Seahorse Compatability

[BeccaScott]

So I was thinking of adding a seahorse or 2 to my aquarium and I'm not sure if its a good idea.

I have a reef aquarium full of soft corals, a small clown fish and a coral banded shrimp with no anemones or anything else. My tank has been set up for a while and I know I could home a seahorse successfully if it was the only thing in the tank but I was wondering if it was possible with my current tank mates.

I've heard a lot about trouble feeding them because they are slow eaters but I have an infinite number of pods lining my tank walls, millions it looks like, and I noticed at the LFS that the seahorse was eating pods off of the walls.

So what do you think?

 

[rayjay]

I don't think, I KNOW it's a bad idea, especially with what you already have in the tank. Clown fish, especially as they mature to full size are almost always a bad mix, and coral bandeds again would be a nono.
Pods in the tank that are appropriately sized for a seahorse to eat would quickly be decimated by a pair of seahorses.
As seahorses grow, most pods forms have not much interest to them because of their small size. The ones they do have interest in would have to be adults for mature seahorses.
Seahorses are best kept in species only tanks, not even mixing same species from different breeding sources.
For the basics on seahorse keeping, see the links at the bottom of "My Thoughts on Seahorse Keeping"

 

[gnu]

I agree with Rayjay. Unfortunately, It's a bad idea. Not only do clowns get pretty aggressive, but it would out compete any SH for food. They would probably be ok together for a little while, but it would most likely not end well.
Coral banded shrimp are just too mean for SH compatability. Even if the clown would be ok, the shrimp definitely wouldn't.
Also, if the horses at your LFS are eating pods, it makes me wonder if they're wild caught who haven't taken to frozen yet???

 

[theresearcher]

I have seen, and read of, tons of aquarium that are full on reef with seahorses in them. In the wild, seahorses don't have glass boxes protecting them from everything else in the ocean. Go for it if you really want them.

 

[rayjay]

IMO, that's the most ridiculous statement I've seen posted on any seahorse forum in my eleven years into seahorse keeping. It really takes a certain type of person to put crap like that, from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about, on forums, leading someone to try it and causing deaths of many seahorses.
Seahorses are NOT found in TON's of, nor are there TON's of writing available showing seahorses being kept long term in aquariums.
Seahorses HAVE been, and will be kept in reef tanks, but the success rate is VERY low compared with keeping seahorses in appropriate conditions.
The success of the low number of tanks with them in reef conditions depends on so many factors with any one of them possibly getting out of hand, causing death.
Bacterial conditions are much higher in reef conditions as are pathogen exposure, which is probably the second biggest killer of seahorses as they often fail due to that exposure to pathogens they haven grown up with.
Any stinging corals only need contact to cause a wound that can be infected, often leading to death, especially at warmer reef tank temperatures.
Temperament of tank inhabitants, as well as the seahorse itself come into play here also. Recommended tank mates may not fit the norm and become a problem, while sometimes ones that are normally a problem, don't become one. It's still best to avoid the chance of conflict when lives are at stake.
Seahorses in the wild are NOT found in areas populated like a reef tank is, even though a few species ARE found around reefs.
There is a LOT to learn about seahorse keeping to aid the chances of success, and even doing everything right doesn't guarantee that success, but it does make it more probable that you will. A single thread is not going to provide enough information but there are reputable sources for proper up to date information available here and on seahorse.org which is the single largest forum for seahorsekeeping.
FWIW, many sps keepers found the water produced by seahorse keeping was too dirty for success with many types of sps, even though it may look perfectly clear.
Seahorses masticate their food when they snick it up, passing particulate matter out through their gills, into the water. Sometimes this looks like a cloud coming from their gills.
Please do the proper thing and fully investigate this hobby before proceeding.

 

[theresearcher]

Well, for starters, TON'S was on overstatement, but still if you take precautions it can be done. And this 'certain person' is actually someone who has done extensive research on seahorses. Someone once said that if you don't take any chances or risks, no advances can be made in this hobby. And while I don't have any first hand experience like you do, and may not be able to give you every possible fact on them, I know that they can be kept in reefs under the proper conditions. And besides, it's not like he is trying to keep them with a bunch of euphyllia, just softies. I am not trying to start an argument or anything, but just stating my opinion. I am actually the 'certain person' who decided to skip the dwarf sea horses on The Reef Tank.

 

[rayjay]

but still if you take precautions it can be done.

While it can be done, only a portion of those trying will succeed. It CANNOT be done at will.

And this 'certain person' is actually someone who has done extensive research on seahorses.

IMO, you haven't done near enough "extensive" research based on your writings.

Someone once said that if you don't take any chances or risks, no advances can be made in this hobby.

Heck of a way to try to justify seahorse losses.

And while I don't have any first hand experience like you do, and may not be able to give you every possible fact on them, I know that they can be kept in reefs under the proper conditions.

They "sometimes" can be kept in reef tanks.

And besides, it's not like he is trying to keep them with a bunch of euphyllia, just softies.

You are making it sound like it's such an easy task and that if you pick the right corals it will all work out. WRONG.

I am not trying to start an argument or anything, but just stating my opinion.

