I have been reading up on keeping seahorses and safe tankmates and anything else I can find about the hobby, however alot of sources that I've read suggest species only tanks(besides shrimp and starfish). We would like to have tankmates to keep it interesting but I was curious to know what has been successful for other people and If we do plan on having tankmates, what size tank should we go with? We wanted to begin cycling a tank within the next 2 months or so.
What size tank?
- Thread starter SH Mama
- Start date
IMO the only fish that are good for seahores are ones that are very timmid and will not go to the feeding station and eat the mysis before the seahorses do. This limmits you to diamond gobies and Jawfish that live in burrows and seldom venture out... I have had success keeping a pearly jawfish with my horses but thats about it.
Also, be carefull about adding starfish and shrimp. Some shrimp such as banded coral shrimp that have claws are not seahorse safe, while smaller less agressive peppermint shrimp and cleaner shrimp are great. As far as starfish go, Be VERY CAREFUL! Do not get any type of brittle star because they can actually hunt down and eat your seahorses. I would limmit yourself to very peaceful herbivorus starfish only such as lilinkas.
Also, be carefull about adding starfish and shrimp. Some shrimp such as banded coral shrimp that have claws are not seahorse safe, while smaller less agressive peppermint shrimp and cleaner shrimp are great. As far as starfish go, Be VERY CAREFUL! Do not get any type of brittle star because they can actually hunt down and eat your seahorses. I would limmit yourself to very peaceful herbivorus starfish only such as lilinkas.
Also tank size, it all depends how many horses you want. THe general rule of thum is one pair of greater seahorses (erectus, redi, kuda...) per 10 gallons of water. The minnimum size for keeping greater seahorses is about 20 gallons, but I would not go any less than 30. In a 30 gallon tank, you could easily house 2 pairs of seahorses and a small tankmate such as a goby or jawfish.
One important thing to consider in purchasing a tank is the hight. Seahorses need vertical space to swim and compleat their mating rituals. The tank should be no less than 3 times the hight of the seahorse. Most seahorses get to be about six inches so a 24 + inch tank will suffice.
One important thing to consider in purchasing a tank is the hight. Seahorses need vertical space to swim and compleat their mating rituals. The tank should be no less than 3 times the hight of the seahorse. Most seahorses get to be about six inches so a 24 + inch tank will suffice.
pledosophy
Active member
I have succsessfully kept (over 2 years)
twin spot goby
yellow watchman goby
diamond head goby
firefish
hi fin goby
rainford goby
clown goby
cardinal fish
manderin goby
peppermint shrimp
I would go with at least a 29g high. Bigger is better, IME the horses do use the additional room.
What size are you looking at? Knowing can help us give you better advice on tankmates.
twin spot goby
yellow watchman goby
diamond head goby
firefish
hi fin goby
rainford goby
clown goby
cardinal fish
manderin goby
peppermint shrimp
I would go with at least a 29g high. Bigger is better, IME the horses do use the additional room.
What size are you looking at? Knowing can help us give you better advice on tankmates.
Well, we have a 29 g and a 55 g. At first I wanted to start small w/ teh 29g, but I'm starting to lean towards the 55 because like I said I did want some tank mates. Thanks for the help! (I know I was asking for vauge info!) pledosophy Thanks for that list-that def gives me a good idea of what the tank will look like w/ fish
pledosophy
Active member
Your very welcome.
I think 55g's are nice.
Are you going to keep softies. I have kept a ton of soft corals with seahorses too.
This is ReefCentral.
I think 55g's are nice.
Are you going to keep softies. I have kept a ton of soft corals with seahorses too.
This is ReefCentral.The only thing I really need to get for the tank is a light- any suggestions for a good, but moderately priced light?
pledosophy AS far as corals go, I'm not 100% sure as to exactly what we're going to do- But I do remember reading a few thousand times that anenomes are not good with seahorses, but that mushrooms are ok. LOL I'm not sure if that classifies as a softie, but hey, I'm a newbie!
pledosophy AS far as corals go, I'm not 100% sure as to exactly what we're going to do- But I do remember reading a few thousand times that anenomes are not good with seahorses, but that mushrooms are ok. LOL I'm not sure if that classifies as a softie, but hey, I'm a newbie!
Fishfirst
New member
I keep with my H. Kuda in a 65 gallon:
Purple Firefish
Green Clown Goby
Mandarin Dragonet
Jawfish
the purple firefish and green clown goby do eat out of the feeding dish as well as hermits and snails. However, they don't take much and I overfeed by a half a cube of mysis. Its been 6 months and my seahorses are fat and happy.
