THE SECRET TO KEEPING SEAHORSES Maintaining a saltwater tank is more than just a hobby – it is an opportunity to learn about and cultivate a variety of unique and fascinating creatures. The seahorse is just one of many saltwater creatures that has fascinated mankind for ages. These delicate creatures are incredibly unique and, sadly, endangered. Though some mistakenly believe the aquarium trade has led to a decline in wild seahorse populations, it has actually been contributing to their survival. The major reason for the decline of these creatures in the wild is habitat destruction – captive breeding may soon be the only way to perpetuate the species. If you are looking for an interesting species to stock your tank, think about adding a few seahorses. Though there are over 35 species of seahorses that have been recognized, only a few of them are recommended for keeping in the home aquarium. While some species remain very small, rarely growing larger than 1 or 2 inches tall, some species like the Giant seahorses can reach lengths in excess of 12 inches.

Dwarf seahorses grow to a maximum of 2 inches and may vary in coloration from black or white to tan and yellow. This species is fairly difficult to keep and it does best in a species-only tank with 4 or more of its own kind. Black seahorses are somewhat larger, growing up to 6 inches long, and they are moderately difficult to care for. fish tank models and price in chennaiThis species is one of the hardiest and most energetic of the seahorse species and it is notorious for its ability to hide. fish tank new set upThe Kuda, or Estuary, seahorse is also moderately difficult to keep and it can be identified by its gold coloration with a dark band running down its back. fun fish tank games online

These seahorses do best in species-only tanks, though they do tend to get along with pipefish. Tips for Keeping Seahorses The most important thing to keep in mind about seahorses is that they are incredibly sensitive to changes in water chemistry. cheap bio fish tanksTo keep seahorses in the home aquarium it is essential that you maintain a stable water temperature between 76 and 78F (depending on the species) and that you provide excellent filtration to keep water quality in the tank high. orb fish tank setupSeahorses generally prefer a turbulence-free tank so your aquarium filter should not produce any air bubbles or a high rate of flow – these creatures can actually develop a condition called Gas Bubble Disease if exposed to too many air bubbles. glass fish tank online

Another important thing to consider is that, due to their upright stature, seahorses prefer a tall tank to a wide one. These fish require plenty of vertical space, particularly when it comes time for mating. Unfortunately, there are very few species of fish which can be safely kept with seahorses. If you want to cultivate seahorses, it may need to be a dedicated seahorse tank. Be careful about mixing different species of seahorse because not all of them are compatible. Nutrition is also a significant concern when keeping seahorses in captivity, especially with wild-caught specimens. Tank-bred seahorses will generally accept frozen food and live foods should only be used occasionally. To provide seahorses with adequate nutrition, it is wise to choose frozen foods that are enriched with vitamin supplements or to add the supplements yourself before feeding it to your seahorses.The Tennessee Aquarium is home to a richly diverse collection of the world's most fascinating aquatic species.

Among the thousands of fish within River Journey, visitors meet prehistoric-looking arapaima, bizarre paddlefish, strange sea dragons and fanciful seahorses. Along with nature's oddities are some beautiful darters, colorful cichlids, giant whiptail rays, enormous catfish and ghost-white gar. Sink beneath the saltwater waves within Ocean Journey to come face to face with big, toothy sharks, colorful reef fish, graceful rays and curious porcupine fish. Before or after exploring the naturalistic exhibits at the Aquarium, dive into this page to learn more about some of the Aquarium's most asked about fish species. Colored Lined (Hippocampus erectus) Yellow Kuda (Hippocampus kuda) Orange Kuda (Hippocampus kuda) A new era of captive care of seahorses has dawned with the introduction of aquacultured seahorses from ORA. The wild-caught seahorses available in the past were notoriously difficult to feed and care for in aquariums. Even the most experienced aquarist had difficulty providing the live foods necessary every day to maintain them.

There were also a number of seahorse related diseases that proved very difficult to cure. All of these difficulties have been overcome, and the danger of extinction diminished, with the successful breeding, rearing and frozen-food training of these incredible and lovable creatures. Recently all Seahorses were placed on the Appendix II list of endangered species by CITES (Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species). This severely restricts the legal import and export of seahorses, dead or alive. This is a welcome measure for seahorse conservation worldwide, and has nearly eliminated the wild seahorses available in the aquarium trade. In nature most seahorses are found in the lagoons and grass flats inside the reef. Because of this environment, seahorses may encounter larger variations in water temperature and salinity. Seahorses may adapt to a wider range of water conditions than the reef fish commonly kept in aquariums. ORA seahorses are typically raised at a specific gravity of 1.020-1.023 and temperatures range from 75-85 degrees.

All the seahorses offered by ORA are of the tropical variety, not the cold-water (temperate) species. The greatest advance in seahorse keeping has been the ability to train the juvenile captive-bred animals to eat frozen mysis shrimp. With few exceptions, wild seahorses would eat only live foods. Now that they can be taught at an early age to accept frozen food, one of the biggest obstacles in caring for them has been overcome. Seahorses should be fed defrosted mysis two or three times a day. As the frozen shrimp are moved around by the current in the tank, the seahorses will respond and chase and eat them. If the food hits the bottom and is trapped by decor, the seahorses may not find it and the decaying shrimp can foul water quality. It is important to set up the seahorse display so that a sweeping current flows across the bottom, and un-eaten food is not trapped. Seahorses should not be kept with other fish as tankmates. This is due to the fact that they cannot compete with the fast moving fish for food.

They are best kept in a small (20-30 gallon) aquarium by themselves. Of course they will need some “Seahorse Trees” such as artificial branching coral, gorgonians, or other objects to latch onto with their prehensile tails. With the right aquarium set-up, proper feeding and care, aquacultured seahorse may live for many years. Average age for many of the tropical seahorses is about 4-6 years. They will reach sexual maturity as early as 4 months, and pairs will readily spawn in aquariums. Seahorse reproduction is well known for having the male give birth to live young. Fertilization actually takes place in the female and then she passes the fertile eggs into the male pouch where they develop for two to four weeks, and are eventually released. Typically 50 to 150 juveniles may be born over the course of many hours. Raising newborn seahorses presents many difficulties, including the necessity of using large amounts of live food. Unless very well prepared, most hobbyists would not be able to rear the young properly.