wife wants starfish and seahorse in reef? whats safe?
- Thread starter goinbroke
- Start date
meowzer
Moderator
Originally Posted by goinbroke
http:///forum/post/3023431
just like the title says:
my wife really wants a seahorse and starfish for our reef. whats safe? and what dosnt have a care level of super expert?
Seahorse are a lot of work, and need tanks made specifically for them.....My suggestion is to go to the seahorse forum and read the facts about them.
http:///forum/post/3023431
just like the title says:
my wife really wants a seahorse and starfish for our reef. whats safe? and what dosnt have a care level of super expert?
Seahorse are a lot of work, and need tanks made specifically for them.....My suggestion is to go to the seahorse forum and read the facts about them.
rwrvetn
New Member
There are many starfish such as sandshifting and brittle stars. Most aquarium stores are knowledgeable on campatible species. Seahorses are tuff. They do not like lots of current and need anchoring sites. The biggest issue is feeding--must get ones adapted to frozen food (brine shrimp) and be able to deliver it via pipette or other inhabitants will just devior all the food. Start with a tough carribean species.
tang master
Member
Orange linkia's are easily cared for and reef safe. It is the one in my picture above
^ here.
^ here.
teresaq
Active Member
Seahorses are best left in a species only. They can be housed with corals, but only softies and non stinging. Thier temps need to be around 74 degrees, and they need a varied flow between light to med. They should only be eatting frozen mysis, brine do not have enough nutrition. They are easily stressed by fast moving fish, and most crabs are not safe.
A pair should be housed in a 30 gal or bigger. They really need a tank that is 3x thier height.
T
A pair should be housed in a 30 gal or bigger. They really need a tank that is 3x thier height.
T
ophiura
Active Member
Before deciding on ANY seastar -
What size tank and what are your parameters? Many Linckia, for example, are not suitable as they can not be spot fed (and often starve in 12-18 months). Sand sifter stars are not suitable either. Brittlestars are generally suitable, except the green...but all seastars are very delicate and need stable tanks with pristine parameters. So before any decision is made, the parameters and tank size (along with amount of LR) needs to be considered.
IMO, as most state above, seahorses should be kept in species tank that are designed for their care, and rarely, IMO, are they suitable for a standard mixed community reef.
What size tank and what are your parameters? Many Linckia, for example, are not suitable as they can not be spot fed (and often starve in 12-18 months). Sand sifter stars are not suitable either. Brittlestars are generally suitable, except the green...but all seastars are very delicate and need stable tanks with pristine parameters. So before any decision is made, the parameters and tank size (along with amount of LR) needs to be considered.
IMO, as most state above, seahorses should be kept in species tank that are designed for their care, and rarely, IMO, are they suitable for a standard mixed community reef.
coralreefer
Active Member
Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3023567
Seahorses are best left in a species only. They can be housed with corals, but only softies and non stinging. Thier temps need to be around 74 degrees, and they need a varied flow between light to med. They should only be eatting frozen mysis, brine do not have enough nutrition. They are easily stressed by fast moving fish, and most crabs are not safe.
A pair should be housed in a 30 gal or bigger. They really need a tank that is 3x thier height.
T
+1
IMO they are best left in the wild
they dont survive long even in species only tanks
http:///forum/post/3023567
Seahorses are best left in a species only. They can be housed with corals, but only softies and non stinging. Thier temps need to be around 74 degrees, and they need a varied flow between light to med. They should only be eatting frozen mysis, brine do not have enough nutrition. They are easily stressed by fast moving fish, and most crabs are not safe.
A pair should be housed in a 30 gal or bigger. They really need a tank that is 3x thier height.
T
+1
teresaq
Active Member
Originally Posted by coralreefer
http:///forum/post/3023614
+1
IMO they are best left in the wild
they dont survive long even in species only tanks
I disagree, with this. There are many breeders having great sucess with certian species of horses. Captive breed seahorses with proper care can live about 5 yrs or more. Wild caught can also live a very long while if properly cared for. The only species I know of that has a high mortality is kellogi. They are a deep water species and do not do well in our tanks.
http:///forum/post/3023614
+1
I disagree, with this. There are many breeders having great sucess with certian species of horses. Captive breed seahorses with proper care can live about 5 yrs or more. Wild caught can also live a very long while if properly cared for. The only species I know of that has a high mortality is kellogi. They are a deep water species and do not do well in our tanks.
oceansidefish
Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3023583
Before deciding on ANY seastar -
What size tank and what are your parameters? Many Linckia, for example, are not suitable as they can not be spot fed (and often starve in 12-18 months). Sand sifter stars are not suitable either. Brittlestars are generally suitable, except the green...but all seastars are very delicate and need stable tanks with pristine parameters. So before any decision is made, the parameters and tank size (along with amount of LR) needs to be considered.
