mixing seahorses with fish
- Thread starter timjoemak
- Start date
Capt_Cully
Active member
What fishes, if any would you consider keeping with SH/pipes??? (Assume tank size 75gal)
ReefNutPA
New member
I personally don't keep any other fish in any of my seahorse tanks. Others keep small gobies, firefish, etc in with their seahorses.
The issue isn't whether a fish tankmate is physically aggressive towards the seahorses, the issue is the other fishes swimming patterns/eating behavior stressing out the seahorses.
For example, fish that dart around the tank in fast movements and go on "feeding frenzies" when the tank is fed would not be good tankmates. It could entice the seahorses to not move about the tank and stay in a "safe" zone away from the other fish. If the seahorses feel they are not safe/comfortable it leads to unnecessary stress.
There are many hobbyists keeping other fish tankmates in with their seahorses. It can be done successfully, I'm just not one who chooses to do that. I keep the other swimming fish in their own tanks.
I've never mixed pipes with seahorses. Too many pathogen issues as pipes in the US are wild caught whereas most hobbyists purchase captive bred seahorses. Not good to mix the two.
Tom
The issue isn't whether a fish tankmate is physically aggressive towards the seahorses, the issue is the other fishes swimming patterns/eating behavior stressing out the seahorses.
For example, fish that dart around the tank in fast movements and go on "feeding frenzies" when the tank is fed would not be good tankmates. It could entice the seahorses to not move about the tank and stay in a "safe" zone away from the other fish. If the seahorses feel they are not safe/comfortable it leads to unnecessary stress.
There are many hobbyists keeping other fish tankmates in with their seahorses. It can be done successfully, I'm just not one who chooses to do that. I keep the other swimming fish in their own tanks.
I've never mixed pipes with seahorses. Too many pathogen issues as pipes in the US are wild caught whereas most hobbyists purchase captive bred seahorses. Not good to mix the two.
Tom
pledosophy
Active member
This link might be of help to you.Seahorse Tankmate List
I've kept quite a wide variety of fish and corals with sehorses myself. You do have to be careful about what you choose. Have had my share of good and bad experiences.
I've kept quite a wide variety of fish and corals with sehorses myself. You do have to be careful about what you choose. Have had my share of good and bad experiences.
TheGrimMerc
New member
I keep a leaf fish with my seahorses.
Thanks for all the info well actually i've only kept my seahorse for a day and i have been only putting a type of food called VITABIT by fishlife. It is like flaky type. My Lfs said it could feed them but until now i havent seen my seahorse consume anything. It is now consuming some of the stuff on the walls of the tanks. What should i do?
Dante_JoseCuerv
New member
If you want to keep fish with your horses you're gonna need some really peaceful fish. I would go with cardinals or clowns... as those guys are pretty chill. Clown gobies would be pretty good too as they're not terribly active. Dragonets are also good as they're not fast moving, although they'll probably compete for food. Maybe little gobies too, but again that might be competition for live foods.
JennyL
New member
Your lfs is wrong. You need to get some mysis or ghost shrimp,etc to feed properly. Seahorses do not eat flake foods and will starve.
I assume this horse is not Captive Bred and therefore not eating frozen food so you will need to purchase live shrimp as soon as possible.
Please do some reading in this forum to learn more about the care and feeding of seahorses.
First thing Tangs and seahorses NO NO NO!
If your LFS sold seahorses and did not tell you what they eat chances are they don't know.
You need to get them some live food, they probably haven't eaten in days. If you don't they will probably starve to death soon. The few pods they eat off the glass will not be enough.
Good Luck
If your LFS sold seahorses and did not tell you what they eat chances are they don't know.
You need to get them some live food, they probably haven't eaten in days. If you don't they will probably starve to death soon. The few pods they eat off the glass will not be enough.
Good Luck
The previous post is correct. If your seahorse was tank-raised, it should be comfortable with frozen mysis, such as mini-mysis from H20 or better yet, PE Mysis. It is probably picking live copepods off your tank walls. You may find over time that your seahorse will sample cyclopeeze, but only if it is familiar with frozen foods. Your seahorse needs to be fed several times a day and it has no stomach, so please follow the advice and get your horse some food quickly...
