How many Dwarfs?

MaeK · 12/13/2013, 10:52 AM

Hi all!
I'm starting my first dwarf tank, and wondering how many dwarfs I should get to start out with? I was thinking about seven (four females and three males?)
Also if anyone has any other tips for dwarf seahorses, feel free to share!

MaeK · 12/13/2013, 11:27 AM

I'm looking at a 14 gallon tank, and I think I'm ordering the 10 pack of dwarf seahorses from Ccritter - I've heard good things about Dana's business

rayjay · 12/13/2013, 10:35 PM

I'd suggest going with about a 5g tank. That will hold up to around 50 of them.
The problem with dwarfs is in the feeding which needs to be live enriched brine shrimp nauplii, and the feeding density in the tank has to be so dense that the dwarfs can feed without leaving their hitches as normally they don't like to be bothered hunting down their food. (there are some exceptions)
For a 14g tank the amount of nauplii needed for the proper feeding density would be enormous, and, a big waste.
You also need to remove the uneaten food before the next feeding.

Wilrok · 12/14/2013, 02:00 AM

What is a good price to pay for a dwarf seahorse ?

timinnl · 12/14/2013, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wilrok

What is a good price to pay for a dwarf seahorse ?

The price you are willing to pay.

It is best that you look into getting true captive bred dwarfs over the wild caught ones.

For me I was willing to pay between $65.00 to $ 75.00 each here in the Netherlands.

Kind Regards,

Tim

Wilrok · 12/14/2013, 12:45 PM

I agree with the captive bred . Salutations from the other side of the world !

danimallaminad · 12/14/2013, 09:52 PM

Wait 50 dwarfs at $65-$75 a piece? thats alot of money or am i missing something?

rayjay · 12/14/2013, 10:17 PM

That's the price in the Netherlands.
Here in Canada they run in the $35 to $40 range.
In the US obviously a lot cheaper as they originate there.
The OP is only talking about $10 but is looking at ordering wild caught not captive bred which are a lot cheaper.
The 50 only came into the discussion as to how many CAN be held in a 50, not that you have to have that many.

danimallaminad · 12/14/2013, 11:21 PM

Ok thanks for clarifying, i knew 50 wasn't the have to number but a recommendation.

timinnl · 12/15/2013, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danimallaminad

Wait 50 dwarfs at $65-$75 a piece? thats alot of money or am i missing something?

YEP! Ray gave you a great reply. I bought them from the UK and from Germany and the price had to do with the CITES permit + shipping cost + profit for the seller.

I think there are old threads on here or on the org about me trying to source them.

I had $1000.00 budgeted of them. LOL!

Kind Regards,

Tim

Shan69743 · 12/16/2013, 09:17 AM

i used to house around 20-40 in a 5 gal, i started with 5 breeding pair and soon was over ran with them.

MaeK · 12/17/2013, 01:07 PM

Ok so the only gallon I could find in my area is a 29 gallon tank... a little big :/
I'm also looking into captive bred rather than wildcaught, since I've heard that a lot... anyone have any suggestions?

rayjay · 12/17/2013, 05:12 PM

Did you go to Walmart or any chain store pet shop?
I've never seen Walmart not have small tanks, but the problem with theirs is that they want to sell a complete set up.
The 29g would be good for ONE PAIR of standard sized seahorses, but not any good for dwarfs, worse even than the 14g previously mentioned.
Captive bred is the way I prefer, even though it costs more.
There's a few places selling them but the most recommended site is Dan Underwood's seahorsesource.com.

Mattewell · 12/18/2013, 03:45 PM

wait... you want a tank with 7 dwarfs.... didn't anyone else catch that...

rayjay · 12/18/2013, 10:46 PM

Read post #3.

Mattewell · 12/19/2013, 08:53 AM

so in other words, nobody caught that.. snow white and the 7 dwarfs..... yeah i know bad joke... shouldnt have even brought it up

rayjay · 12/19/2013, 09:40 AM

But Snow White didn't have any female dwarfs.

12/13/2013, 10:52 AM	#1
MaeK Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 4	How many Dwarfs? Hi all! I'm starting my first dwarf tank, and wondering how many dwarfs I should get to start out with? I was thinking about seven (four females and three males?) Also if anyone has any other tips for dwarf seahorses, feel free to share!

12/14/2013, 10:17 PM	#8
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	That's the price in the Netherlands. Here in Canada they run in the $35 to $40 range. In the US obviously a lot cheaper as they originate there. The OP is only talking about $10 but is looking at ordering wild caught not captive bred which are a lot cheaper. The 50 only came into the discussion as to how many CAN be held in a 50, not that you have to have that many. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

12/17/2013, 05:12 PM	#13
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	Did you go to Walmart or any chain store pet shop? I've never seen Walmart not have small tanks, but the problem with theirs is that they want to sell a complete set up. The 29g would be good for ONE PAIR of standard sized seahorses, but not any good for dwarfs, worse even than the 14g previously mentioned. Captive bred is the way I prefer, even though it costs more. There's a few places selling them but the most recommended site is Dan Underwood's seahorsesource.com. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

12/18/2013, 10:46 PM	#15
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	Read post #3. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

12/19/2013, 09:40 AM	#17
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	But Snow White didn't have any female dwarfs. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

12/13/2013, 11:27 AM	#2
MaeK Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 4	I'm looking at a 14 gallon tank, and I think I'm ordering the 10 pack of dwarf seahorses from Ccritter - I've heard good things about Dana's business

12/13/2013, 10:35 PM	#3
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	I'd suggest going with about a 5g tank. That will hold up to around 50 of them. The problem with dwarfs is in the feeding which needs to be live enriched brine shrimp nauplii, and the feeding density in the tank has to be so dense that the dwarfs can feed without leaving their hitches as normally they don't like to be bothered hunting down their food. (there are some exceptions) For a 14g tank the amount of nauplii needed for the proper feeding density would be enormous, and, a big waste. You also need to remove the uneaten food before the next feeding. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

12/14/2013, 02:00 AM	#4
Wilrok Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Chicago , IL Posts: 83	What is a good price to pay for a dwarf seahorse ?

12/14/2013, 12:45 PM	#6
Wilrok Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Chicago , IL Posts: 83	I agree with the captive bred . Salutations from the other side of the world !

12/14/2013, 09:52 PM	#7
danimallaminad Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 436	Wait 50 dwarfs at $65-$75 a piece? thats alot of money or am i missing something?

12/14/2013, 11:21 PM	#9
danimallaminad Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 436	Ok thanks for clarifying, i knew 50 wasn't the have to number but a recommendation.

12/16/2013, 09:17 AM	#11
Shan69743 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: North Central PA Posts: 54	i used to house around 20-40 in a 5 gal, i started with 5 breeding pair and soon was over ran with them.

12/17/2013, 01:07 PM	#12
MaeK Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 4	Ok so the only gallon I could find in my area is a 29 gallon tank... a little big :/ I'm also looking into captive bred rather than wildcaught, since I've heard that a lot... anyone have any suggestions?

12/18/2013, 03:45 PM	#14
Mattewell Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Rochester,Mn Posts: 308	wait... you want a tank with 7 dwarfs.... didn't anyone else catch that...

12/19/2013, 08:53 AM	#16
Mattewell Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Rochester,Mn Posts: 308	so in other words, nobody caught that.. snow white and the 7 dwarfs..... yeah i know bad joke... shouldnt have even brought it up