Seahorses & Pipefish

[bitfishy]

O.k ...... this is the question I really wanted to ask since joining the forum, but have put off because I think I know what the answer will be

I'm a beginner, and started this whole thing in order to keep seahorses and pipefish. Since then I have bought books and read up on it all and now appreciate what a tall order it is, particularly as I'd like to keep a couple of other fishes in there too. However before I force myself to give up on the idea, I'd very much appreciate some advice from people - there's only so much you can get out of books.

Firstly I have a 50gal (UK) tank, which is as tall as it is wide, with 25kg of LR & protein skimmer (no filter). It is llit by 2 T5 compacts which cover two thirds of the tank - the darker end has no rock with macro algae on order for this area. I used a frame for the LR so there's a large cave at the back of the tank, which can be accessed from the darker end (although the fire shrimps have bagsied the best entrance). The powerhead is positioned so that this end only receives a moderate current.

My LFS only stocks captive bred seahorses & pipefish which he says readily eat frozen mysis etc, and I'm happy not to have stinging corals, although I have some zoo's (hitchikers) but I've put them at the top of the tank at the other end.

I understand mandarin fish make suitable tankmates, which I'm delighted with because I think they are beautiful, but I would like 3-4 very peaceful mid-top swimmers.

Also feeding them 3 times a day may be tricky - twice is not a problem - I'm prepared to culture live food to get round this, if it is possible.

What do you think? I want to be responsible about this and not put these creatures through something they cannot survive or will be unhappy with.

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, you allready have a grasp on the issue at hand, the timidness of seahorses and pipefish. Some fish like firefish are very peaceful until it comes to feeding time when they dart around the tank gobbling up food. Therein, even the peaceful firefish might not be suitable tankmates for seahorses/pipefish. Perhaps the only fish I would consider as tankmates for these guys would be cardinalfish. Even still I dont know if it would be possible.

 

[Flumpus]

Tank mates with seahorses aren't as hard as you might think. I've got a 33g cube with two captive bred seahorses, a pearly jawfish, a rainford's goby, and a citrine goby. We feed frozen mysis twice a day (in the morning and at night), and the seahorses have no problem getting enough to eat. If they do eat frozen food (have the store show you), then they should be fine with non-aggressive fish. I would definitely say jawfish and small gobies are great tankmates. Check out seahorse.org for a big compatibility list.

 

[rhysiboy]

if possible you could have say a 5 gallon above the tank that has different cultures of live food, that is connected so teh pods and stuff can trikle down into the main tank so if you mis a feeding at least there is some sort of live food about. With this above tank refugium though your probably gonna need it to be completely full of something like chaetomorpha algae.

 

[Lynden]

I've seen Hippocampus kuda be combined with all kinds of fish, including jacks, morays and catfish. If the seahorse is fairly large, other peaceful fish will not threaten it's survival.

 

[bitfishy]

Thanks everyone, its encouraging that it doesn't have to be totally species specific. I was wondering if it was feesible to construct a mesh screen which I could lower into the water at feeding time, the SH will invariably only be in one half of the tank because thats where the perches will be, and then they can have as long as they need to feed........... or is that the most ridiculous idea you've ever heard! you see, I have my eye on this lovely fish....... lol

I think I might try the refugium, I'd avoided all that side of things because my head hurts just researching about tanks, but I see they sell hang on ones which I could stuff full of the green stuff Rhys recommends. Thanks for that idea. The other plants arrived today and there's quite a bit of it so hopefully the live food would hang out in the planted SH area.......... but then, that might encourage the fish to gatecrash the SH bit.... this is so COMPLICATED!!! I should've stuck to tropical How do you guys cope ...... its taking over my life!!

Anyway thanks again

 

[Lynden]

The mesh screen is a fine idea, assuming it was made of a non-toxic material. The only problem you might encounter is that the fish might get scared when it is first lowered in.