New Set Up

[dpajr24]

I'm back! I finally have my 37gal set up. Tank cycled, live rock cured and added. Up and going for 6 weeks. Pics coming soon. For now I have 25lbs of Bali Alor live rock. One leather coral (w/ what appears to be a couple of tiny Xenias sharing the rock). This was an unexpected gift from my Dad (Thanks Dad!). 2 black Aust Percula clowns. 1 firefish. 1 green goby. 1 feather duster. 1 emerald crab. 1 staghorn crab (I hope his shell lives). A small handfull of red legged hermits and a few nassarius snails. 1 orange ricordea shroom. A 2" rock w/ 6 blue shrooms and 1 little polyp of some sort.

I wanted this to be a Seahorse reef. But, I'm having mixed feelings about the clowns w/ the seahorses. I've read several articles that say they are compatible, but several that say the clowns will eventually end up being too aggressive for the seahorses. :grumble:

Let's see what happens! :^:

 

[little_fish]

Hi! I cant wait to see pictures, but i dont think that is going to make a very good seahorse tank. Plus you are already at your stocking limit.

You should read this about the seahorses so you can see what i mean:
https://www.livingreefs.com/seahorse-101-please-read-if-you-considering-seahorses-t33575.html

 

[dpajr24]

Thanks for your input. I don't understand why you say I'm at my limit for stocking. Please explain.

I've had seahorses before for 5 years. Never with the clowns though. They did fine. They didn't survive a 1200 mile move though.

 

[little_fish]

Each tank can only handle a certain amount of fish waste, plus each fish needs its own space in the tank. We recommend only one small fish per 10 gallons, seahorses being the exception because they like to be in herds.

And it really depends on the type of clown fish and wether or not they were introduced before or after the seahorses. I would only keep seahorses with the percs, true percs, and the oscellaris (?) and only if they were added after the seahorses. I would never keep seahorses with the tomatoes or maroons.

And just from reading your brief description of your tank it doesnt sound very seahorse friendly, and it sounded like you just wanted to get seahorses. But you have experience with them then im hoping you know more about them then i assumed :)

 

[dpajr24]

I agree w/ adding the seahorses first. The tank was originally going to be a seahorse reef w/ a gorgonian or two. My partner got involved though and fell in love w/ the black percs.
I think I'll put together another 37gal for the seahorses and try some algaes instead of a loaded reef.
I've read several articles lately online w/ ppl that have had good success mixing tank raised seahorses w/ other peaceful fish. I really want to try it out. NO CLOWNS though :( . I've been watching these 2 and they are already territorial.

About the amount of fish per tank, is that due to the liverock and coral? My parents kept a 200 gal reef when I was a kid. They had it loaded. That was 20 years ago. The rule of thumb they went by was one square inch of fish per gallon.

 

[little_fish]

The stocking rules are for the amount a biological filtration a tank can do and to make sure every fish has enough room.

And i had good success with seahorses and cardinals together.