your "perfect" size tank for SH?

[Devaji]

so I asked on the FB group what everyone thoughts where on the perfect size of a tank to keep SH.
looks like the average % of water volume for WC is around 10-15% weekly.

so where is that sweet spot where we can keep a few pairs, don't go broke doing WC not to big not to small looks good?

so if you where to do it all over again or set up another tank what size would you get?

be interesting to see what you all think.

 

[Devaji]

do you like cubes or rectangles? tall and narrow or short and fat? talking about tanks here folks...

 

[vlangel]

I loved my 56 gallon column tank for 2 pair of seahorses. Its tall enough for erectus, is deep enough to scape nicely and has enough of a footprint to get good oxygen exchange on the surface.

 

[Devaji]

I loved my 56 gallon column tank for 2 pair of seahorses. Its tall enough for erectus, is deep enough to scape nicely and has enough of a footprint to get good oxygen exchange on the surface.

I thought about the column tank just not sure I fancy them. with out a LFS all I have in online sometimes you need to see things in person you know.

"IF" I get to have a SH tank I am liking the fallowing: there all on the expensive side tho
deep blue 57 gal. 36x18x 20- if I can find one out here in the rocky mnts
SCA 100 gal. 48x 20x24 heavy 10mm glass euro raced
SCA 112 60x18x24 also big and heavy
SCA 120 48x24x24 now we are getting a little carried away here. 12gal a week WC
red sea reefer 350! mmmmm 73 gallons match my 750 comes in at 47"x20x21 be so nice to have matching aquariums but its def. $$$$

now for the cheaper options:
75 gal 48x 18x21
65 36x18x25
90 gallon 48x18x24

and the cheapest option is use the 40s I have for one pair

 

[Lucie]

75 gallons is imo a good size for 6. Having a small herd is much more exciting and interesting to watch, more cool scaping allowed and more choixe for other livestock.
I don t like tall tank, i m small and it s not convenient for maintenance for me. I prefer rectamgular tank for scaping possibilities and it gives more surface area to roam for the seahorses.

 

[rayjay]

Personally, I think that anyone concerned about the amount of water changes needed, should avoid the seahorse keeping hobby.
While some have seahorses that seem to do OK with smaller water changes, most do not and as the water quality degrades and nasty bacteria multiply, the seahorses end up with infections internally and/or externally. (there are NO test kits that can tell you when this water condition is occurring, thus requiring more frequent water changes and better husbandry than for a reef tank)
Seahorses, like people, have varying levels of resistance to sickness/diseases such that some have excellent capabilities to live in sub optimal situations, with some perpetually having problems, and most falling at levels between those two. My experiences have shown me over many years that most will tend to fall into the lower category rather than the high resistance grouping.
Unfortunately the odds are that you will NOT purchase seahorses that will have the best resistance, and, if you DO luck in, it may not be a condition that applies to ALL of the seahorses you may put in the tank.
I had sufficient losses in my early years to now know that I will AUTOMATICALLY assume they are low resistant when I acquire new seahorses and do the water changes and husbandry that I find provides the BEST chances of success.

 

[Devaji]

Personally, I think that anyone concerned about the amount of water changes needed, should avoid the seahorse keeping hobby.
While some have seahorses that seem to do OK with smaller water changes, most do not and as the water quality degrades and nasty bacteria multiply, the seahorses end up with infections internally and/or externally. (there are NO test kits that can tell you when this water condition is occurring, thus requiring more frequent water changes and better husbandry than for a reef tank)
Seahorses, like people, have varying levels of resistance to sickness/diseases such that some have excellent capabilities to live in sub optimal situations, with some perpetually having problems, and most falling at levels between those two. My experiences have shown me over many years that most will tend to fall into the lower category rather than the high resistance grouping.
Unfortunately the odds are that you will NOT purchase seahorses that will have the best resistance, and, if you DO luck in, it may not be a condition that applies to ALL of the seahorses you may put in the tank.
I had sufficient losses in my early years to now know that I will AUTOMATICALLY assume they are low resistant when I acquire new seahorses and do the water changes and husbandry that I find provides the BEST chances of success.

thanks for the feedback rayjay. I totally understand what you are saying about no test kits, water quality and water changes.
I am not afraid of water changes at all. well not unless it's on my 200 gal. witch we have ruled that out as an option.

here i was more of thinking about getting feed back from folks who keep them on if you where to start another SH tank what size and why.
there are alot of options out there and I know a long as you fallow the guide lines of 1 pair per 30 gal and 15-25 per each additional pair one would be fine as for a tank size goes- husbandry aside.

same amount of water volume in say a cube VS a longer tank. would SH like to swim the length of the tank or would prefer they more of a cube style square home?

just getting ideas here thanks for everyone's feedback!