Purple Firefish
Green Clown Goby
Mandarin Dragonet
Jawfish
the purple firefish and green clown goby do eat out of the feeding dish as well as hermits and snails. However, they don't take much and I overfeed by a half a cube of mysis. Its been 6 months and my seahorses are fat and happy.
Discosoma sp. mushrooms are a soft coral and will be fine with seahorses.
As for lighting, a lot depends on what corals you want to keep. Discosoma will do fine under fluorescents as I have learned from personal experience. I would make a list of corals you might want to keep and research them. That will tell you how much light you need over your tank and what your best choice is.
Fred
As for lighting, a lot depends on what corals you want to keep. Discosoma will do fine under fluorescents as I have learned from personal experience. I would make a list of corals you might want to keep and research them. That will tell you how much light you need over your tank and what your best choice is.
Fred
pledosophy
Active member
What is the size of your 55g?
IMO the best lighting deal out right now is the Nova T5 fixture with 4 bulbs, a fan, and moonlights, for $189. YOu could keep most corals that are seahorse safe with that light on a 55. JME.
Mushrooms are great. I like the ricordia's and the yuma's myself. The $150 per mushroom of the hot pink yuma's is pricey. I like zoo's to but the zoo's I like are all selling for $20 per polyp , min order of 5 poylps. Ugh, the frustration. There are nic, not so expensive corals too.
IMO the best lighting deal out right now is the Nova T5 fixture with 4 bulbs, a fan, and moonlights, for $189. YOu could keep most corals that are seahorse safe with that light on a 55. JME.
Mushrooms are great. I like the ricordia's and the yuma's myself. The $150 per mushroom of the hot pink yuma's is pricey. I like zoo's to but the zoo's I like are all selling for $20 per polyp , min order of 5 poylps. Ugh, the frustration. There are nic, not so expensive corals too.
Have you seen this list on seahorse.org: http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates.shtml ? In terms of fish (other than gobies) which they recommned as fine with seahorses, you could have:
Assessors
Blue-green chromis
Convict Blenny
Mandarin (needs an established and larger tank)
Scooter dragonet
Even fish like Dottybacks and cardinalfish are often OK (depends if they leave food for the seahorses. YOu might nbeed to remove them if they become problematic).
In terms of corals, nearly all soft corals are fine (and, with the branching type, provide holdfasts for the seahorses). Gorgonians are also good. Stay away from LPS, anemones, most SPS (and clams).
Macroalgae are excellent. As are seagrasses (if you set your tank up right).
You don't need MH lighting for seahorse tanks (and it can cause problems with temparture control in the water). T5 or PC/VHO fixtures will be fine.
Assessors
Blue-green chromis
Convict Blenny
Mandarin (needs an established and larger tank)
Scooter dragonet
Even fish like Dottybacks and cardinalfish are often OK (depends if they leave food for the seahorses. YOu might nbeed to remove them if they become problematic).
In terms of corals, nearly all soft corals are fine (and, with the branching type, provide holdfasts for the seahorses). Gorgonians are also good. Stay away from LPS, anemones, most SPS (and clams).
Macroalgae are excellent. As are seagrasses (if you set your tank up right).
You don't need MH lighting for seahorse tanks (and it can cause problems with temparture control in the water). T5 or PC/VHO fixtures will be fine.
I'm reporting what's on the seahorse.org recommendation list. I agree that they need a larger tank and live food. That, in and of itself, isn't a problem. Set-up an active, large refugium. And use a larger tank. I agree that you wouldn't want a mandarin in a 29G stand-alone sea horse tank.
This thread (over on seahorse.org) might be of interst re: mandarins:
http://forum.seahorse.org/index.php?showtopic=28232
http://forum.seahorse.org/index.php?showtopic=28232
If you can find a Mandarin that will each frozen food, go for it. Most don't.
I have seen an advertisement claiming that the new Reef Nutrition Artic-Pods (like Cyclopseze only 6x bigger) has given an 80% success rate with feeding Mandarins. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm ordering some for the heck of it (as a suppliment for my other fish, not specifically for the Mandarin).
I have seen an advertisement claiming that the new Reef Nutrition Artic-Pods (like Cyclopseze only 6x bigger) has given an 80% success rate with feeding Mandarins. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm ordering some for the heck of it (as a suppliment for my other fish, not specifically for the Mandarin).
pledosophy
Active member
IME I have kept manderins and seahorse together in an 18g tank, a 44g tank, a 75g tank, and a 65g tank. Refugiums are great for there long term survival. I would not recommend counting on them taking frozen foods. IME they do accept artic pods readily.
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