Fish People Needed - Boxfish/Seahorse?

[wade1]

Alright, here's the deal. I am searching for inhabitants to go in my 40 gallon seahorse hex tank. Now, before people start blabbering on about "species only" tanks, I wanna say... go away.

For those with practical experience, please suggest away!

1- I was wondering if a boxfish might be a peacable companion. Would boxfish try to eat the horses? If a horse happened to grab onto a boxfish, would that stress it enough for it to elaborate its toxins and nuke the tank?

2- Other possible inhabitants? The horses are accustomed to feeding from a dish, so they know the drill. Don't have to worry too much about generalized feedings, although I'd still like to keep competition low. Thoughts? 3-4 Rainfordi? Goby/prawn (hope the prawn hides well)? Other?

Thanks!
Wade

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know, box fish are like large breed puppies. I would be afraid that the box fish would constantly knock the seahorses around, particularly at feeding time.

Other choices?? Hmmm.

How about pipefish - same family and eating habits as seahorses.

Or perhaps sedentary, bottom dwelling fish would be a good combination. Maybe some of the smaller species of frog or angler fish. But they still might eat your seahorses. But I would think that any fish that typically needs to be fed with a feeding stick would be a good bet since such a fish would not create a food competition problem for the seahorses.

 

[Anonymous]

I second the pipefish, along with neon gobies. And, believe it or not, I had (MANY years ago) great luck keeping black mollies with my seahorses--they provided babies while not completely outcompeting the seahorses for food. Also, you could consider one of the smaller species of cardinal (Apongon leptacanthus or similar small card, maybe?), as well as (assuming you'll have the l/r & pods to support such) mandarins or scooter blennies. Clown gobies ought to be peaceful and quiet enough as well. Firefish and scissortails come to mind as other peaceful fish, but I'd plan on filling their bellies up before feeding the seahorses, they can be as greedy as the mollies but I hadn't any trouble getting them to tank up on the dry foods, either. How about a smaller filefish? Harlequin/Orange-spotted filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostrus), possibly?

 

[R33f_$hark]

I would say go with the pipefish. I have seen a tank with both of those species in there and the guy said that it was working out well. IMHO I dont' think that the boxfish would work out too great with the seahorse. However, good luck in whatever you choose to put in there.

 

[wade1]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I'm leaning towards a prawn/goby pair (something to clean up the mess the seahorses make on the bottom) and possible a couple of rainfordi gobies. I'll stay away from cardinals though as I'd like to keep some shrimp in the tank too. Once I decide, I'll let people know...

Oh, BTW... lookit!
http://www.seahorse.org/forums/index.ph ... 14&t=4660&

Wade

 

[fishfanatic2]

Are you looking for fish or inverts? For fish, I say pipefish or a small group of gobies. For inverts, a large group of peppermint shrimp would be great since they would spawn and provide fresh food!