 

[Devaji]

75 gallons is imo a good size for 6. Having a small herd is much more exciting and interesting to watch, more cool scaping allowed and more choixe for other livestock.
I don t like tall tank, i m small and it s not convenient for maintenance for me. I prefer rectamgular tank for scaping possibilities and it gives more surface area to roam for the seahorses.

funny I gave a way a 75 about 6 month ago. they guy did a SH tank in it. also have a 90 cube I sold to get the new 200 gal.
wish I could have keeped either of them. would have but we where in a de-clutter mood. so I am after that small tank that will not take up to much room ( so I an sneak it in...lol) but be able to house 1-2 pairs. you all know the story of trying to get the other half on board with "another tank"

 

[rayjay]

same amount of water volume in say a cube VS a longer tank. would SH like to swim the length of the tank or would prefer they more of a cube style square home?

In all my years of keeping various species, I've always found that other than dwarfs, they use more of the width and length than they do of the depth. They do use the depth but much of the time they are in the bottom half downwards in my tanks. In the am when lights come on is when they do their dancing and at that time they use the upper levels as well as all over the tanks.

 

[Devaji]

In all my years of keeping various species, I've always found that other than dwarfs, they use more of the width and length than they do of the depth. They do use the depth but much of the time they are in the bottom half downwards in my tanks. In the am when lights come on is when they do their dancing and at that time they use the upper levels as well as all over the tanks.

ah perfect that is what I wanted to know. never having them or seeing a tank with them other than online wanted to get a feel for what they use the most.

 

[Devaji]

well I decided on a tank size that would fit perfect in my place. now to finish up the 750 reef build convince the GF we need a SH tank and come up with the $$...haha thanks for every ones feed back and thoughts!

 

[w2inc]

Personally, I think that anyone concerned about the amount of water changes needed, should avoid the seahorse keeping hobby.
While some have seahorses that seem to do OK with smaller water changes, most do not and as the water quality degrades and nasty bacteria multiply, the seahorses end up with infections internally and/or externally. (there are NO test kits that can tell you when this water condition is occurring, thus requiring more frequent water changes and better husbandry than for a reef tank)
Seahorses, like people, have varying levels of resistance to sickness/diseases such that some have excellent capabilities to live in sub optimal situations, with some perpetually having problems, and most falling at levels between those two. My experiences have shown me over many years that most will tend to fall into the lower category rather than the high resistance grouping.
Unfortunately the odds are that you will NOT purchase seahorses that will have the best resistance, and, if you DO luck in, it may not be a condition that applies to ALL of the seahorses you may put in the tank.
I had sufficient losses in my early years to now know that I will AUTOMATICALLY assume they are low resistant when I acquire new seahorses and do the water changes and husbandry that I find provides the BEST chances of success.

I agree with the majority of this. I wanted to add that in 2005 to 2009 when I had 2 pair of H Redi they seemed to be bulletproof. Ate like pigs, consistent breeding cycles. Never could get fry to live much longer than 2 months but I was really into it.

I got a pair of captive bred Ingins in 16. Quarentine, deworming, Chiller, bare bottom tank, captive breeding shrimp that could be gut loaded with meds or extra fat. 110 gallon tall tank build just for them live rock, long break in period. I used a 20 Tall receiving tank to stabilize them and fatten them up. Ran it like my SPS reef except with way more water changes. I had no hesitation to throw money at the systems. They were a completely other story. It is like they were raised in a lab with immune system ever. Lost a pair. Tried again. Constantly dealing with some issue for them. Just generally feeble animals. Granted they are hard to keep, but it is not like I am new to this.

I had a pair of H Erectus that I picked up during the Ingin mess. They lived in a separate system. Much more hearty but still had their issues. The whole experience left me feeling like some captive breeders do a better job than others at raising animals that are ready to move on to home aquariums. Or some animals are just weak and you dont know what you are going to get.

I took a tour of ocean rider's breeding facility when I was in Hawaii in late 16. Not the best prices for livestock, but the setup there at least allows for natural selection to happen and some exposure to the elements. I have purchased from them, but if I keep seahorses again, I will get them from a place like that.

They are a labor of love and a person needs to be willing to do all kinds of things to keep them alive and healthy. If you are feeling like water changes are going to be a burden, you may want to give things some more thought. That said, I do have a 120 gallon reef tank that has a dragon face pipe fish, Mandarin goby, and dozens of other random fish in it. I have put in my research hours, stocked it with microfauna, and took my time letting things come together. I have been running the system without water changes since mid 2017. It is the healthiest tank I can remember owning. So yes, if you put in your research hours pay attention to your designs, send out for lab testing on a regular basis, you may be able to put a system together that will allow you to do fewer, or no water changes. As well as no, you can not expect to buy a pair of seahorses and have them live in a system that you don't want to do the maintenance on.

For what it is worth. 30 tall 24x24x12 and 60 cube 24x24x24 are my favorites for seahorses. I never go over 24" high because I cant reach the bottom without getting my shoulder in the water and that is just enough to make regular maintenance suck.

They are not that hard to keep. We all get a system to make water changes easy for ourselves and they are amazing animals.

Good luck.