What's in with your seahorses?!
- Thread starter awestruck
- Start date
ann83
New member
Yes you are thinking correctly, depending on what species you decide on. There are still some species that won't fit in a 29 gallon even in a single pair, and there are also some you may be able to fit two pair in. The height of your tank is also something to take into consideration. Should be at least 2 times the maximum uncurled height of whatever species you choose. IMO, since people have a tendency to want more after they get started, I like to start small so that I have the opportunity to add more when the notion strikes without buying a whole new setup. The tankmates that are usually absolutely safe are the cleanup snails and small gobies like yellow clown gobies and neon gobies. People have mixed results with hermits and shrimp, and more energetic and aggressive fish like clowns are typically no-nos. In my new setup, I plan on having one pair of CB Reidi, a pair of yellow clown gobies, a fighting conch, some nassarius or astrea snails, live rock, and macros. This is a good list of compatible tankmates http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates.shtml and there is some more info on the website that may help you choose your species of SH and how many you plan to have.
My feeling is that a new seahorse keeper really should start with a pair of same gender SH together before moving on to the issues involved with a mated pair and the possibilty of SH fry.
Same gender horses will still be companionship for each other, which is important.
This will also take away the need for tank height being an issue. Unless you have breeding SH, they are fine in a tank that any other pair of fish would thrive in.
A 29 is a nice size for a pair of same gender SH.
Same gender horses will still be companionship for each other, which is important.
This will also take away the need for tank height being an issue. Unless you have breeding SH, they are fine in a tank that any other pair of fish would thrive in.
A 29 is a nice size for a pair of same gender SH.
I currently have a bangai cardinal, two gorgonians, a couple of feather dusters and some discosoma mushrooms.
There are lots of choices in both fish and corals. I like ann83's suggestion of starting with a light bioload and then adding things. It gives you time to get used to your horses and allows your filtration time to catch up to the bioload.
Some people like same sex if they are not breeding, some keep pairs. You do not need to raise any fry produced by a pair.
That seahorse.org list is a good place to start.
Fred
There are lots of choices in both fish and corals. I like ann83's suggestion of starting with a light bioload and then adding things. It gives you time to get used to your horses and allows your filtration time to catch up to the bioload.
Some people like same sex if they are not breeding, some keep pairs. You do not need to raise any fry produced by a pair.
That seahorse.org list is a good place to start.
Fred
agreeive?fish
New member
In with my seahorses i have
hermit crabs
mandrinfish
per.clown
fire shrimp
reef lobster
mollies
hermit crabs
mandrinfish
per.clown
fire shrimp
reef lobster
mollies
awestruck
New member
Thank you all for your responses! 
I'm quite excited about converting my 29g. and feel even more excited after listening to your advice. I'm glad to hear that a same-sex pair can be fine because I do not have any experience with breeding and don't want to even try at this point. Also, because SH are rather delicate all other tankmates will be "nice" ones. Again, thanx for your help and talk to ya soon!!
I'm quite excited about converting my 29g. and feel even more excited after listening to your advice. I'm glad to hear that a same-sex pair can be fine because I do not have any experience with breeding and don't want to even try at this point. Also, because SH are rather delicate all other tankmates will be "nice" ones. Again, thanx for your help and talk to ya soon!! I would like to also add:
I have only tried to support two male seahorses in quite a number of years. Both experiences were great for learning, but heartbreaking.
I prefer to keep female seahorses. To go into all of the theories I have as to why feamales have a higher life expectancy would be rude and lengthy.
PM me, if you like. It is JME.
I have only tried to support two male seahorses in quite a number of years. Both experiences were great for learning, but heartbreaking.
I prefer to keep female seahorses. To go into all of the theories I have as to why feamales have a higher life expectancy would be rude and lengthy.
PM me, if you like. It is JME.
awestruck
New member
Thanx Poniegirl! You seem so nice I wouldn't view your answers as rude or lengthy. Sometimes, even as hard as we try, trying to explain something just cannot adequately be done without lots of blah blah blah!! And yes, if it's ok I may pm you in the future. To date I'm just quietly doing my reading so as to get a more thorough understanding of SHs' needs. Have a great day!
