seahorses on a reef tank?

[TamiW]

I agree with everyone above. Really, they should be by themselves, and unfortunately, seahorses don't really have a long lifespan as it is.

This is what people say who sell seahorses that "eat pellets" and can live in a reef. Such a short lifespan, come replace them often!

Okay, I'm being punchy, but the lifespan issue is probably one of the more frustrating myths. It was started years ago when people didn't know how to take care of seahorses. I've heard of people keeping their seahorse for 10 years, and I know Ocean Rider was claiming they had a male that was with them when they founded still alive and producing fry. Now, I don't always trust Ocean Rider; but many marine fish are long lived, so it really doesn't make a lot of sense that seahorses wouldn't be.

 

[TamiW]

My feeling on reef tanks was this: You shouldn't keep a seahorse in a reef tank, but you can DESIGN a reef environment in a seahorse tank. My tank has zoas, ricordeas, photosynthetic gorgs, and Kenya coral in it. I was able to keep a green pagoda in the horse tank for many years though it was a slow grower (I moved it into the big reef tank and it REALLY started growing).

The seahorse-safe corals that didn't like the horse tank for whatever reason included Acans and chalices. I'm not sure if it was the water temp or the higher nitrates, but they never survived.

Yes, this is very much true. You just can't pop a seahorse in your standard reef and expect them to do okay, but a reef tank designed for seahorses will work if you do as you suggest; seahorse safe corals, etc . . .

I tried offering my H. erectus fry pellets because they are super duper piggies. They didn't give it a second glance. I mean, not even eying it up. They are the hungriest seahorses you can imagine, and I was sure at least one or two would be "tricked" into eating it. Nope. not even close.

 

[tmz]

Personally, I think Ocean Rider is a terrific source of information and stock.
Their free course is comprehensive and a very good introductin to sea horse keeping. The folks at Seahorse source .com are very good too. The adult erectus I keep are from these two sources. I culdn't be happier with them.

I agree they can live long in good conditions ; not sure bout 10 years;hope so.

 

[TamiW]

Personally, I think Ocean Rider is a terrific source of information and stock.
Their free course is comprehensive and a very good introductin to sea horse keeping. The folks at Seahorse source .com are very good too. The adult erectus I keep are from these two sources. I culdn't be happier with them.

I agree they can live long in good conditions ; not sure bout 10 years;hope so.

Different people have different opinions and experiences, of course. But they've had a very sorted history, and given out lots of misinformation over the years. Their most egregious sins, if you ask me, is selling subtropical and temperate seahorses as tropical, which resulted in the deaths of many seahorses. So I'm not a fan. They are better than they used to be by a smidge, but only a smidge.

I think we really don't know how long they can live. So many difficult saltwater fish get labeled as having a short lifespan until their true needs are identified and they start receiving the proper care. I'll be curious what we're saying about their lifespan in another 20 years. People used to say they only lived a couple years. Then it was 5-7 years. Now people are claiming 10 year old seahorses, and Ocean Rider a 13+ year old seahorse. I suspect we haven't seen the upper limit on their lifespan.

 

[pledosophy]

The seahorse-safe corals that didn't like the horse tank for whatever reason included Acans and chalices. I'm not sure if it was the water temp or the higher nitrates, but they never survived.

IME I have done very very well with Acans and Micro's with seahorses. Never tried chalices, never got into them so much, so I can't speak to those.

Re: Oceanrider, I hear and hope they have changed for the better. Very sincerely. I always had a fondness for Pete over there.

I think Tami is right, we still have a lot to learn on seahorses. When I came into keeping them I was told 2 years TOPS, and it was impossible to rear fry. Look at us now. Exciting future.

 

[novahobbies]

IME I have done very very well with Acans and Micro's with seahorses. Never tried chalices, never got into them so much, so I can't speak to those.

Re: Oceanrider, I hear and hope they have changed for the better. Very sincerely. I always had a fondness for Pete over there.

I think Tami is right, we still have a lot to learn on seahorses. When I came into keeping them I was told 2 years TOPS, and it was impossible to rear fry. Look at us now. Exciting future.

Well, I have accepted the fact that I'm just a bad Acan keeper....I couldn't even keep it alive in a full reef tank with mixed SPS and LPS. Everything grows except the Acan I tried....it too died back just like the one in the seahorse tank.

The Chalice on the other hand....I get fantastic growth for my chalice in my reef tank. So SOMETHING about the horse tank was making it upset. Since lighting and tank placement was almost identical, I still have to say it is something about water temps, flow, and/or higher nitrates.

I too have a fondness for Pete, despite where he works. His help and guidance back in 2008-2009 was extremely beneficial, and the excerpts from his unpublished book were wonderful. I still have printed copies of his rearing guides in case I ever have the time and energy to spend on closing the life cycle.