seahorsey freaks?
- Thread starter seahorsecu
- Start date
poniegirl
Active Member
Originally Posted by lomar
poniegirl do you have any problems with the seahorses in your tank. I just got 1 for my reef. He seems to be doing good so far.
You know, I have been soul-searching on that aspect of my tank. It is not species only, however is probably geared more toward the comfort of the SH.
Tankmates are 1 tomato clown, 2 chromis, 1 yellow damsel and a yellow-tail blue damsel. One sally light legs, various hermits and three xenia. Very mellow, at this point.
What is your tank, parameters and tankmates?
I am a seahorsey (poniegirl) freak. Let's talk.
SH can be excellent community fish if you don't want big, carnivorous fish. If I had a(nother) 150, it would be full of SH.
Tell us about yours, please ***)
poniegirl do you have any problems with the seahorses in your tank. I just got 1 for my reef. He seems to be doing good so far.
You know, I have been soul-searching on that aspect of my tank. It is not species only, however is probably geared more toward the comfort of the SH.
Tankmates are 1 tomato clown, 2 chromis, 1 yellow damsel and a yellow-tail blue damsel. One sally light legs, various hermits and three xenia. Very mellow, at this point.
What is your tank, parameters and tankmates?
I am a seahorsey (poniegirl) freak. Let's talk.
SH can be excellent community fish if you don't want big, carnivorous fish. If I had a(nother) 150, it would be full of SH.
Tell us about yours, please ***)
lomar
Member
I have a 75 gallon reef. The only thing I am worried about is a coral banded shrimp. I have a sailfin tang a firefish enginere gobe and a six liner wrasse. My corrals are xena mushrooms zoos and pollyps plus a sun corral. The regular snails and hermits and a sandshifter. Thats everything. He seems to be doing god so far. As long as he stays away from the shrimp I think he will be ok. He is a huge yellow sea horse.
torno
Member
I have my seahorses with a single firefish. I used to house a royal gramma with them too, but it got ich and died sadly. I also have various snails and scarlet reef hermits, (as these are said to be the only seahorse safe hermit crabs).
Poniegirl, all those tankmates you listed aren't recommended at all for seahorses. They are fast swimming, territorial fish that will probably outcompete your seahorses for food and space. I'm not trying to tell you it won't work, but you may soon have a disaster on your hands. How big is your tank?
Lomar, those shrimp are downright nasty! I'd be nervous not only for your seahorse running into it, but for the sake of housing the tang too. Tangs are fast swimming fish. Any fish, (even peaceful chromis), that do the constant swimming all around the tank can be very stress inducing to seahorses. Some may stop eating. I'd keep a very close eye if I were you.
Poniegirl, all those tankmates you listed aren't recommended at all for seahorses. They are fast swimming, territorial fish that will probably outcompete your seahorses for food and space. I'm not trying to tell you it won't work, but you may soon have a disaster on your hands. How big is your tank?
Lomar, those shrimp are downright nasty! I'd be nervous not only for your seahorse running into it, but for the sake of housing the tang too. Tangs are fast swimming fish. Any fish, (even peaceful chromis), that do the constant swimming all around the tank can be very stress inducing to seahorses. Some may stop eating. I'd keep a very close eye if I were you.
poniegirl
Active Member
Coral banded shrimp can do damage to SH snouts (I don't mean just a scratch). They can't move out of dangers way as fast as most horizontal fish, so it makes it more likely that, if you have a tank member that is aggressive, the SH will be the one injured.
I have not kept coralbanded shrimp, so I can't speculate. I only have heard two rather gruesome separate stories.
Other side of the coin is that SH are intelligent. I'm partial, but I would say even a step above other fish. I think instinct is quite strong in fish. (why else would any clown fish believe they will be okay diving into an anemone? you don't see other fish go there!) So perhaps the SH realize what is danger and what is not?
I kept a BTA in my tank with the SH for almost 2 years and never had a problem with injury to the horses. They never tried to hitch onto it. Other fish, yes. I believe the BTA made a snack of my fairy wrasse, and the BTA went to someone else's tank.
In any tank except one that has no real possible threat, there is a chance the SH won't thrive. I don't think they are as fragile as commonly believed. My "Sophia" is 7 inches crown to tail tip, and has been with me about 2 years, now. My smaller "Fin" 2.5 yrs. No disease. Considering I have heard 4 yrs or so is max, I feel pretty fortunate.
I would think, as long as your yellow (I'd love to see, photo, if you can?) is eating, keeps good color and seems healthy overall....
But I'd watch for any aggression from your shrimp and I would suggest removing the threat altogether. It's a dice roll.
I have not kept coralbanded shrimp, so I can't speculate. I only have heard two rather gruesome separate stories.
Other side of the coin is that SH are intelligent. I'm partial, but I would say even a step above other fish. I think instinct is quite strong in fish. (why else would any clown fish believe they will be okay diving into an anemone? you don't see other fish go there!) So perhaps the SH realize what is danger and what is not?
I kept a BTA in my tank with the SH for almost 2 years and never had a problem with injury to the horses. They never tried to hitch onto it. Other fish, yes. I believe the BTA made a snack of my fairy wrasse, and the BTA went to someone else's tank.
In any tank except one that has no real possible threat, there is a chance the SH won't thrive. I don't think they are as fragile as commonly believed. My "Sophia" is 7 inches crown to tail tip, and has been with me about 2 years, now. My smaller "Fin" 2.5 yrs. No disease. Considering I have heard 4 yrs or so is max, I feel pretty fortunate.
I would think, as long as your yellow (I'd love to see, photo, if you can?) is eating, keeps good color and seems healthy overall....
But I'd watch for any aggression from your shrimp and I would suggest removing the threat altogether. It's a dice roll.
poniegirl
Active Member
This photo is pretty much how my tank goes..I have heard for 2+ years that I can't have these fish in the tank together.
I believe that is not a correct statement.
The tank is 55 with 100+ lb LR, 3" SB, good caulerpa beds on substrate that serve the SH well as feeding stations (other fish cannot get to the food there, or just don't care to try). The tank is mature and the pod population is abundant.
It is not the way I suggest others go, because I'm not even sure myself why nobody bothers the SH, why my horizontal fish don't bottom feed, etc..
The tank is 55 with 100+ lb LR, 3" SB, good caulerpa beds on substrate that serve the SH well as feeding stations (other fish cannot get to the food there, or just don't care to try). The tank is mature and the pod population is abundant.
It is not the way I suggest others go, because I'm not even sure myself why nobody bothers the SH, why my horizontal fish don't bottom feed, etc..
torno
Member
Well all the more power to you for making it work!
:happyfish
I am glad though that you said you wouldn't recommend it to a beginner, generally because its tough enough to try and get the hang of seahorses without having harrassing fish in the way competing for food and such.
That is awesome though that it has worked for you! Thanks for sharing!
I am glad though that you said you wouldn't recommend it to a beginner, generally because its tough enough to try and get the hang of seahorses without having harrassing fish in the way competing for food and such.
That is awesome though that it has worked for you! Thanks for sharing!
