Stocking Questions

[teenie_twin]

I'm already into the middle, possibly the end of my cycle and it's time for me to start thinking about what I'd like to stock in my tank. I figured I'd as some opinions.

Tank specs: 42g hex, 15lbs araganite sand, 20lbs aragalive sand, 10lbs Bali live rock, 10lbs Fiji live rock, 12lbs Tonga branch (live), several artifical coral peices. http://community.webshots.com/user/teenie_twin2 (see 'tank overhaul' for most recent photo's)

For sure I'll be having 2 male capensis seahorses, and possibly another 2 (females) in the months there after. My questions are not about them, however. The breeder has been fufilling my endless questions on them! :)

I don't want to over stock the tank, as the horses are my #1 priority. I wouldn't mind having a few fish in there however. I know that I'll be getting a few porcelain anemone crabs, as well as a variety of snails and a pair skunk cleaner shrimp for my clean up crew.

I've read up on compatible tankmates and the following I've read are most safe with the seahorses: Curious Wormfish, Neon Goby, Sharknose Goby, Shrimp/Prawn Goby, Blackfinned Watchman Goby, Blackray Shrimp Goby, Blue Assessor, Blue-green Chromis, Bluespotted Jawfish, Clown Goby, Convict Blenny, Dusky Jawfish, Firefish, Goldspec Jawfish, Green Mandarin, Rainfords Goby, Dragonets, Yellow Assessor, Yellow Eel Goby, Yellow Watchman Goby, and Yellowhead Jawfish.

The only fish that I've really seen (face to face) that I truly have my heart set on is a yellow clown goby. They are so adorable!! How many would be happy in a tank together? Would it be best to just have one?

As with the rest of them (and any you know of that are compatible but not listed), what do you reccommend? I would like to find something that will swim about the tank, as I know the little clown goby will pretty much sit idly.

Any reccommendations/advice you have is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!

Tina
teenie_twin (at) yahoo (dot) com

[SW Fan]

Seahorses should be in a species only tank

[teenie_twin]

that might be true in a lot of peoples opinion...but then I wonder why seahorse.org has a entire spredsheet of tankmates listed? and syngnathid.org has a listing of 'pony pals'? Even Ocean Rider, an awesome place to attain healthy captivebred seahorses lists certian fish (cardnals) for tankmates. (just food for thought)

[teenie_twin]

(bumping up)

[bertoni]

I would put one of the yellow clowns into the tank, unless you can get a mated pair. That's not a huge tank, so you want to keep the fish load down. I don't know how big those seahorses get, for that matter.

[sarduci]

Depending on how/where you have hitching stations for your horses, I'd go with the burrowing gobies and mandarin if you have it up mid to high in the tank. If you're going to go lower to mid tank, then the non burrowing gobies and the firefish.

Personally, I'd skip the jawfish and anything that likes to move stuff around the tank. Sea horses don't like a lot of movement. I'd skip the chromis and anything that gets larger than the sea horses.

Go light on the fish other than sea horses. (Yes, they are fish) I'm not saying don't have other fish, just go easy and see how they act together.

[jimbo045]

Cardinals are safe and nice too

[NwG]

I think baby seahorse would be a prime food for just about any fish... But some of the really small goby fish would be cool..

And just a note.. I know with this being a SH tank you don't have much flow, but all that rock stacked on the back wall really hampers the flow to the rear of the tank.. This can cause problems over time with waste build-up being that it is impossable to clean behind the rock...
Good luck and I know you kid will love it!!!!!

Nate D

[teenie_twin]

Thanks for your help everyone! I really apprecaite it! :)

Tina