IMO, as most state above, seahorses should be kept in species tank that are designed for their care, and rarely, IMO, are they suitable for a standard mixed community reef.
I would agree with this...Although I have to admit I do have a sand sifting star in my 120 4x2....However I also have a DSB. I have had it for almost 2 years now. I would certainly not recommend one for most people. They can really decimate your beneficial critters.
http:///forum/post/3023583
Before deciding on ANY seastar -
What size tank and what are your parameters? Many Linckia, for example, are not suitable as they can not be spot fed (and often starve in 12-18 months). Sand sifter stars are not suitable either. Brittlestars are generally suitable, except the green...but all seastars are very delicate and need stable tanks with pristine parameters. So before any decision is made, the parameters and tank size (along with amount of LR) needs to be considered.
IMO, as most state above, seahorses should be kept in species tank that are designed for their care, and rarely, IMO, are they suitable for a standard mixed community reef.
I would agree with this...Although I have to admit I do have a sand sifting star in my 120 4x2....However I also have a DSB. I have had it for almost 2 years now. I would certainly not recommend one for most people. They can really decimate your beneficial critters.
goinbroke
Member
thanks for all the quick replys!
my buddy breeds seahorses. he said he has a 3 year old male for me. not sure the breed but he has seen my tank and said it will do well. i dont want to take it though if it's going to die. my fish are almost like family and i think i could easily get attached to a horse.
as far as the tank goes: it's a 90 with 3 inch LS bed, 150ish of LR, 8 bulb nova extreame t5ho and 30 gallon ocanic reef ready sump with aqua c 120 and 3.5 gallon hang on fuge with 10lbs of LS and cheato and some colpura.
all parimeters are good. only problem i have is with keeping my KH up. might be my test kit. it's usally 5*dkh. ca is 400-420
she will want a colorful starfish. what do you guys think?
my buddy breeds seahorses. he said he has a 3 year old male for me. not sure the breed but he has seen my tank and said it will do well. i dont want to take it though if it's going to die. my fish are almost like family and i think i could easily get attached to a horse.
as far as the tank goes: it's a 90 with 3 inch LS bed, 150ish of LR, 8 bulb nova extreame t5ho and 30 gallon ocanic reef ready sump with aqua c 120 and 3.5 gallon hang on fuge with 10lbs of LS and cheato and some colpura.
all parimeters are good. only problem i have is with keeping my KH up. might be my test kit. it's usally 5*dkh. ca is 400-420
she will want a colorful starfish. what do you guys think?
ophiura
Active Member
What is your specific gravity?
I think the best star would be a Linckia multiflora, if you want a true "seastar." I think an orange linckia will probably be ok, but I would STRONGLY discourage a blue linckia or Fromia of any size. Also only keep one as they compete for food. These seastars can not be spot fed, but graze on surface microfauna on LR, and most will die in 12-18 months of starvation. People often think they are easy to keep but are unaware of their needs and have not kept them long enough.
However Linckia mutliflora has done quite well long term in smaller tanks, even reproducing via arm drop, so your tank is likely to be ok.
But finding the right specimen, and acclimation, are critical. If you have issues with your alkalinity, you also want to get that straightened out too.
As for the seahorse, I really, truly, do not recommend them in larger community reef tanks. I believe several species are highly suitable for captivity in appropriate tanks.
I think the best star would be a Linckia multiflora, if you want a true "seastar." I think an orange linckia will probably be ok, but I would STRONGLY discourage a blue linckia or Fromia of any size. Also only keep one as they compete for food. These seastars can not be spot fed, but graze on surface microfauna on LR, and most will die in 12-18 months of starvation. People often think they are easy to keep but are unaware of their needs and have not kept them long enough.
However Linckia mutliflora has done quite well long term in smaller tanks, even reproducing via arm drop, so your tank is likely to be ok.
But finding the right specimen, and acclimation, are critical. If you have issues with your alkalinity, you also want to get that straightened out too.
As for the seahorse, I really, truly, do not recommend them in larger community reef tanks. I believe several species are highly suitable for captivity in appropriate tanks.