Seahorse Tank, Take 2

[Treed]

So after loosing my last male kuda around 5 months ago (All 5 lived to be a little over 5 years old) I decided it was time to get the tank set back up and wanted to start a build thread on it. I removed and redid all the plumbing on the tank and it currently has bleach running through the system to sterilize. The tank is a 75 gallon aquarium, 30 gallon sump, reef dynamics skimmer, GFO reactor and most importantly a chiller. I'm running a bare bottom tank this time around to keep the tank as clean as possible and hopefully not run into a bristle worm problem like I did last time. The rock work will be 30 pounds of BRS branching Tonga rock. I'm using two nice LED fixtures as well and plan to have gorgonians and leathers like I had it the last setup since its a show tank in our living room. Pictures and updates to come soon.

For those long time seahorse keepers and breeders. Is 5 years a good life span on Kudas?
Also any recommendations on a good species for this setup? Ill be buying captive bred as I did the first time.

[nutbar29]

Yes most seahorses only live about 5-7 years. Sometimes you can get lucky and they can live up to 10 years


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[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Treed

So after loosing my last male kuda around 5 months ago (All 5 lived to be a little over 5 years old) I decided it was time to get the tank set back up and wanted to start a build thread on it. I removed and redid all the plumbing on the tank and it currently has bleach running through the system to sterilize. The tank is a 75 gallon aquarium, 30 gallon sump, reef dynamics skimmer, GFO reactor and most importantly a chiller. I'm running a bare bottom tank this time around to keep the tank as clean as possible and hopefully not run into a bristle worm problem like I did last time. The rock work will be 30 pounds of BRS branching Tonga rock. I'm using two nice LED fixtures as well and plan to have gorgonians and leathers like I had it the last setup since its a show tank in our living room. Pictures and updates to come soon.

For those long time seahorse keepers and breeders. Is 5 years a good life span on Kudas?
Also any recommendations on a good species for this setup? Ill be buying captive bred as I did the first time.

It sounds like a well thought out system. I too recently redid my seahorse tank and like you I went with a painted underneath bare bottom tank. I painted it with Valspar sandstone paint that has texture and it does look somewhat like sand. Painting underneath the tank's brace was a trick however. I am finding the bare bottom to be cleaner and more maintenance friendly. I can direct a lot more flow (with powerheads)at the floor of the tank to lift excess food and detritus into the water column to be filtered by the sump.

I keep erectus but I am somewhat a newbie to seahorses so thought I should stay with a sturdy specie. I would think that erectus, reidi or a hybrid or kuda would all do well in your tank.

[pfan151]

I'd go with Barbouri. I have had a pair for a while and just picked up a new pair. They are much more active than erectus in my experience. I have had one go off feed for a little while with seemingly no cause but she got back to eating after about a week and has been doing great ever since. My original pair is about to produce their first brood in the next few days. They have a reputation for being tougher than some other species but I have not noticed that. Definitely worth the extra initial cost IMO.

I think seahorse source still has some in stock.

[Treed]

[Treed]

Progression! RO water, salt, rock and lights

[vlangel]

I think they will like that rock. It much more hitchable than other rock. Will you be doing any soft coral or macros?

[Devaji108]

fallowing!!
+1 on macros I like them alot I have a nano macro and shroom tank I enjoy!

[Treed]

Was planning on gorgs and a few soft

[Treed]

Ya I'm thinking either abdominalis, erectus, or barbouri

[rillaboratories]

love the tonga

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Treed

Was planning on gorgs and a few soft

I have quite a few gorgs in my seahorse tank. Mostly the sturdy, photosynthetic ones. The seahorses' absolute favorite is corky finger and it is very sturdy and attractive too with its long lush polyps. All the ponies could hitch on it and it did not seem irritated.

I have found mushrooms, palys, leathers and clove polyps to do pretty well in my tank. Coral for me is mostly a natural looking adornment but the seahorses are my focus.

How long do you think it will be before you order your ponies?

[Treed]

I'm hoping another 3 weeks at most. I used the wrong ammonia so I drained and reset the tank back up as a just in case. Just wanted to be safe.

[vlangel]

Be sure to post pics when you do get your ponies!

[Treed]

For sure! Ill do some pics once I place my gorgonian order as well.

[Devaji108]

I love gorgs too! I quite a few in my reef!

[Treed]

Little update. The nitrates and nitrites are almost zero so I've added a few gorgs and a leather. We have the species narrowed down to H. barbouri and H. reidi, just going to be a hard choice. Pics coming soon.
Also I only want to do one sex so we don't have babies. Would you guys recommend all males or females?

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Treed

Little update. The nitrates and nitrites are almost zero so I've added a few gorgs and a leather. We have the species narrowed down to H. barbouri and H. reidi, just going to be a hard choice. Pics coming soon.
Also I only want to do one sex so we don't have babies. Would you guys recommend all males or females?

I recommend all female because they seem to have less health issues. The problem is that even with the best laid plans, seahorses can foil them. I am not sure whether some seemingly females are just late bloomers, or if in an all female tank a female will arbitrarily turn male to perpetuate the specie, but at any rate sometimes keeping an all female tank is a challenge to keep it all female. Ha ha!

[angieg1123]

I love the rock! I did the same in my 60g cube. I know the benefits of bare bottom....but I just couldn't do it. I love my sand too much lol. Plus I tend to have a ton of Macros on / in the sand bed. I use a feeding station and I use a baster to clean out between the rocks on a daily basis. I also have a filter sock in the sump and flow directed at the sand bed.

[Treed]

Not the best pic because only the blues was on. But here it is so far.

[vlangel]

Looking very nice! Seahorse Source is an excellent place to get CB seahorses. I know they carry H reidi and I am thinking they may have H barbouri too. H reidi are a little easier to keep, I think.

[Treed]

That's where they will be coming from. : )

[Treed]

Have 4 erectus coming on Wednesday! The tank has been nicely stocked with many species of gorgonians and leathers. Pictures soon.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Treed

Have 4 erectus coming on Wednesday! The tank has been nicely stocked with many species of gorgonians and leathers. Pictures soon.

O boy, thats exciting!

[Devaji108]

hell yes! keep us posted with lots of pics!!!!