leliataylor
Fri, 26th Jan 2018, 07:30 PM
Myths and Facts About Seahorses
Seahorses are Docile. This is a myth although most aggression is conspecific. Male seahorses do establish territories which they will defend and will chase, snick (the name for the suction they use to ingest food) and physically force other males to the substrate.
Require Low Flow. This is a myth. They do best at a rate of 15-20 times the total water volume per hour.It is best to diffuse the flow so they have calm area to hitch. Young seahorses will actually swim Straight into a return as hard as they can until they get blasted backwards while doing summersaults. They will repeat this behavior several times in rapid succession. Adults often hitch to powerheads with their bodies directly in the flow and when they release their hitch they go flying.
Don’t Need a Large Tank. This is a myth. Seahorses will us all the tank space you give them, although the females tend to move around more. The minimum tank size for a pair most of the larger species of seahorses is 29 gallons. This is way too small for species such as ingens and abdominalis which can grow to over 12”.
Can Live in a Tank With Minimal Filtration. Nope! Seahorses do not have a true stomach so much of what they consume is excreted. This places a very heavy bioload on a tank. Skimmers are also very important because some of the common medical problems with seahorses appear to be due to a excess of dissolved organics.
They are Delicate. Another myth. Like most saltwater fish they are actually very tough. Given the right environment and a optimal diet they can live for 7+ years. I know of pairs that were still producing fry at that age.
It is OK to Mix Different Species. Myth. Different species of syngnathids carry different pathogens that can, and often times do, prove fatal to all individuals.
They Can Be Kept In A Reef Tank. No! Seahorses are best kept below 74’, with some species requiring temperatures in the 50’s. Many species of seahorses will hitch to anything and can be injured or killed by stinging corals, crabs or more aggressive fish.
Seahorses are Docile. This is a myth although most aggression is conspecific. Male seahorses do establish territories which they will defend and will chase, snick (the name for the suction they use to ingest food) and physically force other males to the substrate.
Require Low Flow. This is a myth. They do best at a rate of 15-20 times the total water volume per hour.It is best to diffuse the flow so they have calm area to hitch. Young seahorses will actually swim Straight into a return as hard as they can until they get blasted backwards while doing summersaults. They will repeat this behavior several times in rapid succession. Adults often hitch to powerheads with their bodies directly in the flow and when they release their hitch they go flying.
Don’t Need a Large Tank. This is a myth. Seahorses will us all the tank space you give them, although the females tend to move around more. The minimum tank size for a pair most of the larger species of seahorses is 29 gallons. This is way too small for species such as ingens and abdominalis which can grow to over 12”.
Can Live in a Tank With Minimal Filtration. Nope! Seahorses do not have a true stomach so much of what they consume is excreted. This places a very heavy bioload on a tank. Skimmers are also very important because some of the common medical problems with seahorses appear to be due to a excess of dissolved organics.
They are Delicate. Another myth. Like most saltwater fish they are actually very tough. Given the right environment and a optimal diet they can live for 7+ years. I know of pairs that were still producing fry at that age.
It is OK to Mix Different Species. Myth. Different species of syngnathids carry different pathogens that can, and often times do, prove fatal to all individuals.
They Can Be Kept In A Reef Tank. No! Seahorses are best kept below 74’, with some species requiring temperatures in the 50’s. Many species of seahorses will hitch to anything and can be injured or killed by stinging corals, crabs or more aggressive fish.