates. One species of bacteria
in your
biological filter
feeds on the
ammonia and
converts it into nitrite.
Nitrite is
also very toxic, however another species of bacteria will convert
this
to nitrate.
Nitrate is much less toxic to marine
fish, and can be removed with the
help of a simple
protein
skimmer,
and
by renewing
some of the
water. (Nitrate is an excellent nutrient
for plants, so high levels will encourage
algal
growth).
While providing adequate
food for your seahorses is necessary for their
health,
overfeeding
(where leftover
food is
discarded on
the aquarium floor) is dangerous
for 2 reasons:
1. It encourages the
growth of ‘unsafe’ bacteria
2. Levels of ammonia, nitrite and
nitrate may rise suddenly to
dangerous levels
("spike").
As with all
aquarium fish, overfeeding should
be avoided at all times,
and any uneaten
food removed
(e.g. with
a siphon) to avoid
poor water quality.
Levels of ammonia, nitrite and
nitrate can be easily tested with
test kits,
available from
pet-shops
or the Seahorse
Shop ***(link).
Ideal levels are:
Total Ammonia at Zero mg/L
Nitrite at Zero mg/L
Nitrate at or below 100 mg/L
So – how does your biological
filter become established?
Any type of fish will excrete ammonia,
and this is what is needed to
begin growing the
bacteria
in your
biological
filter.
However
in a new tank, the ammonia will
rise to dangerous levels before
there
are enough
bacteria to
break it down.
Therefore it is
highly recommended that you establish
your biological filter prior
to stocking with seahorses. There
are several ways to do this – the
two most popular ways are:
1.
To use bottled culture media
(from your petshop).
2. To set up your tank and put
in a prawn or some frozen fish
food.
As
the bacteria
break
it down,
they will
produce ammonia
and kick-off
the biological cycle. If you
regularly test your water during
this period
you will see
ammonia
levels peak,
followed by
nitrite levels
peaking, then ammonia falls to
zero followed by nitrite levels.
The
cycle can take 4-6 weeks to complete. You will know it
is complete
because
your ammonia
and nitrite
test
will show
readings
of "zero".
This means the bacteria are living
in balanced numbers.
You can
now consider your tank to have
'cycled' and confidently
add
your seahorses.
Water quality
When you first set up your aquarium
and add your seahorses, it
is wise to check
the following
parameters regularly: temperature,
pH, salinity, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
When the
readings are staying
relatively
stable,
you can stop checking
so
often and sit back and enjoy
your extraordinary new pets.
Salinity
Salinity tolerance is likely
to vary between species.
Southern Knights,
which sometimes
live in estuaries,
tolerate a
range of salinity from a
minimum of 18 parts per thousand (ppt)
to a maximum
of 36ppt but living conditions
below about 25ppt should
be promptly corrected.
About
32 ppt is
ideal. In specific
gravity
terms,
between 1.01 and 1.02. Measuring
salinity is done with an
inexpensive hydrometer,
which is readily available
from your aquarium dealer
and from
our
Seahorse
Shop.
Preparation of artificial
seawater
Using artificial
seawater is a popular way of keeping
marine
fish
and commercial
brands
are
available
(an excellent brand is
Ocean Nature, available from our
Seahorse
Shop).
DO NOT use
a mixture of table salt and freshwater,
as this
will kill
your seahorses!
Preparation
requires care and we advise that
the
tap/fresh water
be prepared
first.
The following procedure
is recommended:
1. Place
fresh water in storage bucket.
Dechlorinate carefully
by adding
water purifier. Aerate.
2. Wait for 2 hours
3. Add aquarium salt
as per directions on
the pack.
As time goes
by, and particularly in warm
weather, the salinity
of your
tank will
gradually increase.
Monitor
and add fresh
water (with purifier)
to
reduce the salinity
level. Party ice
is ideal
to lower the temperature
and salinity.
Temperature
Seahorses inhabit temperate,
sub-tropical and
tropical regions around the
world. This environment
should
be mimicked in
your aquarium. Before
deciding on what
species of seahorse
you would
like, ensure
that you check their
temperature requirements
and whether you are
capable of maintaining
that temperature.
A
thermometer is an
essential aquarium accessory.
Refer to species
descriptions for
optimal temperature
ranges.
Ideas to keep
your water temperature
down in warm
climates:
- Keep
in an air-conditioned or cool part of the house.
- A generous
tank size (eg >80-L).
- 2 freezer blocks. Keep one in the
tank and one in the freezer and alternate
as required.
- Add party–ice. These simply replace evaporation and do
not severely
alter salinity.
- Insulate unseen sides of tanks. (e.g. add
polystyrene to sides of tanks
hidden in cabinets).
- Turn your aquarium light off in hot weather.
Food
Having to find a source of live food is a thing of the past,
thanks to captive-bred
seahorses being trained to eat frozen food. They love frozen Mysid shrimp,
small
krill and brine
shrimp. They require feeding twice per day with approximately
50 shrimp/krill. In warmer weather (water temperatures) feed a
little extra. A sole
diet of
frozen brine
shrimp is not recommended in
the long-term, as it lacks important nutrients
and your seahorses may slowly lose
condition. It is best to
supplement their diet with frozen Mysid
shrimp or krill, as these have fantastic
nutritional profiles.
As with all aquarium fish, any uneaten food should
be siphoned away. When doing this be careful
not to injure your seahorse with
the suction of the siphon.
If live diets are available from your
aquarium dealer, then these
can be purchased occasionally to give your seahorse a treat.
They will
especially love the thrill of chasing their prey.
Disease Management
The key to good health is water quality and
nutrition!
Our seahorses are regularly checked at the farm
for
any disease problems. Our staff ensures the good
health
of every fish
leaving
the farm. We do not recommend the indiscriminate use of antibiotics
since
resistant strains of bacteria may quickly result.
If you suspect
your seahorse might be unwell at
any time, the best immediate attention you can
provide
is
to lower the temperature
towards
the lower end of its preferred range (e.g.16-18°C
(65-68°F)
for
Southern Knights). Anti-bacterial agents can be
administered if
warranted, though be sure to dose your tank as
per directions on the bottle, and continue the
treatment
for the duration of the
organism’s
life
cycle.
More
information
If
you
would
like
to
join
an
on-line
discussion
group
there
are
several
groups
including:
www.seahorse.org
www.syngnathid.org
ultimate
seahorse
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