How should I stock my Seahorse Tank?

[Mike612]

I finally got my seahorse tank Saturday afternoon. It's 28 gallons. When I tested the water yesterday, nitrate and nitrite were 0, ammonia was 0.5, pH was 7.8 (I used buffer to boost it), salinity level was 1.023, and temperature was 78. I was thinking I would keep 2 pairs of seahorses and a Yellowhead Jawfish as an extra tankmate. Invertebrate wise, I was planning on a few Nassarius Snails, a Red Fromia Star, and I'm thinking maybe a Fire Shrimp. I think the Fire Shrimp and jawfish will be good at cleaning up whatever food the seahorses don't eat. I'm not 100% sure about the shrimp though. I'm afraid that it could get the food before the horses since they move faster and also that the shrimp might bother the horses. On the other hand, I'm also afraid that if the shrimp is too small that the horses might eat it.

Any thoughts? I need something that will eat what the seahorses don't.

 

[Len]

I like the jawfish idea, or some other bottom dweller like most gobies or blennies. Pelagic/open-water swimmers will compete with the seahorses and might spook them. I doubt your seahorses would eat any shrimps unless they're really small.

 

[bleedingthought]

Yeah, my shrimp are incredibly fast at snatching food!

 

[Anonymous]

Firefish have been one that I've had success with in keeping with seahorses. You might try one or a pair.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Mike612]

Thanks for the replies. I've kept firefish in the past and am still caring for a Purple Firefish. I would love to get my hands on a Helfrich's Firefish but I know I won't ever see that.

So would the firefish and jawfish be ok together?

Also, I saw on one site that a Fire Shrimp got hold of and killed a firefish. Was this just because he was just hungry or are they known to go after fish as they get older?

Last question I swear, I'm looking at Reef Fishes Volume 1 by Scott W. Michael. What I really love is the Ornate Ghost Pipefish (Solenostomus Paradoxus). Are they available to the hobby or did it become wishful thinking? I know they're hard to care for but they are stunning creatures. It would be great if someone started breeding them if they aren't available to the hobby. I would love to see them being bred in captivity like seahorses are so that collecting them from the wild can be stopped if it hasn't been done yet.

 

[WRASSER]

You could try to mate a pair of shrimp to assit in feeding the seahorses. If you get hte horses that are already eating mysis shrimp and ghost shrimp, you wont have too much comp. with the others out eating them.

 

[Mike612]

I was actually thinking that also. If I get a mating pair of shrimp, the horses will probably eat the eggs or larvae. As sad as that is, it would be extra food for them which is definately a good thing.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Len about the benthic fishes. The pelagic fish will make your seahorses spend more time hiding and blending in, less time exploring and socializing.

I wouldn't try an ornate ghost pipefish unless I had a very large, established tank with boatloads of pods and other zooplankton. I've never known anyone to keep one for a significant amount of time, even one of the most experienced seahorse keepers I know.

If you're going with tank bred seahorses, don't forget that introducing any wild-caught syngnathids (Syngnathidae, Solenostomidae and Pegasidae) might expose your seahorses to parasites, viruses and bacteria that are be harmful to them. Of course, that's true with any wild-caught tankmates, but the disease-causing organisms that target syngnathids will be the most harmful.

Anyhow, you sound like you're very consciencious and informed, so I'm sure you'll do well.

 

[Mike612]

Alright, how many Peppermint Shrimps should I get? Should I get a pair so that they can breed and provide food for the seahorses?