Dwarf Seahorses in the Nano?

[Jolieve]

I'm considering keeping 4 dwarf seahorses in my nano build off tank.

I wanted to get some opinions and hear some input on the challenges of keeping these tiny critters with corals. Ideally, I'd like to be able to keep caribbean ricordia in this tank (but am thinking this may not be a good idea, I don't want the seahorses to get stung) along with green star polyps and some other brightly colored soft corals and possibly some other lps.

I can't find a lot of info on what sorts of corals are safe to keep with dwarf seahorses, so any input in that light would really help me with my research.

Also, I'm concerned that I might have too much flow in the tank for the seahorses. I currently have a prizm skimmer, a whisper 10 power filter and a minijet 404 power head in the nano. I can adjust the flow on all of these things to reduce it, but currently have them running wide open.

Thanks!
J.

 

[RobertoVespucci]

Hey! You can't steal my idea! Well, you can, so I'll tell you all I know.

On seahorse.org, there is a special forum just for dwarves. In all the pics of them there, it doesn't look like there is a lot of flow. Or any in some pics.

As for being stung, h. barbouri are the only ones available I know of that are ever encountered with corals, hence my choice.

That said, they seem to be pretty hardy all around. If you do them, best of luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Check out www.seahorse.org

Lots of good info there. I know LPS is a no-no, and I would assume Ricordia would be too. Actually I think I'd heard most people create artificial rockwork so they don't introduce hydroids with live rock. You'll have to look into that.

 

[Jolieve]

Thanks for the info. I really don't want to do this if I'm in over my head. I'd love to keep seahorses and have wanted to try for a long time, but I'd rather them go home with someone who can really take care of them, as opposed to coming home to me if I'm unprepared for it.

Thanks!
J.

 

[tinyreef]

try the arborescent softies. like capnella, nephthea, colts, maybe some of the sinularias.

gsp are nice for a pasture-effect.

but i'm thinking tiny frags of the branching corals to keep proportionality.

 

[Irie Eyes]

I hope this reply reaches you before you add any dwarfs to that tank...

Dwarf seahorses are not suitable for the average nano. If you would like to combine corals and dwarfs, it is possible, but the tank has to be set up with this in mind from the start. I can speak from plenty of personal experience, in case you're wondering. I've had dwarfs so years, some in nano reefs, some in planted tanks, but all were specifically designed for the exacting requirements of these little beauties. First off, the flow you describe is far too strong for these little buggers; in fact, it would blow them around the tank like no one's business. Also, very few types of corals can be kept with them, for a couple of reasons. The first reason is the very low flow you will be running in the tank (many corals need much greater flow), and the second reason is that many corals are just too dangerous for the diminutive dwarfs. They are very vunerable, defenseless creatures, and they need a tank designed just for them. Also, your LR could have some resting hydroids that will explode when you reduce the flow and start feeding bbs, and this is a big drag for dwarfs.

If you really want to do it, I would suggest using sterile base rock and a few low light, low current corals. SMOOTH shrooms are ok, as are the arborecent forms of some of the bulletproof softies....that's about it. Some use gorgonians in their display, but I do not advise this, as the continual lack of efficient flow needed by these corals will eventually take it's toll on them.

 

[Jolieve]

I should have posted on this. I decided not to keep seahorses in this tank about a week after I made this post.

J.