Seahorse and wrasse pair?

seahorse.tank

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Carpenters Flasher Wrasse
Six Line Wrasse
Melanurus Fairy Wrasse
Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse
Tricolor Fairy Wrasse
Long Fin Fairy Wrasse
Temminckii "Threadfin Fairy Wrasse"


I have 2 seahorses in a 45 gallon tank, and need some bristle worm cleaners. I was wondering which two of these wrasse would be the best for my tank and seahorses?:confused:
 
From my understanding, seahorses should be in a tank by themselves.

We were told that when we initially started a couple years ago, but have learned that's not necessarily true. We have a pistol shrimp (had a watchman goby) and sea urchin in there and they do just fine and we've learned we can have a slower, non-aggressive wrasse to eat the bristleworms, which I HATE! We also had a gorgeous starfish but he kept trying to eat my feather dusters so I took him back.
 
We were told that when we initially started a couple years ago, but have learned that's not necessarily true. We have a pistol shrimp (had a watchman goby) and sea urchin in there and they do just fine and we've learned we can have a slower, non-aggressive wrasse to eat the bristleworms, which I HATE! We also had a gorgeous starfish but he kept trying to eat my feather dusters so I took him back.

The issue is that Seahorses are sensitive to infections brought on by fish along with the waste generated by them. Bacteria is a big thing with Seahorses and will kill them in a hurry. Further that, a wrasse isn't going to just eat bristle worms and will outcompete the Seahorses for food. In the end, I wouldn't plan on having long term success with Seahorses if your going to mix them with fish like that. Not unless you have a really clean system that is kept at low temps and is fed copious amounts of food. A shrimp and sea urchin or even a watchman are different. That said, hate the bristle worms all you want but they are self regulating and beneficial to your system as part of your cleanup crew. If you have an issue with too many bristle worms, you need to consider keeping a cleaner tank. There will only be as many bristle worms as there is waste for them to eat and a tank with excess waste will not provide a good long term home for your Seahorses.
 
Wrasses are going to outcompete seahorses for food, not to mention bristleworms are valuable members of your clean up crew. I wish that devil of a Hoeven's wrasse I had years ago didn't clear my rock of all bristleworms (and that pesky leopard wrasse :facepalm:). Small gobies and nonaggressive blennies would make good tankmates though :dance:
 
The issue is that Seahorses are sensitive to infections brought on by fish along with the waste generated by them. Bacteria is a big thing with Seahorses and will kill them in a hurry. Further that, a wrasse isn't going to just eat bristle worms and will outcompete the Seahorses for food. In the end, I wouldn't plan on having long term success with Seahorses if your going to mix them with fish like that. Not unless you have a really clean system that is kept at low temps and is fed copious amounts of food. A shrimp and sea urchin or even a watchman are different. That said, hate the bristle worms all you want but they are self regulating and beneficial to your system as part of your cleanup crew. If you have an issue with too many bristle worms, you need to consider keeping a cleaner tank. There will only be as many bristle worms as there is waste for them to eat and a tank with excess waste will not provide a good long term home for your Seahorses.

Very well stated. Exactly the points I was about to bring up.
 
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