Seahorse tank mates

[kframe]

Hey guys, so I've decided to get back into the hobby after a few year break. Before I took everything down I had a 90g reef tank. This time I plan on doing a sea horse tank. I'm going to start this aquarium from scratch ( new tank, equipment ect...) I've been reading threads and I think I have a pretty good general idea of how I'm going to do it. I am going to go with live coral, obviously ones compatible with seahorses. As far as tank mates I dont plan on having much else with them,but for some reason I can't find much info on seahorses with starfish. The couple threads/Google searches I've found dont have much info. So, are reef safe star fishes ok with seahorses? Aside from that question I'm totally open to any tips/ tricks for helping care for them. Thanks In Advance for any help.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

I am no expert but I can't see how starfish would be bad. They can't out-compete them for food, and they don't move enough to hurt the seahorse. Hopefully someone else will chime in, but I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[kframe]

I am no expert but I can't see how starfish would be bad. They can't out-compete them for food, and they don't move enough to hurt the seahorse. Hopefully someone else will chime in, but I wouldn't worry about it.

I was thinking the same thing

 

[rayjay]

I'd NEVER put a "knobby" type seastar in with seahorses, nor would I put a brittle or serpent star in with them.

 

[kframe]

I'd NEVER put a "knobby" type seastar in with seahorses, nor would I put a brittle or serpent star in with them.

Right on...I appreciate the heads up.

 

[kframe]

What about a blue linckia starfish?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

My wife has a red fromia starfish in her seahorse tank and it does well in there. I agree with rayjay though, about knobbies or bristle/serpents.

Another thing to consider is what a starfish will grow to and the size of your tank. Linckia starfish can get up to a foot for example. fromias max at about 6".

 

[kframe]

My wife has a red fromia starfish in her seahorse tank and it does well in there. I agree with rayjay though, about knobbies or bristle/serpents.

Another thing to consider is what a starfish will grow to and the size of your tank. Linckia starfish can get up to a foot for example. fromias max at about 6".

Very true...I like the fromia starfish I'll take that into consideration. Thanks

 

[MUSBFRANK]

I'd NEVER put a "knobby" type seastar in with seahorses, nor would I put a brittle or serpent star in with them.

What are the dangers or concerns of brittle stars, I have them with seahorses to help clean up all the left over food that end up in the rocks and crevices, the smaller species of course?!

 

[rayjay]

Any adult brittles or serpents, but especially brittles, can catch unwary fish and make meals of them. It's not that they will do it all the time, but with slower fish like mandarins, or fish that "sleep" at night, it's often going to happen, possibly occurring when they might be hungrier than other times.
Obviously the small ones some people have in the tanks are not a danger.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

This is a good article to check out: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/k...ank-what-to-add-other-than-the-ponies.303718/

 

[Zhubbell]

What about a blue linckia starfish?

I feel like a blue linkia will be a high bioload for a seahorse tank - could be wrong - I agree no serpents/brittles. I’d stick to fromia or sand sifting personally

 

[kframe]

Tank mates so far I'm thinking...dragonet or jaw fish, fromia starfish and maybe a peppermint shrimp. Thoughts?

 

[Claire Austin]

I have a 56 gallon tall, with a 16 gal sump. 4 Erectus, 2 blue stripe pipefish, 1 chubby mandarin, 2 firefish, 1 small heniochus, a wee yellow watchman goby, and a softball-size rock covered with star polyps. Plans are to add some gorgonians and other softies. Everyone gets along great, and params are pretty stable, using Dr Tim' Refresh and Waste-Away. 15 gal water change every other week. Feeding 1/2 cube my sis and 1/8 cube Cyclopeeze twice per day. Reef Crystals salt mix.

 

[Gareth elliott]

While fromias or linkias maybe sea horse safe, a sea horse tank may not be the ideal home for a sea star. They thrive in tanks of lots of aged rock work and applicable volumes. A sea horse tank given how they are often setup may not have the bio film needed for their appetite.

I think there are more successful seahorse keepers than 1-2 year fromia keepers.

 

[Zhubbell]

Tank mates so far I'm thinking...dragonet or jaw fish, fromia starfish and maybe a peppermint shrimp. Thoughts?

I have a little 10g cube in our den with Pygmy seahorses in it - getting ready to add a peppermint as I just saw a tiny baby Aiptasia that’s come out of no where, so I think that’s a great addition!
If you’re also adding a dragonet you better have a lot of food natural food source! I’d definitely design the system with a good sized Refugium too, as I’m guess there is virtually no population of pods that a couple ponies and a dragonette couldn’t take down if they don’t have a their own part of the the tank to replenish themselves.

 

[kframe]

I have a little 10g cube in our den with Pygmy seahorses in it - getting ready to add a peppermint as I just saw a tiny baby Aiptasia that’s come out of no where, so I think that’s a great addition!
If you’re also adding a dragonet you better have a lot of food natural food source! I’d definitely design the system with a good sized Refugium too, as I’m guess there is virtually no population of pods that a couple ponies and a dragonette couldn’t take down if they don’t have a their own part of the the tank to replenish themselves.

Yeah I plan on seeding the tank a couple months in advance with copepods. I'm using the aquatop 40g AIO. So, it would take a little modifications to add a refugium. I was thinking of adding one of those pod motel things. Do these actually work?

 

[ScottR]

Tank mates so far I'm thinking...dragonet or jaw fish, fromia starfish and maybe a peppermint shrimp. Thoughts?

A dragonet with seahorses!? I hope you have money for feeding lots of pods. I’d have a pod tank running well before adding in the livestock.

 

[Claire Austin]

A dragonet with seahorses!? I hope you have money for feeding lots of pods. I’d have a pod tank running well before adding in the livestock.

My Mandarin eats the mysis and cyclopeeze, in addition to whatever pods are in there. The pipefish go for the cyclopeeze, as well as pods.

 

[ScottR]

My Mandarin eats the mysis and cyclopeeze, in addition to whatever pods are in there. The pipefish go for the cyclopeeze, as well as pods.

It’s not easy to train them to eat like that. But it’s possible. But putting 2 animals with the same eating habits together will not be easy. If the mandarin goes for the pods and outcompetes the seahorses, it won’t fare well.