It would be much appreciated if you save your advice for topics you are well versed on, preferably with experience to back it up.
In my estimation, due to a myriad of reasons, there probably isn't more than about one percent of seahorses sold in North America that live a normal life span, and in fact, the great majority don't even survive a year after purchase.

 

[Fretfreak13]

GO RAYJAY!!!!! You handled that far better than I would have. Much respect.

For someone with the name "theresearcher" I would expect better. If you don't have first hand experience with something, why on Earth would you try to steer someone in a particular direction, not to mention go against what someone with years of experience has recommended? Shame on you.

Becca, if you're serious about trying to keep seahorses, please join up at seahorse.org to talk to many people who really can help steer you in the RIGHT direction. They really are wonderful, friendly little critters that will capture your heart when you have them in your home.

 

[Meus]

I have seen, and read of, tons of aquarium that are full on reef with seahorses in them. In the wild, seahorses don't have glass boxes protecting them from everything else in the ocean. Go for it if you really want them.

In the wild seahorses don't have a glass boxes that trap them within the vicinity of other territorial species. In the wild they eat 24/7, not 2-3 times a day. In the wild they aren't exposed to the higher populations of pathogens that are found in closed systems, especially warmer closed systems. In the wild there's no risk of them having their tails sheared off by powerheads. In the wild they avoid predation and territorial fishes. Are you getting my point? The natural ocean and an aquarium are two very different things. Simply because some people experience success with seahorses in a reef tank does not mean that a reef tank is the optimal environment one could provide.

The precautions that all fish keepers should take is to strive to setup and maintain the optimal setting for their pets to thrive in. Not experiment with an environment that contains known threats to their health and safety. If any experiments are to be performed it should go the opposite way. Rather than housing them in an environment that is most likely going to fail and hoping to get lucky, the experimenter should seek ways to improve the norm. And I mean improve not for his/her own enjoyment(ex. trying to figure out how clowns could be somewhat compatible, ergo changing the nature of the fast moving, hungry and territorial monsters) but for the fish themselves. Any risks taken can be taken slowly or recovered from, like changes in temperature, foods, filtration styles, ect. There is no need to fix what's not broken. Does that mean it can't be improved on? No. But going the opposite way is simply counterproductive, and illogical.

 

[BeccaScott]

Well all arguing aside I guess I wont be adding a new seahorse to my tank.

But just to be clear... the only reason that I should not be adding a seahorse to my tank is because my coral banded shrimp is a seahorse murderer.. and I have a reef tank that could cause a bacteria related problem with the seahorse?

Things I didnt clarify earlier, I dont honestly have a clown in my tank now (I was just thinking about moving one to the tank from another tank) and none of my coral is stinging coral last time I checked just some soft coral and some SPS.

 

[rayjay]

No, the coral banded is not the ONLY reason.
You would also be subjecting the seahorse to elevated temperatures leading to probably increased risk of bacterial disease like a vibrosis species.
Recommended temperature range is 68° to 74°F and that is because in our tanks, we don't have continual water changing like they experience in the wild with the warmer temperatures, and the nasty bacteria multiply exponentially with each rising degree temperature, especially above 74°. (see links at the bottom of the page I gave a link to previously)
You would also be exposing the seahorse to pathogens that it may not be able to live with if it hasn't been exposed to them while growing up.
You would have to "seahorse proof" things like overflows, intakes, and heaters, and provide hitching in areas of low, medium and high flow so they can pick where to hitch at any given time, making sure that there are no blasts that can direct them at something with resulting damage.
Many sps corals will suffer due to the dirty water that is inevitable due to the seahorse eating habits.
All this said, it's not that it CAN'T be done, only that it is much higher risk than setting up a species only tank under recommended conditions.
At a guess, probably less than one attempt in ten would end up successful in adding seahorses to a reef tank lasting over a year, and that is far short of the five year plus range they should live to under proper conditions.

 

[BeccaScott]

I did say and bacteria related problems...

Anyways, that will about do it then. I'm not willing to kill off a bunch of seahorses until I can get it right. Thanks guys

 

[rayjay]

Sorry, I missed your bacteria part.
The bacteria problem isn't related to just the reef. Bacteria is present and can be problematic in even the best seahorse set ups.
It's when conditions in the tank occur, like insufficient husbandry for a seahorse tank (more than for a reef tank IMO), elevated temperatures make the problem even worse than just the extra fuel for the nasties.
It's possible that a seahorse can still be in good enough health to resist infection, but if it becomes a bit stressed in any way, the bacteria get a foothold, much like humans become susceptible to health problems more when we let our bodies get run down.
I applaud the decision you have made, but warn you that the urge to keep seahorses MAY get stronger in time so in advance, do your research to prepare for when you might be able to set up a proper species only tank for them.
There are a few sites recognized as having decent up to date information but even the best site still has outdated info not yet changed, so use the forum here and at the org to be sure of the currant info.
Like any topic, you can find a pile of sites with conflicting information, but only some can be really depended on for correct information.
It's probably best to stick with what the majority opinion is on most topics of seahorse keeping. (AT LEAST until you have become more knowledgeable yourself)

 

[theresearcher]

OK, OK point taken, I'll leave it to the more experienced.