Corals

[Baka Saru]

Which corals would you recommend keeping with SH? I have a 14G hex so its tall so keep in mind of temp and lighting.

 

[Allmost]

I have soft corals, mushrooms, zoas, gorgs and .... in there,

I would say gorgs, though, seahorses can hatch onto them as well. same with kenya tree soft coral and finger coral ...

DEAD acro pieces work the best

 

[rayjay]

What seahorses are you keeping in a 14g?
That is not a recommended tank size for a pair of seahorses, and is too large for putting dwarfs in.

 

[Baka Saru]

Thanks allmost! Ill look into them.

rayjay - I understand what youre saying but my tank is a lot bigger than it actually looks and sounds. Its a tall hex, not a 14g cube. On the list below i got from seahorse.org it shows that the minimum tank size should be 15g for a pair on a lot of SH, some even 5g and 10g. Not that im doubting your knowledge or experience with them but I think I should be okay with 14g.

1) Tropical species - kept at 74-78 degrees F (24-26 degrees C)
zosterae, 1 pair/1.5 gallons (6 liters) - recommended 5 gallons (20 liters)
kuda, 1 pair/8 gallons (30 liters)- minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)
barbouri, 1 pair/8 gallons (30 liters)- minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)
erectus, 1 pair/8 gallons (30 liters)- minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)
reidi 1 pair/8 gallons (30 liters)- minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)
fuscus 1 pair per 5 gallons (20 liters)- minimum size 10 gallons (40 liters)
comes 1 pair/8 gallons (30 liters)- minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)
procerus 1 pair/8 gallons (30 liters) - minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)

2) Subtropical species - kept at 70-74 degrees F (22-25 degrees C)
whitei, 1 pair/8 gallons (30 liters)- minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)
ingens1 pair/13 gallons (50 liters)- minimum size 45 gallons (180 liters)
tuberculatus, 1 pair/5 gallons (20 liters)- minimum size 15 gallons (60 liters)

3) Temperate species - kept at 66-72 degrees F (19-22 degrees C)
abdominalis, 1pair/13 gallons (50 liters)- minimum size 60 gallons (240 liters)
capensis 1 pair/5 gallons (20 liters)- minimum size 10 gallons (40 liters)
breviceps, 1 pair/5 gallons (20 liters)- minimum size 10 gallons (40 liters)

 

[rayjay]

Unfortunately you are working with outdated facts that have been changed because they didn't work out. Could you please post on seahorse.org and tell them how you linked to that old information so they can erase it? They have most of the links updated somewhat but some have not been found at this time.
It would be a big help to keep others from being led astray.
There is still a lot of other information on the org that hasn't been updated so one needs to participate on the appropriate forum to find corrections.
To start, please see the PDF file: CAREGUIDE
Some of the other newer facts are addressed by links you can find at the bottom of MY THOUGHTS ON SEAHORSE KEEPING page.
Also, 14g is just that, 14g, it doesn't matter on the shape, it still is only holding 14g which doesn't meet the needs as found today by experienced keepers.
I have a pair of angustus in a 20gT, but it has a 10g sump to make up the difference, with the rock in the sump and only hitches in the tank. I STILL have to do more frequent water changes on that tank than on my larger ones.

 

[Faerl]

Wow, really wish they'd just take that page down. Seahorse.org knows it's there. They added this quote at the beginning of the page. "WOW! This is a waaaaaay out of date referance. Please do not refer to this information for tank sizes, medication or tankmates. It is based on what we knew back in 2003 which was 7 years ago - we have learned a lot since then!!!"

Unfortunately, when you're looking for specific data it's really easy to miss...

 

[Baka Saru]

hmm lol well i had no idea that info was that old. Thanks for the updated info. Well now im screwed bc I dont wanna wait another 6 months for a new tank to mature and my gf is ganna be ****ed.

 

[rayjay]

Certainly won't be any six months.
It only takes me about two months to go from start to putting in seahorses.
With the rock/filtration you already have transferred to a larger tank, it would be ready in very short order.
What took six months to get ready?

 

[Baka Saru]

Well thats true, if I just take the bio filter from the existing tank I should be fine. I guess I got my other info about waiting 6 months for the tank to mature from outdated sources also lol

 

[TamiW]

The six month recommendation is not just for cycling, it is for making sure the tank is really established and stable. I make the same recommendation for anyone looking to keep delicate fish species. Sure, experienced aquarists can probably fudge the rules a bit because we're more in tune with our systems and recognize when something is off before its a problem. But, I'd still argue that its beneficial for most people to wait six months before adding any touchy species to a new aquarium.

Baka Saru, I would wait that long if this is your first experience with seahorses, which it sounds like it is. Yes, while possible to get them sooner, seahorses are more delicate than your average fish and you want to make sure everything is perfect. Six months sounds like a long time but it really isn't.