Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Caught Dr Harry doing a stint on sea horses and how to cycle an aquarium fish tank for them.

Harry used a "cooked & peeled" prawn (and he stressed a 'cooked & peeled' prawn - not left over prawn scraps) to kick it off - he then said not to add the fish for another 6 weeks - presumably so that newbies didn't toss fish in too early, but it could be that using prawns takes that little bit longer to cycle - nothing was said about removing the remains of the prawn before introducing the sea horses or if it should just be left to rot.

One point that I would like to stress though and that is this method was used for "non eating" fish, I do not know if any bad types of bacteria etc would be introduced to our tanks where we look at eating the produce (both plant and fish), so use prawns if you wish but just be aware

For the international members - Dr Harry is a veterinarian and does a weekly show on pet health/behaviour problems and how to remedy them.
(sorry Dr Harry if my description is not spot on )

If it was sea horses it would be a marine tank, not sure whether that would make any difference to the bacterial poisons possibly created.

i shudder to think how many sea horses will perish due to that episode + "mummy can i have a sea horse"

The LFS here has written on the seahorse tank;

"SEA HORSES ARE NON TROPICAL SALT WATER, THEY W I L L N O T LIVE WITH GOLD FISH"

I still think it's a bad idea. Definitely not for me.

Cooked or not, no dead prawns in my tanks.

Live ones? Well maybe....

EDIT: I agree with you Steve. I've seen it in a Melbourne aquarium, 'I'll have that goldfish and those two and that one. Oh, and chuck in a couple of those seahorses.' Poor seahorses. At least the sales people there explained they needed a different tank and refused to sell them when the person refused to buy a suitable home for them. I wonder how many less scrupulous sellers are out there.

some are:

Tropical (24-28 oC)
Chargers
Asian Emperors

thanks BK, didn't know that. But you get my drift, people think they can put them in their freshwater aquarium. poor things.

Mabey we could use Dr Harry to cycle up a tank

yep, i read a few websites and they all seem to agree that thay are alot of work to keep.....not like harry described....theyre too nice to be kept in tanks anyway

marine in general are harder to keep than fresh. i wonder how many clown fish died after finding nemo?

ahhh thats ok....the asians are importing huge amounts illegally still i think

Steve unlikely it matters those clowns were cultured in vats that were just wiggling orange and white blobs. No worries nobody would know a true clown fish unless they have seen one

That they are BK, and if you ever want to see some (like hundreds) go snorkeling or diving under Rye Pier at night. (sorry about the melbourne/Aust reference guys) They're really great. Occies too, blue rings as well. Squid cuttles and stargazers. one of the best shore night dives I've ever done.

i wonder where he got his information from with regards to putting rotting meat in the tank (since that's how it will end up).
it'll be some "expert" on the subject no doubt.

did u see the segment timmy(boy down the well)? he put it in and added 2 bacteria blocks ( which i think nobody has mentioned)......as the prawn broke down it fed the bacteria released from the bacteria blocks

Too many Steve.

I know of several people who bought them to put in with the goldfish.

Kinda reminds me of 'fashionable' pets in general.