Sometimes, even as hard as we try, trying to explain something just cannot adequately be done without lots of blah blah blah!! And yes, if it's ok I may pm you in the future. To date I'm just quietly doing my reading so as to get a more thorough understanding of SHs' needs. Have a great day!we have 9 seahorses total, tank mates include a target mandarin, peppermint shrimp, blug legged hermits, scarlet hermits, Nassarius snails, Cerith Snails, bumble bee snails, a few Astrea Snails, zoanthids, two finger leathers, a toadstool, devils hand, Gorgonian, Red Grape Kelp (Botryocladia Sp), String of Pearls (Botryocladia Sp), some mushrooms, Yellow Fiji Leather, a feather duster, star polyps, an orange cup coral (Tubastrea aurea
), a black cup coral and of course live rock and live sand. this is all in a 125
), a black cup coral and of course live rock and live sand. this is all in a 125
Hi Jim260..I have a 20 long with salt mollies, as well and have thought they would be very good SH tankmates, but haven't tried, yet..
The mollies HATE mysis shrimp and as you say, eat algae..
How do the SH do concerning the mollie fry? Do they just eat them until they are gone?
Only caught them eating them a couple times. Otherwise they just disappear. The problem is i have pods in the tank, and feed mysis so the sh have lots of options. Molly fry grow pretty quick and can get too big for the sh pretty quick. No negative there though as if they grow out they will breed and produce more fry.
The pods and fry give me a buffer if i miss one of two frozen mysis feedings a day or if i am out of town for a day.
The pods and fry give me a buffer if i miss one of two frozen mysis feedings a day or if i am out of town for a day.
Here's my seahorse tank. It's a 29g too. I think its nice size for a couple of seahorses. I have 2 male erectus in this tank.
As far as tankmates go I have:
Lots of algea
Gorgonians
Zoas and palys
Mushrooms
Branching sun coral
Finger leather
Kenya tree
Coco worm
Pepermint shrimp
Leattuce sea slug
various hermits and snails
I started with the algeas and CUC right after my tank cycled.
and slowly added the other corals over the next several months. I didn't get the seahorses until my tank had been up for about 3.5 months. Its 7 months old now.
As far as tankmates go I have:
Lots of algea
Gorgonians
Zoas and palys
Mushrooms
Branching sun coral
Finger leather
Kenya tree
Coco worm
Pepermint shrimp
Leattuce sea slug
various hermits and snails
I started with the algeas and CUC right after my tank cycled.
and slowly added the other corals over the next several months. I didn't get the seahorses until my tank had been up for about 3.5 months. Its 7 months old now.
Sorry to jump in, but thought I'd share?
My mollie had fry about three weeks ago, my daughter counted between 20 and 25 (it's a difficult thing) and now the female looks ready to drop again. I've heard every 28 days.
That is a lot of fry.
My favorite LFS said he'd buy a few and if they sell, more. It will be interesting to see how they are received..I would think the males will be more popular, ours are marble lyretails, orange and black. The males are fairly striking. And if they eat algae...
ann83
New member
I'd just like to put in my two cents. Yes, mollies eat algae, but in my experience they don't eat nearly enough algae to make a dent in it in the aquarium. Furthermore, they really are an aggressive fish and an aggressive eater. They will try to eat anything you put in the aquarium and will push other fish out of the way. Since seahorses tend to have problems getting enough to eat with aggressive eaters in the aquarium, I wouldn't ever keep them together. But keeping mollies in another SW aquarium and moving the fry to the seahorse aquarium for a treat (not their primary diet) wouldn't be a bad idea.
captainandy
Member
I keep mine with a clean-up crew, a pair of fire shrimp, zoas, dusters and loads of different macros. Since I do a fair amout of direct feeding with mysis, I also keep sun polyps, dendros and just bought a duncan.
Morning and evening feedings are move relaxing than yoga.
Morning and evening feedings are move relaxing than yoga.
