How to Set Up Your Aquarium for Seahorses

Several different types of seahorses can be kept in the home aquarium. These small, equine-like saltwater creatures can be fascinating to watch, and look beautiful as they roam about the aquarium. Seahorses are delicate creatures, and are sensitive to water or habitat changes. They require very specific care in order to flourish. This care includes properly setting up the aquarium, so that the seahorses are comfortable from the minute they are put in it.

Things You'll Need

  • Tall aquarium
  • Filtration system
  • Soft substrate
  • Aquarium decorations
  • Water testing kits
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide a tall aquarium for the seahorses. Each seahorse species requires a different amount of space depending on how large they will grow. However, all seahorses require a lot of vertical space. At the very least, the water level in the aquarium must be about three times as tall as the full, uncurled length of the mature seahorse.

    • 2

      Install a filtration system in the aquarium. This filtration should put out only a gentle current, as stronger currents can stress the seahorses. However, the filtration system should have an hourly water turnover rate of about three to five times the volume of the tank.

    • 3

      Add a soft substrate to the aquarium. The substrate can be however thick you like it and can be made of many different materials as long as those materials do not have sharp edges. Sand works well.

    • 4

      Add aquarium decorations such as rocks, plants and corals to the aquarium. These can be real or fake plants and corals. Seahorses need a place to wrap their tails around when they are resting. These places are known as hitching posts, and the aquarium decorations should provide them. Take the size of the seahorse into consideration when choosing decorations.

    • 5

      Allow the aquarium to cycle with the filtration system running for some time before adding your seahorses. This will ensure that the water levels, such as ammonia and nitrite levels, in the aquarium are stable.

    • 6

      Use water testing kits to test the water levels before adding your seahorses to the aquarium. The pH of the water should be between 8 and 8.3. The specific gravity, or salinity, of the aquarium should be between 1.020 and 1.024. You can add additives to the water to raise or lower these levels if necessary. The ammonia and nitrite levels should be at 0, and should be greater than 20 ppm. Cycling the tank should balance these levels, but, again, additives can be used.

    • 7

      Adjust the temperature of the aquarium so that it is at the right level for whatever breed of seahorse you've selected. Many pet seahorses are tropical, and require a water temperature between 71 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. However, other seahorses may be subtropical or even temperate, and will require colder temperatures.