Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Seahorse Club
Aquarium & Livestock

Feed Ezy Frozen Mysis

Tank Size – How Many Pairs

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1042
    leliataylor
    Member

    My new 57G tank has now cycled. What is the optimal number of seahorses for this size tank? Currently I have one breeding pair of H. Erectus in the tank and am thinking of purchasing 1 or 2 pairs of Sunbursts.

    #3165
    Pete Giwojna
    Guest

    Dear Lelia:

    The short answer to your question is yes — your new 57-gallon aquarium certainly has the carrying capacity to safely support a couple pairs of Sunbursts in addition to your breeding pair of Mustangs. But you are interested in determining the optimum stocking density for your new system, so let’s discuss some of the factors that determine the carrying capacity for any given aquarium in greater detail.

    In actual practice, Lelia, determining how many seahorses can comfortably live in an aquarium of a certain size is not as simple as it seems at first glance. The proper stocking density for any given setup depends on a great many complex factors. I have listed a few of the most important of these below:

    · The size of the aquarium.
    · The filtration system it uses.
    · Is it a species tank or a mixed community?
    · The number and type of non-seahorse tankmates it houses.
    · The type of seahorses you will be keeping and the maximum size they reach.
    · The experience level of the seahorse keeper.
    · Are the seahorses you will be keeping wild specimens or farm-raised livestock?

    Many of the considerations you must keep in mind when stocking your aquarium are self-explanatory. For example, common sense dictates that the bigger the tank the more seahorses it can safely house, or that an aquarium of given size can support more small to medium sized seahorses than it can if stocked with one of the giant breeds. And you don’t need to be Jacques Cousteau to realize that if you are keeping your ponies in a mixed community with other reef fishes, you will have to settle for fewer Hippocampines than if you kept them in a species tank dedicated to seahorses only (Giwojna, Jan. 2002).

    Likewise, the experience level of the hobbyist certainly has a bearing on how many seahorses he should attempt to keep in a given volume of water. If you’re a rank beginner, you will be better off keeping your stable under stocked in order to provide a margin of error while you learn the ropes with these amazing aquatic equines. Savvy seahorse pros who’ve seen it all before and know all the tricks and trouble spots, on the other hand, can afford to push the envelope a bit and keep their herds near capacity (Giwojna, Jan. 2002).

    In addition, the filtration system obviously affects the number of specimens a certain aquarium can support, yet it is often overlooked when stocking densities are discussed. Consider two identical 29-gallon (tall) tanks: one relies on undergravels and/or foam filters, perhaps supplemented by a small external, hang-on-the-back filter packed with media such as activated carbon; the other features plenty of live rock and perhaps even a live sand bed, supplemented with a good protein skimmer and a power filter for added circulation and water movement. The first simple setup has an adequate biofilter but is something of a nitrate factory, whereas the more sophisticated setup has significant dentrification ability in addition to plenty of biofiltration (Giwojna, Jan. 2002). Both systems have the right dimensions and sufficient water volume to support several large seahorses, but you don’t need to be a marine biologist to understand that the live rock setup with the skimmer can handle a greater bioload and safely house more specimens than the more basic system (Giwojna, Jan. 2002).

    Perhaps the most common mistake seahorse keepers make when considering the appropriate stocking density for their systems is failing to distinguish between wild-caught and captive-bred seahorses. Enough field work and research has now been done to conclude that, in terms of their behavior and need for elbow room, seahorses in the wild are very different animals from captive-bred and raised seahorses (Giwojna, Jan. 2002). For example, field studies show that pair-bonded seahorses typically enjoy a large territory in the wild (100 square meters in the case of female Hippocampus whitei, a fairly small Australian species that has been studied closely), and with their patchy distribution pattern, these seahorses only infrequently come in contact with others of their kind (Vincent & Sadler, 1995). Traumatic capture techniques, mishandling, and lack of feeding opportunities often plague wild-caught seahorses during transport and holding, and by the time they finally arrive at your local dealer’s, chances are great that wild ponies have already endured quite an ordeal (Bull and Mitchell, 2002). Malnutrition and stress at a time of high metabolic demand are likely to have weakened them (Lidster, 2003). When confined in an aquarium, therefore, wild-caught horses do not tolerate crowding well, and given their low disease resistance compared to their captive-bred brethren, it is NEVER a good idea to crowd wild-caught seahorses. They often have a more difficult time acclimating to life in captivity and will therefore be stressed, at least initially (Giwojna, Jan. 2002).

