my seahorse pic's + some questions

[-Alon-]

here are my seahorses which i bought a few days ago.

i have 2 of them in a 9G tank with no fish.


just 2 questions please,

1) does anyone know what is their scientific name? their ID?

2) i have a small Blue Boxing Shrimp that bothers them some times. should i be worried?


thank you

 

[namxas]

those SH are H. reidi (AKA the "smooth SH" or "Brazilian SH").

they will NOT do well in a 9 gal tank as reidi can reach 8" in length. you're looking at a MINIMUM tank size of 29 gals for a pair.

also, your CBS will have to go...they're nasty, and only get nastier as they grow. it will snap at your SH every chance it gets, and if it catches one, it will kill and eat it.

 

[pledosophy]

Can we get a full tank shot? Looks like it would be quite cool.

I would worry about the clam as well myself, some have done it though.

 

[-Alon-]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15562084#post15562084 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by namxas
those SH are H. reidi (AKA the "smooth SH" or "Brazilian SH").

they will NOT do well in a 9 gal tank as reidi can reach 8" in length. you're looking at a MINIMUM tank size of 29 gals for a pair.

also, your CBS will have to go...they're nasty, and only get nastier as they grow. it will snap at your SH every chance it gets, and if it catches one, it will kill and eat it.

he is very small... only 4 cm at the most.

your sure about the blue boxer?

the SH are small now and i cant change the tank.

if they would get to big i would have to sell them.

anyway, thay are ok now... right?

 

[-Alon-]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15562234#post15562234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pledosophy
Can we get a full tank shot? Looks like it would be quite cool.

I would worry about the clam as well myself, some have done it though.

i want to try and be the oct' TOTM... so i'm working on it and after some changes i would be very happy to show alot more

dont thik i have much of a chance though... i've seen this month competitors and it's a hard competition.

what was it about the clam? i dident understand the problem you think the boxer shrimp would harm it? the SH?

 

[CCall]

The clam closes with a seahorse tail stuck inside, not a very pretty picture.

 

[Elysia]

Is that a Trachyphyllia in the first photo? (with its feeding tentacles around the body of the one male reidi?) Open brain corals are not a good tankmate for small seahorses, IMO. From Dr. Shimek "These are voracious feeders that are often adept at capturing small fishes." Borneman says virtually the same thing.

As has already been mentioned, a nine gallon tank is MUCH too small for two reidi seahorses. Seahorses need to feed often, and as such put a lot of pressure on the water quality. Nine gallons would not be an appropriate amount of space for even one of these horses.

The hazard posed by the incompatible tankmates is made even more dangerous by the fact that the tank is so small that the seahorses and the coral, shrimp, and clam do not have the opportunity to get away from one another. Clams are known to snap down on curious fish faces and seahorses are notorious for sticking their tails where they don't belong (because most are not very strong swimmers.)

Finally, it is much better for the seahorses if they are kept in a tank maintained at a temperture of 74 degrees or below.

I'm sorry to be such a downer, but your seahorses are beautiful and I'm sure we all want what is best for these interesting creatures. If you are unable to house these horses in a more appropriate set up, IMO it would be best for the seahorses if you did sell them to someone who can properly care for them.

 

[namxas]

as i mentioned, i've kept CBS (coral banded shrimp/boxer shrimp) before and they get more agressive as they gain size, and will eventually become the size of a man's hand (including the legs). i've kept them to ripe old ages, over 8 years, and all they do is grab at any fish that is close enuff.

the CBS won't hurt your clam at all, but the clam is incompatible with SH, ESPECIALLY in a tank that small as there isn't really anyplace they can be away from it.

nobody is trying to undermine your setup, but you did ask for experienced opinions, and everyone who has kept SH for many years.

 

[-Alon-]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15563477#post15563477 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Elysia
Is that a Trachyphyllia in the first photo? (with its feeding tentacles around the body of the one male reidi?) Open brain corals are not a good tankmate for small seahorses, IMO. From Dr. Shimek "These are voracious feeders that are often adept at capturing small fishes." Borneman says virtually the same thing.

