Is seahorse and mandarin a good mix

Basile

Well-Known Member
I'm planning a refugium with Macro-Algae and seahorses, and later to add a mandarin. The tank is an 80G made for pod production, with a special section full of rubble and part of the sand bed will have rock rubble on top of it. If i'm to max out production of pods should i leave shrimps and crabs out of the tank.
 

ddelozier

Well-Known Member
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With manderins being much faster than seahorses, and both eating the same sort of diet, i dont see that as a good combo, but i've never had seahorses. I know they are slow moving, and have to feed almost constantly like Manderins, but i forsee the manderins outcompeeting them for the pods, and starving the seahorses. DISCLAIMER(((((THATS JUST AN EDUCATED GUESS))))))
 

Basile

Well-Known Member
With manderins being much faster than seahorses, and both eating the same sort of diet, i dont see that as a good combo, but i've never had seahorses. I know they are slow moving, and have to feed almost constantly like Manderins, but i forsee the manderins outcompeeting them for the pods, and starving the seahorses. DISCLAIMER(((((THATS JUST AN EDUCATED GUESS))))))

So i'd be better off putting it in my other 100 G Reef tank which the refugium is connected anyway, the pods going down eventualy.
 

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
Far from an expert on mandarins but my experience with them is they like to study their food before they eat it so they eat kinda slow IMO. I havent tried them with seahorses myself but Ive seen other species specific tanks with both of them together.
 

Basile

Well-Known Member
Far from an expert on mandarins but my experience with them is they like to study their food before they eat it so they eat kinda slow IMO. I havent tried them with seahorses myself but Ive seen other species specific tanks with both of them together.


Would the mandarin eat the left overs of what i give to the my seahorses since they eat almost constantly and they produce because of it lots of waste, thats why i put them with Macro-Algae and other critters crabs, urchins and brittle stars to help with the clean up.
 

sheavens

Member
I have a mandarin, but haven't kept seahorses. My mandarin will look at the tiniest speck of food, have a think about it then take a peck.
He browses the rocks and never eats free swiming food, I don't think he'd be fast enough to catch it.
As far as I understand it seahorses eat free swimming food, so I don't think there will be a competition issue.
 

Basile

Well-Known Member
With manderins being much faster than seahorses, and both eating the same sort of diet, i dont see that as a good combo, but i've never had seahorses. I know they are slow moving, and have to feed almost constantly like Manderins, but i forsee the manderins outcompeeting them for the pods, and starving the seahorses. DISCLAIMER(((((THATS JUST AN EDUCATED GUESS))))))

Far from an expert on mandarins but my experience with them is they like to study their food before they eat it so they eat kinda slow IMO. I havent tried them with seahorses myself but Ive seen other species specific tanks with both of them together.

I have a mandarin, but haven't kept seahorses. My mandarin will look at the tiniest speck of food, have a think about it then take a peck.
He browses the rocks and never eats free swiming food, I don't think he'd be fast enough to catch it.
As far as I understand it seahorses eat free swimming food, so I don't think there will be a competition issue.

Well i can sum up all of you guys i had the horses and from YouTube videos and your accounts its a match made in heaven, because the sea horses are about the same speed i saw on the vids of the mandarin and your account of the mandarin the little guy stay pretty much on the bottom while my horses are up on a branche of a macro-Algae and floating around that tanks following into the wind the pieces of mysis. Plus i have a pod factory made of a tower of rubbles with an air hose and the waste of the horses and extra food dispersment the plants and algae its a win win then thanks.
 

sheavens

Member
Well i can sum up all of you guys i had the horses and from YouTube videos and your accounts its a match made in heaven, because the sea horses are about the same speed i saw on the vids of the mandarin and your account of the mandarin the little guy stay pretty much on the bottom while my horses are up on a branche of a macro-Algae and floating around that tanks following into the wind the pieces of mysis. Plus i have a pod factory made of a tower of rubbles with an air hose and the waste of the horses and extra food dispersment the plants and algae its a win win then thanks.

100% I'd go for it
 

Basile

Well-Known Member
yup, great choice with the seahorse. get one that is eating frozen food.

Thanks yes i prefer the learning experience over the ownership of a great speciemen. I find them really gracefull and interesting to watch. I just hope i'll be as successfull as the last time, thats all. But you kwon nature, never the same....
 
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