Seahorse tank brainstorming

[bender77]

So while my husband is working on the wall and delyaing my tank setup, I've been trying to plan ahead about what I want to add and when. I've been reading the compatibility list and have come up with some ideas. I figured I would run them by you so they can be tweaked as needed and I have a plan by the time I'm ready for life. So...
1st would be the CUC I'm thinking
10ish narssissus snails
5ish ceriths
5ish nerites
Maybe a turbo
Seeding some pods
Then some macro algea
sponge
mushroom
zoa
leather (does anyone know anything about a tree leather?)
maybe a photosynthetic gorgonian
Next comes the fish. I don't know if it would be better to add the horses first or tank mates first. For tank mates some of the fish I had in mind were
Banggai Cardnial (there is a breeder down the street from me)
Firefish
Clown goby
Horses will be a piar, either
H. fuscus or
H. erectus (T, I love your horses.)
This by no means that I'm going to get everything on here. Just some ideas. I'd love to have some feedback

 

[dive girl]

How big is your tank going to be?
If it were me, I'd add the seahorses first and then after a good long QT, the fish. Sometimes fish can get territorial if they are added first and may bully your future horses.
I know clown goby doesn't but don't know about the cardinal or firefish.
Also adding the horses first gets them comfy with their surroundings and where the feeding station is and may give them a little more confidence in their ranking in the tank.

 

[novahobbies]

Isn't the planning stage fun??? You get all these choices in front of you, all the options of what you want, what you think you NEED....... 'course, when I do it I tend to forget about the little things, you know, like MONEY..... but it's still fun to plan out your dream tank and start work from there!
I think you have a good idea of where you're going with this list here. You asked about tree leather corals: I don't have one, but from all I've read, you should be fine with a kenya tree coral or something similar in there. The rest of your coral wish list is pretty good too. I don't know if you really need 10 nassarius snails in the tank with the horses.....and just so you know, I have a fighting conch in my tank who eats horse......ummmmm......"leftovers," if ya get my drift. Not a bad arrangement. I'd cut it down to like 5 or 6 Nassarius snails and a small fighting conch or two for sand stirrers.
As for your fish, I have some experience there. I have a firefish in my horse tank now who is very timid. He barely comes out at all, and never bothers the horses, but a fish who hides all day isn't everybody's cup of java. I also have a yellow clown goby in my 5.5 nano tank, and it seems like that might be pretty darned small in a tall tank like yours. With that in mind, if it was my tank, I'd go with the bangaiis. And, as suggested by Dive Girl, I'd add the fish AFTER you get your hands wet with the horses. You can go the other way, but it's probably easier for the seahorses to be the first fish in the tank. Personally I want to add a couple pajama cardinals to my tank after I redo the rockwork later this summer. Maybe that'll get the firefish out in the open some more, too....who knows. Finally, whatever horses you choose, I'm sure you're gonna do well by them. I agree with you about Teresa's H. Erectus horses....if I didn't already have a pair of reidis, I would certainly be looking closely at the southern erectus as a good pair of ponies. Good luck!!

 

[teresaq]

Hi, How are ya.
Your list looks pretty good, and nova's and divegirls advise is right on.
Oh, and thanks about my babies. hehe.
I just got back from vacation, I need to clean thier tank and get some new pictures.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Sounds great to me. I'm working on a horse tank myself, and thinking along the same lines as you are. Your threads have been very helpful, as you are asking all the same questions I've been thinking. Thanks!

 

[teresaq]

sorry, I posted on your other thread but didnt realize you were adding fish. I would love a pair of bangii. I missed getting a mated pair from my lfs. I would like to raise them along with the erectus babies someday.
T