As has already been mentioned, a nine gallon tank is MUCH too small for two reidi seahorses. Seahorses need to feed often, and as such put a lot of pressure on the water quality. Nine gallons would not be an appropriate amount of space for even one of these horses.

The hazard posed by the incompatible tankmates is made even more dangerous by the fact that the tank is so small that the seahorses and the coral, shrimp, and clam do not have the opportunity to get away from one another. Clams are known to snap down on curious fish faces and seahorses are notorious for sticking their tails where they don't belong (because most are not very strong swimmers.)

Finally, it is much better for the seahorses if they are kept in a tank maintained at a temperture of 74 degrees or below.

I'm sorry to be such a downer, but your seahorses are beautiful and I'm sure we all want what is best for these interesting creatures. If you are unable to house these horses in a more appropriate set up, IMO it would be best for the seahorses if you did sell them to someone who can properly care for them.

its not just the 9G, i have a total of 18G.

there is alot you dont know about the system and filteration is not the problem, temp' also.

i cant give all the info just now but you can trust i know what i'm doing with the filteration.

about the corals, the Trachyphyllia did try to eat the SH in the first pic. but they dont come neer it now. the clam is realy small and i hope it would be ok - thank you for the info - i would surely think about it.

i'll give you guyes more info later. thanks!

 

[hartsafire]

seems you are trying to adapt the reidi`s to your tank invironment.. a 9 gal tank is never good for lg seahorses. The reidi`s get rather lg. I do wish people would research seahorse care and proper set up before just jumping in and buying them. The shrimp you have is definately not a suitable tank mate.. they dont recommend the type of corals that you have either. Please read up and at least find a used 20 gal tall tank for the reidi`s. they need height for breeding..and please read up on proper set up and care of seahorses.. after all you have money invested already..

 

[hartsafire]

evenif you had a 20 gal sump it is not enough space in a 9 gal for reidi`s.. I dont mean to sound like the seahorse police here but please look on craigs list where you live for used tanks and get them in a larger tank, the chance of them surviving and being healthy will increase.. reidi fry are very difficult to raise.. you never said if you had a male and fe ,, Reidi sh fry has to be raised in a seperate tank apart from parents..

 

[ReefNutPA]

I'm not sure why you asked for help/asked questions if you didn't want those experienced with seahorses to give you honest and correct answers.

Your tank, while beautiful, is not an appropriate home for seahorses. These creatures are relying on you to provide them a safe home. Seems to me you are more concerned with creating a beautiful tank that just happens to house a pair of seahorses - regardless of whether it is a suitable home or not. Sad, really.

Tom

 

[rayjay]

Again, very nice pictures, but completely inappropriate for a pair of Reidi seahorses. Please buy a larger tank or sell/give away the horses so they may be properly looked after in a large enough tank.
You can always have the same tank with fish appropriate to the conditions and still be in contention for TOTM.
I wouldn't vote for any tank that looked extremely good, but was inappropriate for any of the inhabitants.

 

[krzyphsygy]

Beautifull SH! I do have to warn though....I did not read the whole thread so I am not sure if someone mentioned, but the first pic of the SH and it looks like a brain coral?? My brain coral ate a med size palette Tang and swollowed it whole!!
Your brain in the pic has its feeding tentacles out also which means it is in feeding responce and that SH is right on it.

it is 100% possible for the coral to eat that SH. I do not mean to sound like a jerk, if I am. I am sorry! That does not look good though!

 

[krzyphsygy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15562928#post15562928 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by -Alon-
he is very small... only 4 cm at the most.

your sure about the blue boxer?

the SH are small now and i cant change the tank.

if they would get to big i would have to sell them.

anyway, thay are ok now... right?

Manxas is right about the CBS shrimp, they are nasty and if caught will eat the SH. I had one that would catch fish in its claws, the fish always got away but the SH might not, its too slow.

 

[MC Genghis]

beautiful sh and corals, I agree with all comments

 

[SaylorsReef]

Yikes! Please find them a new home/tank very soon!