Question on dwarf seahorses

[Spazz67]

Ok my wife is coming home on Friday, I was to chicken to tell her about nemo. She found some dwarf seahorses, and wants me to find out if, they are compatible with what we have? She also found some pipe fish, are they compatible too? I seen on here where someone had seahorses in a 110 gal tank.
2 A.p clownfish (mated pair)(might be false)
1 Royal Gramma
2 Red leg hermits
3 Peppermint Shrimp
2 Feather Duster
1 Oyster Clusters

 

[roka64]

I don't know all that much about them. I have read they fare better in a species only tank (although, I think they should be ok with pipe fish). You really can't put them in a tank where other tank mates will eat the food first, I believe they are slow eaters/grazers. You will also want lots of things they can wrap their tail around. You also want to make sure they can't wrap around your heater and cover all intakes with plastic mesh or a sponge.
That's all I know, so you may want to wait for the resident experts.

 

[Innovator]

Is this a proposed stocking list or what you already have? No. You would have to nix the clownfish, royal gramma, hermits, and oyster cluster (if alive). Pipefish are a possibility depending on species.

 

[Spazz67]

Thats what we already have. The oyster cluster is alive.

 

[melosu58]

They need to be in a species only tank. Those fish would eat up all food. Seahorses will need top feed more often but the other fish will deplete their food whether it`s pods or mysis. JME

 

[Innovator]

Dwarf seahorses are very small and would become a meal for most fish, if not bullied on top of having proper filtration i.e. no powerheads, any overflows guarded by sponge or minute screening, etc. Your food supply would consist of cyclop-eeze, nauplii, and possibly minced mysis on a constant basis (at least twice/day feedings). Other than certain gorgonians and other soft corals, I would not house with lps or sps due to coral aggression and feeding responses. The seahorses should also be fed at least twice daily.

 

[Spazz67]

They need to be in a species only tank. JME

Ok a species only tank. What size tank would work? We have both a 2 1/2 gal and an 18 gal. Can water and sand from the 46 gal be used to set up the smaller tank?

 

[Innovator]

I will go ahead and assume you are an experienced keeper, one who has spent considerable time with seahorses and small aquaria. The 18g is very much doable along with an HOB filter (store heater in this). You can use existing sand and water from an established tank, but the system will still have to cycle albeit at a faster rate at least.

 

[Spazz67]

She decided not to get any due to the Clown being sick, Shes afraid to use water from the tank until he's better.

 

[intimatecple]

here is a very good web site on seahorses....hope this also helps if you consider this later on...

Seahorse Organisation. Keeping and Breeding Seahorses in the home aquarium.

 

[mugabe]

I've had seahorses before, unsuccessfully, most if not all horsies require live food constantly, so if you don't have your own supply of breeding brine shrimp i'd advise against it. but yeah bad idea on keeping them with anything more aggressive than they are.