seahorse biotope ideas

[bf]

I currently have a reef tank and am planning a seahorse tank for my very young daughter (and myself). I would like to create a biotope that will be interesting for both of us possibly with DSB (but the seahorses would probably wipe out the micro-fauna...) and also macroalgae that would suit these creatures "hitching" needs. It does not necesarily need to be "authentic" but I would like to create a living system like my reef.

A lot of the sea-horse discussions focus on the anthropomorphizing (or hippomorphizing) of these creatures and while that's cute enough (it will certainly work for my daughter) I would like to try a different approach.

Any suggestions for macro-algae, substrate, tank-mates would be helpful and interesting.

[rshimek]

Hi,

I have little experience with these animals, and I think you will get better answers here.

:D

[ranaman]

The only biotype tank I've seen was at the Waikiki Aq. It was their seagrass tank. It had a lush growth of sea grass and had H. kuda , bangai cardinals even an elegence coral. It had supplemental halides to the skylight. The lighting was so intense you could see little bubbles of oxygen coming from the leaves.
So you will want to locate some turtle grass which is a real life flowering plant. Macro algae include such things as Merman's Shaving Brush, Green Sea Fan (Udotea), Mermaids cup, sea lettuce, and ogo. If you can't find sea grasses Caulerpa prolifera can be used as quick growing substitute.
Various sponges, photosynthetic
gorgoniums are found in patches in grass beds. In the pacific many LPS corals live in grass beds but they might make a snack of seahorses. In short select things that don't have a big stinging potential.
I wouldn't worry about worms and such seahorses don't like bristleworms and various pods will still be in the tank but at low levels.