    Domesticated seahorses, on the other hand, are raised at far greater population densities than any seahorse experiences in the wild. Born and bred for aquarium life, they are far more social than wild caughts and are used to living in close proximity to each other (Giwojna, Jan. 2002). For them, that’s their normal condition and the aquarium is their natural environment. They reach the hobbyist well fed, in peak condition, and already accustomed to aquarium life and frozen foods. As a result, farm-raised seahorses are simply hardier, more disease resistant, and tolerate crowding and life in captivity far better than their wild-caught counterparts (Giwojna, Jan. 2002). Suffice it to say that more captive-bred seahorses can be maintained in an aquarium of a given size than wild-caught ‘horses.

    Quantifying all of this, and specifying a certain number of seahorses per so many gallons of water, is a very tricky proposition because so many factors like those described above must be weighed. Consequently, my recommendations for stocking density always include a range for each size of aquarium in order to accommodate variables such as differing filtration systems, whether the seahorses are wild or captive bred, and varying levels of expertise. If you’re new to seahorses or have a basic setup that relies on regular partial water changes to control nitrates, you will need to stick to the lower end of the recommended range when stocking your stable (Giwojna, Jan. 2002). However, if you’re an experienced reefer or an old hand at seahorse wrangling, with a relatively sophisticated system at your disposal, feel free to explore the upper limits of the suggested stocking densities (Giwojna, Jan. 2002). Likewise, if you’re keeping wild-caught seahorses, I suggest you cut the recommended stocking densities for captive-bred seahorses at least in half (Giwojna, Jan. 2002).

    Assuming that your aquarium will be a dedicated seahorse tank and not a community tank, and that you’ll be keeping captive-bred seahorses such as Mustangs or Sunbursts of average size, Lelia, the suggested stocking density for Hippocampus erectus under those circumstances is about one pair per 10 gallons of water volume. So a reasonable number of average size Mustangs (or Sunbursts) to keep in a 57-gallon aquarium, is a total of about five or six pairs or 10-12 individuals. An experienced seahorse keeper with a relatively sophisticated filtration system could easily keep a dozen H. erectus in such a tank with no problems, but a beginner with a basic filtration system should keep no more than about six erectus in a tank that size, at least until he or she games a little more valuable firsthand experience keeping seahorses.

    In your case, Lelia, since you are new to seahorses, I would suggest adding two pairs of Sunbursts to go with your breeding pair of Mustangs for starters. Then, after you’ve gained a little more valuable first-hand experience with seahorses, your 57-gallon seahorse setup has the volume and stability to safely house one or two more pairs of seahorses. But I would not ever exceed a total of 10 seahorses in that system, and I would limit myself to four pairs or eight individuals to provide a margin for error at all times. For best results, you should build up your herd gradually in order to allow the biofiltration plenty of time time to adjust to the heavier bioload after you make new additions without spikes in your ammonia or nitrite levels.

    And, as always, be sure to remember the three golden rules that should always guide your actions when stocking any seahorse setup:

    I. Under stocking is ALWAYS better than over stocking. Always! That is the one immutable law that governs the seahorse-keeping universe, and if you violate it, the aquarium gods will exact swift and terrible retribution!

    II. When in doubt, under stock. Don’t push your luck! If you have any doubt whatsoever as to whether or not your system is running at capacity, it probably is. In such a situation, you MUST err on the side of caution.

    III. Don’t mess with success! If your seahorse setup has been running smoothly and trouble-free for a prolonged period at it’s present level of occupancy, try to resist the temptation to increase your herd. Why risk upsetting the balance in a system that has settled into a state of happy equilibrium? Rather than risk overcrowding an established tank, consider starting up a new aquarium when the urge to acquire some new specimens becomes overwhelming.

    When stocking your aquarium, consider these golden rules to be your commandments. Obey them, and your system should flourish. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow thee all of thy days. Break them, and you will soon find yourself teetering on the brink of disaster. Abandon all hope ye whom embark down that dark road to ruin.

    Best of luck with your new 57-gallon seahorse setup, Lelia! Feel free to expand your herd by two or three pairs when the time is right.

    Happy Trails!
    Pete Giwojna

    #3170
    leliataylor
    Guest

    Thank you for your information. I have only been keeping seahorses for a little over 1 year, I consider myself to be very new to seahorses. I tend to be very cautious and would rather understock a tank.

    My 57G has live sand, live rock, a good protein skimmer, a Fluval 304 cannister filter, dedicated seahorse tank (no other fish), and only tank raised seahorses. I started keeping salt tanks approximately 30 years ago and am very careful in monitoring the chemical levels in each tank. My 57G has been stable for 4 weeks. In the past I have purchased a single seahorse at a time, to ensure their welfare. I have two young pairs in a 30G tank, that was my first seahorse tank. I now have two 10G (modified tanks) I use for babies and two 20G (grow up tanks).

