Corals with Seahorses

[Fretfreak13]

I just started a thread elsewhere on the forum and just realized that wording it differently and posting it here would probably get me more answers lol

I'm planning a seahorse tank and will be keeping it at 72 degrees. I've done some research about keeping corals with them and am concerned that the corals will suffer from the lower temperatures.

I want to keep:
Zoas
Mushrooms/Rics
Acans
Photosynthetic gorgs
caulastrea
leathers

Do any of you have these in your tanks with the ponies? at what temperature? Do you think I can go even colder without it being detrimental to the corals?

As well, I know LPS are listed as risky with horses. I am 100% aware of this and am willing to try it to see how it goes. Please don't lecture me about what you've read about it elsewhere (thats not what I'm asking about in this thread!), unless you actually tried it yourself. I don't mean to sound like a b-word, but there are a lot of parrots here who just copy what others say might happen and take it as total truth...

 

[funkejj]

I posted in your other thread what corals we keep in out horse tank. Look LP'S like torches, frogspawn, and candy canes have tentacles that sting you. When I can feel a sting when it hits the back of my hand then why would I risk the chance of my horses trying to hitch to it?

 

[rayjay]

It's GREAT that you are planning ahead, and especially planning on keeping the temperature in the range between 68° and 74°F.
IMO however, lectures are needed when one considers putting stinging corals in seahorse tanks after being advised against it. It is the seahorse that pays the price more so than the hobbyist just being out the money.
There are PLENTY of people that have tried, and almost all have ended up with losses. Just ask on the org.
At the very least, it means treatment to stop the bacterial infections leading to flesh erosion after a sting or two.
While it's not the be all and the end all, the Tankmates Guide is great to get an idea on what is a better risk than others. Threat levels "0" or "1" are not much of a risk although there is no 100% guarantee, but the higher the number the worse it will be for your seahorses. Unfortunately, I also found that many corals didn't do well in the cold water. If you do a search here or on the "org", for threads about corals and temperatures, I'm sure others can help you with which ones do best in cooler water.
When I first started, I didn't have the advantage of a computer to learn about this and many other things and my seahorses paid the price for it.
Even large aiptasia can be a problem so zap them when they are small if they show up.
If you ever decide to keep dwarfs, then even TINY aiptasia are deadly.

 

[Fretfreak13]

funk, that wasn't directed at you. I have no problem being lectured when people can back it up with something, but when people pop in here who have never even seen a real live seahorse, let alone owned one, and try to tell me stuff they read and condemn me for doing the opposite, those are the people I want to punt...lol

I totally get it with the euphyllia, but I have never been stung by a candy cane. In fact, even completely turned out at night looking for food, I've never seen them have longer tentacles than something like an acan. On that tankmate list, acans are listed at one and candy canes at two, but I wonder why? If the tentacles are the same length, what's the difference? I wonder if caulastrea has more stinging cells or something?

Oh and I totally know about the dwarfs. Their sensitivity is what steered me away from them, as well as the constant napulii hatching, even though my tank is more suited for them long term than the species I'm getting. @_@ Too much for a college kid to deal with. This system will be bleached and sterile if I ever decide to do zosteraes. My ponies will be kudas.

My tank is a 6.2 gallon (12x12x15) and currently the kudas I'm getting are only about two inches long. I work at a LFS, and my boss sells the larger horses at a higher price. I will be taking two (they're still a little young to sex) for about four months, give them personal attention, and grow them bigger. Then they will be brought back to the store and swapped out for two smaller ones. This way the store can benefit by having bigger, mega-fat horses, I benefit from being able to enjoy my little guys for a bit, and the horses benefit from the personal attention. Otherwise, they live at the LFS in a 20 high with about 25 other ponies. I try to feed them in a way to make sure they all get their share a few times a day, but in such a heavily stocked tank its very hard. Even though its not the norm to have kudas in such a small tank, they will not be staying with me for more than four months. This is a win-win-win situation.