LL
Steveabg
Member
I am looking to get something like this for feeding.
http://www.lostmymarblz.com/hh-feeders-dm-barbouri-comes-erectus-kuda-reidi.htm
I've been feeding my seahorses frozen mysis and frozen plankton with a turkey baster. They like to hitch near the mass of chaeto in the tank, which makes it easy to feed. Just blast a bunch of food into the chaeto, and they'll sort through and pick it out. A station like that would make it easier, though.
http://www.lostmymarblz.com/hh-feeders-dm-barbouri-comes-erectus-kuda-reidi.htm
I've been feeding my seahorses frozen mysis and frozen plankton with a turkey baster. They like to hitch near the mass of chaeto in the tank, which makes it easy to feed. Just blast a bunch of food into the chaeto, and they'll sort through and pick it out. A station like that would make it easier, though.
steve 2011
New member
you can keep itwith the blue tang iam not sure about the yellow tang tho it should be fine i had a sea horse live in a 29 with a medium size blue tang just dont get any big hermit crabs
In seahorses you have a very beautiful and unique fish, one that is more a pet than just a fish in the tank.
They have very special traits, and if you want to enjoy seahorses to the fullness of their characters, do not mix them with other fish.
Seahorses are very easily stressed, and with this stress comes a weakening of their immune system, as it does with all living creatures, including humans.
When seahorses immune system is compomised, then they will very easily sucumb to many things that a healthy horse will easily shrug off, result, usually death.
Keep your seahorse tank for seahorses.
They have very special traits, and if you want to enjoy seahorses to the fullness of their characters, do not mix them with other fish.
Seahorses are very easily stressed, and with this stress comes a weakening of their immune system, as it does with all living creatures, including humans.
When seahorses immune system is compomised, then they will very easily sucumb to many things that a healthy horse will easily shrug off, result, usually death.
Keep your seahorse tank for seahorses.
Well thanks a lot for the info. So today i went to another lfs and i bought frozen brine shrimp. could this help me? i dont know but i put in some but it did not consume anything.. sigh... some other people said that i could hatch brine shrimps from little eggs.. Could that help??
pledosophy
Active member
So I actually kept seahorses ad tangs togetehr in my newb days before I knew better.
I first tried with a baby blue hippo tang, thing was under an inch. I was to ignorant to know how big it would get, but I killed the thing beore I could find out.
A bit later I tried with a Salfin tang, little under 4" in a 44g with a pair of reidi. They were O.K. for a short time but then it became evident to me the aggression of the Salfin and swim patterns were to much for the seahorses.
It's one thing to keep a really small tang with seahorses, but even then the nature of a tang and the nature of a seahorse aren't really that compatible. As the tang grows larger you will have more problems IME.
I'm not a big fan of clowns with seahorses either. Very much the same. Clowns were fine (CB percs) while small but once they got larger aggression issues started to appear and the clowns had to be removed.
JME
ann83
New member
No, you do not want frozen brine shrimp. I am not suprised that the seahorses won't eat it. It has very little nutritional value, it is not a natural food source for them, it is too small, and it is not real shrimp. You need to buy frozen MYSIS shrimp. You should be able to find it at an LFS in your area.
If the seahorses do not eat the frozen mysis shrimp, you will need to try live foods. Preferably live mysis or live ghost shrimp. Live brine shrimp might work if it is your only option, but it is much less nutritious and needs to be gutloaded with a substantial enrichment. Also, some seahorses won't eat live brine either since it is not a natural food source for them. If you decide to go with live brine, you will need ADULT brine, not brine you hatched from eggs.
cmlloveless
New member
Where to buy live Mysis from? Or live Marine Ghost shrimp? That might be of help for this person as i know live mysis and marine ghost shrimp really are not all that commen at your LFS.
ann83
New member
You can use freshwater ghost shrimp from your LFS, or you can order live shrimp from www.seawaterexpress.com or Reed Mariculture...