    My oldest babies (all 5 of them) are 4 1/2 months old. My youngest are 2 weeks old (# unknown).

    I setup the 57G to provide the best enviroment that I can. I will wait until after the Holiday rush to order my new Sunbursts. Don’t want any shipping delays. I wish I had found your website when I first decided to try keeping seahorses.

    Thank you for all your help.

    Sincerely,
    Cheryl L. Taylor
    P.S. Do you know how to get them to wear Santa Claus hats for photos – joke

    #3171
    leliataylor
    Guest

    Thank you for your information. I have only been keeping seahorses for a little over 1 year, I consider myself to be very new to seahorses. I tend to be very cautious and would rather understock a tank.

    My 57G has live sand, live rock, a good protein skimmer, a Fluval 304 cannister filter, dedicated seahorse tank (no other fish), and only tank raised seahorses. I started keeping salt tanks approximately 30 years ago and am very careful in monitoring the chemical levels in each tank. My 57G has been stable for 4 weeks. In the past I have purchased a single seahorse at a time, to ensure their welfare. I have two young pairs in a 30G tank, that was my first seahorse tank. I now have two 10G (modified tanks) I use for babies and two 20G (grow up tanks).

    My oldest babies (all 5 of them) are 4 1/2 months old. My youngest are 2 weeks old (# unknown).

    I setup the 57G to provide the best enviroment that I can. I will wait until after the Holiday rush to order my new Sunbursts. Don’t want any shipping delays. I wish I had found your website when I first decided to try keeping seahorses.

    Thank you for all your help.

    Sincerely,
    Cheryl L. Taylor
    P.S. Do you know how to get them to wear Santa Claus hats for photos – joke

    #3174
    Pete Giwojna
    Guest

    Dear Cheryl:

    Very impressive! With your extensive background as an aquarist and over a year of valuable, first-hand experience keeping and raising seahorses under your belt, I’m sure everything is going to go very smoothly.

    The 57-gallon aquarium certainly has an efficient filtration system with LR, LS, a good protein skimmer and a good canister filter to provide circulation, supplemental biological filtration, and mechanical and chemical filtration. Given your background and an excellent set up like that dedicated to seahorses only, you should be able to keep five pairs of adults or 10 large individuals in your new system easily. And I would say that it has sufficient water volume and enough margin for error to introduce two pairs of seahorses at a time without overtaxing the filtration or causing harmful ammonia or nitrite spikes, so you needn’t restrict yourself to introducing seahorses individually anymore, Cheryl.

    Congratulations on your success breeding and rearing your seahorses, too! Your 4-1/2 month old juveniles will be hitting sexual maturity in another month or two, so I can certainly understand why you need more room. They should thrive right along with their parents in your new 57-gallon setup.

    Good luck with your your new dedicated seahorse system and your latest crop of fry, Cheryl!

    Happy Trails!
    Pete Giwojna

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

America's Only Seahorse Aqua-Farm and One of Hawaii's Most Popular Attractions

Ocean Rider seahorse farm is a consistent Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence Award Winner and "Top 10 Things To Do" Kona, Hawaii attraction. Our "Magical Seahorse Tours" are educational and fun for the whole family.

Tour tickets are available for Purchase On-Line. Space is limited and subject to availability.

small seahorse Ocean Rider, Inc. is an Organic Hawaiian-Based Seahorse Aqua-Farm & Aquarium that Follows Strict Good Farming Practices in Raising Seahorses and Other Aquatic Life.

Seahorse Hawaii Foundation

Inspiring ocean awareness by saving the endangered seahorse and sea dragons around the world from extinction through conservation, research, propagation, and education.

Help us save the seahorse and the coral reefs they live in with a tax deductible contribution to the Seahorse Hawaii Foundation. You will be helping to protect and propagate over 25 species of endangered seahorses, sea dragons and friends.

Make A Tax-Deductible Donation Today!

A Different Kind of Farm (Video) »

Ocean Rider Kona Hawaii

Ocean Rider Kona Hawaii
Seahorse Aqua-Farm & Tours

73-4388 Ilikai Place

Kailua Kona, Hawaii 96740

Map & Directions


808-329-6840

Contact Ocean Rider


Copyright ©1999-2023
All Rights Reserved | Ocean Rider Inc.

My Online Order Details

Purchase Policy

Site Terms and Conditions