Coral with Seahorses?
- Thread starter R@ck78
- Start date
ChadTheSpike
Reef Engineer
There is a good general tankmates and acceptable corals list found here.
The general questions I ask myself before adding a coral to my SH tank are:
1) could the coral harm the SHs?
2) could the SHs harm the corals?
3) can I meet the coral's needs without comprimising the SH's needs?
4) is there an adequate location in my tank for the coral before I bring it home?
If I answer my questions satisfactorily, I will consider adding the coral to my tank.
The general questions I ask myself before adding a coral to my SH tank are:
1) could the coral harm the SHs?
2) could the SHs harm the corals?
3) can I meet the coral's needs without comprimising the SH's needs?
4) is there an adequate location in my tank for the coral before I bring it home?
If I answer my questions satisfactorily, I will consider adding the coral to my tank.
pledosophy
Active member
Depending on the species of gorgonia sometimes the constant hitching of the seahorse can be troublesome to the gorg. The gorgs are seahorse safe the seahorses are not gorg safe if that makes sense.
I have had better luck with photosynthetic gorgs handeling the hitching of the seahorses then with non photo ones, but my test group has been very limited.
Kevin
I have had better luck with photosynthetic gorgs handeling the hitching of the seahorses then with non photo ones, but my test group has been very limited.
Kevin
ChadTheSpike
Reef Engineer
I can seconds Kevin's observations...
The photosythetic gorgs I have had with the SHs have all become adapted to the SHs hitching and do not appear stressed by it at all (only withdrawing the polyps where the SHs are hitching, then immediately extending them when they move). I have had more trouble with the non-photosynthetic gorgs appearing stressed by the SHs (frequently withdrawing all polyps if a SH hitches and not extending them until they are no longer hitched). I have been recently been moving my non photo gorgs to the worm habitat in an attempt to keep them happy.
The photosythetic gorgs I have had with the SHs have all become adapted to the SHs hitching and do not appear stressed by it at all (only withdrawing the polyps where the SHs are hitching, then immediately extending them when they move). I have had more trouble with the non-photosynthetic gorgs appearing stressed by the SHs (frequently withdrawing all polyps if a SH hitches and not extending them until they are no longer hitched). I have been recently been moving my non photo gorgs to the worm habitat in an attempt to keep them happy.
fishtankdon
New member
Yes, tank temps can make some coral not look so hot compared to a reef tank. Our reef tanks are around 80 degrees with coral, while our seahorse tanks would be lucky to hit 75 most days. We can see the difference with some corals just from the temp difference.
My "reef" tank is still kept at super low temperatures (high 60s), and the corals are growing. The acans is developing new heads like there is no tomorrow (and they have the same great color as the original heads from when I bought it months ago), the trumpet divides new heads as long as I feed it every once in a while, the gorgs are growing and putting down new tissue, the zoas, palys, and 'shrooms are spreading.... The only coral that I wouldn't recommend on purely a temperature incongruency would be blue ridge coral, as that is suppose to like really warm water.
