5 gal Eclipse seahorse, hermit, livesand... suggestions?

[bobbie]

My seahorse is happy and attentive, eats frozen enriched mysis etc. and hunts brine happily. He has a "pet" hermit :lol: ('cause he plays with it, rolls it, snorts it, follows it around) of unidentified type- small 1 1/2" and slow growing and non agressive. (Saying this from the start 'cause every post having to do with horses seems to be a shouting match 8O about starving and abusing them and captive vs wild... would like to avoid that discusion here if at all possible!) I am starting a refugium connected to another tank which will provide more variety of live stuff to "hunt", I will transfer regularly. Opinions about tank mates (I have in mind a feather duster and a large cleaner shrimp)or others?? If the addition of live plants in the form of small bunches cultured on rock bases (to be moved in to the nano on a rotating basis to return to the refugium for regrowth and light and a new group of hitchhicker buggies) could be any problems? No live rock here yet due to size, but I have a few nice tiny (3x3") pieces, is it worth the lost space?? Water quality is very good all around now as is.
Tankey for reading, please leave any ideas! Bobbie

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome to RDO!

I don't think it could hurt to add some LR and plants to your tank. You may consider pairing your shrimp with another as well, and they will eventually release larvae if fed well. FWIW, I've never kept a seahorse, but the good folks at www.seahorse.org have a wealth of information available to ya....good luck!

 

[bobbie]

Thanks, I've been to their site. They have some nano in there too, but several have a larger refugium attached, so doesn't that sort of (because of the added water volume) change it from the nano concept LOL. My idea with my refug is to do regular water transfers, for the benifit of live foods as well as good water. If I ever change my seahorse over to the refugium for her main tank, I think I will try a firefish in the nano, mostly because yours look so beautiful!!! I'm off to read about your tank. Thanks for the encouragement!!!

Bobbie

 

[panmanmatt]

Bobbie--A 5 gallon is way too small to keep seahorses in unless you have dwarves. That is why you didn't see many nanos at seahorse.org. Also cleaner shrimp are a questionable tankmate for horses as they can be aggressive at times and can stress the seahorse by trying to clean it. If you really want to keep seahorses i suggest you go back to seahorse.org and do some research and ask some questions. It will be beneficial to both you and your seahorse in the long run.

 

[bobbie]

For anyone following this discussion and interested:

"completely safe all the time with small to large horses, almost no exceptions" is the listing seahorse.org gives the cleaner shrimp in the tankmates section, which I have consulted in the past. That would be at
http://www.seahorse.org/library/article ... ates.shtml

The new keeper article is at http://www.seahorse.org/library/article ... Info.shtml

Glad I read the articles before I purchased my "Sunshine".
Bobbie