 

[rayjay]

I have the impression that regardless of what anyone tells you, you are going to do it your way without regards to recommendations.
A 6.2g tank is NOT sufficient for proper care for 2 seahorses even if they can't be sexed yet. If you keep them for four months they will be probably 5" or more.
With stinging corals, it has NOTHING to do with length of tentacles, but rather the potency of the sting. Also, it's not just what you feel when you touch them but what the seahorses feel.
Each person is different and feels a different degree of discomfort or lack of it.
Some with the same coral will feel nothing while others could possibly need help afterwards.
The fact the seahorses are two inches means that they are almost certainly tank raised from Asian sources with low success ratios compared to true captive bred seahorses like sold by seahorse source, seahorsecorral, or some hobbyists.
A respected breeder wouldn't usually sell them until they are sexable size.

 

[funkejj]

My wifes horses do not hitch to the acans. Candy canes are way way more conducive to hitching to. Then they setup for the night and lay their body against the head of the coral and the tentacles sting the daylights out of it is NOT good. I have been in the reef hobby for a few years and horses for a couple of three months. This is good husbandry we are talking about not taking some LFS horses you don't intend to keep and put them in a tank that is way undersized for them that is already prone due to size to have water and nutrient issues with the feeding they require. Your going to do what you want but it goes right back to I wouldn't put a tang of any kind in a tank less than 6 foot long. IT IS ABOUT GOOD HUSBANDRY not what I can possibly get by with.

 

[Fretfreak13]

My wifes horses do not hitch to the acans. Candy canes are way way more conducive to hitching to. Then they setup for the night and lay their body against the head of the coral and the tentacles sting the daylights out of it is NOT good.

THAT is the kind of information I'm looking for. Not just saying not to do it and then be done with it. I competently understand what you mean about the caluastrea from you saying that, and it will not be in my tank when I get the horses. Thank you.

 

[Fretfreak13]

The candy cane is now gone and has been replaced with varities of macro algae. Got ahold of some Blue Ochtodes, Caulerpa Mexicana, Caulerpa Var. Peltata, Caulerpa Cylindracea, Caulerpa Prolifera, and Red Gracilaria.

I've been hearing mixed reviews on the more common NPS corals, but I'd love to get a dendro or sun coral. What are your opinions on those?

 

[funkejj]

The candy cane is now gone and has been replaced with varities of macro algae. Got ahold of some Blue Ochtodes, Caulerpa Mexicana, Caulerpa Var. Peltata, Caulerpa Cylindracea, Caulerpa Prolifera, and Red Gracilaria.

I've been hearing mixed reviews on the more common NPS corals, but I'd love to get a dendro or sun coral. What are your opinions on those?

With out me taking the time to go and search the different macros is one of those the grape caulerpa?

 

[Fretfreak13]

I believe the common name for Caulerpa Cylindracea could be grape caulerpa? The only reason I went and found all the latin names was because I couldn't find common names for a couple of them, haha.

I've heard about it taking over. I have it isolated, rubber banded to a rock in the sandbed until it attaches itself. Do you think I should nix it and banish it to the mantis tank?

Here is a picture I found of what I have:

 

[funkejj]

Some of those and please don't hold me to this can emit stuff that is bad for the tank if they go sexual. I believe the grape variety is one of the biggest ones. I have read several threads about this around a year ago. Just a FYI.

 

[Fretfreak13]

Thanks for the heads up. Is it stuff that carbon can remove, or should I just get rid of it all together?

And do you have any opinions on keeping dendros or sun coral with the ponies?

I really appreciate all the help and advice!

 

[funkejj]

I have no experience with dendros or sun coral. I did look up the macro going sexual. It emits a spore that can cause issues. I am not sure carbon can fix it or not. I know it will turn the water milky. I know it can be harmful for fish. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

 

[Fretfreak13]

Thanks. What about inverts? I'm debating on just tossing it to the mantis tank before it puts down roots, or flushing it. lol I'll go look it up myself though, unless you already found something on it? You don't have to do my research for me, but thanks for the extra effort!

I'm only wondering about the dendros/suns because the org lists them as a 1 on the tank mates page, but I would think that they would pack one of the biggest stings out of all of 'em. The tentacles are long, and because they're an NPS they have to sting and kill their prey to get all their nutrients. I know their normal prey are very small, but still... I guess I might go over to the org and make an account and see what some of them say about it.

 

[MarineGirl411]

There is a local seahorse breeder that keeps acans, ricordias, zoas, PS gorgs and mushrooms with her horses. She doesn't have a problem with them. I have some soft corals and a couple acans in with mine. I've seen them wrap around them with no problem. With that being said, I also have a lot of macro algae in with mine. They prefer to hitch on that.