Amphipod Culture in Refugium for eventual Seahorse use

asd0123 · 06/16/2014, 10:50 PM

Okay, I'm not really new to the hobby entirely, but I am new to a marine tank, so I thought I'd throw this here. I've done extensive research on refugiums, but I just can't seem to be sure enough for myself. My ultimate goal is to get seahorses. Now, before anyone freaks out, I do NOT plan on getting them right away. I know the risks and difficulties which they entail (I never understood this word, you'd think enTALE would be more appropriate, but I digress). I plan on first getting 6 firefish, then corals (non stinging, low light ones sun coral, clove polyp, zoas, blastomussa, giant green polyp duncan, toadstool mushroom leather, trumpet coral, and candy cane coral), and some inverts (sexy shrimp, feather duster, and blue sea star). Once I get all of these (like I said LONG way from seahorses) I want a male mandarin and 2 females. Finally I'd like to plop in 2 pairs of H. erectus (tiger strain).
Now, I know it would not be enough to completely support mandarins or seahorses, and I'd need captive breds to eat frozen foods as their main diet. My question, however, is; Would a refugium setup with live rock, an inch or so of live sand and a starter kit for refugiums (live aquaria has one with amphipods, copepods, cheatomorpha, gracillaria, and ulva lettuce) make a sustainable population? I know they need to be supplemented also with some ground up flake/pellet food as well.
This is my plan. I have an old 55 gallon and two 10 gallons. Use the overflow in the 55 to pump water into the sump where a pump will push water into the refugium. The refugium will be positioned slightly higher than the show tank and I'll use a gravity system to safely pump water back in, so no one gets hurt.
Will this be a setup that will allow a sustainable amphipod/copepod population to grow, and some to be safely dumped into the show tank for fun snacks?

Thanks!!

P.S. I included all the corals, fish inverts, and refugium supplies in case I've got things wrong (again, newbie-ish). Please feel free to rip my plan apart (be gentle) because I'd rather not have it at all than endanger some poor creature's life. Also if some species do counteract each other pleases specify, I kind of have it ranked which I'd prefer, and I'd rather eliminate less desirables first.

pyithar · 06/16/2014, 11:58 PM

you'll have plenty of pod eaters in 55G and not enough food source for all of them. if you could get frozen/pellets eating mandarins, then i think a pair is ok. i don't know about 3 in same tank.
6 firefish will fight one another and you'll be left with one or a pair if you are lucky in the end.
you'll need to target feed sun corals.
and i haven't learned about seahorses

i thought they need seahorse only tank.

asd0123 · 06/17/2014, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyithar

6 firefish will fight one another and you'll be left with one or a pair if you are lucky in the end.
you'll need to target feed sun corals.
and i haven't learned about seahorses

i thought they need seahorse only tank.

Well darn. I guess I'm just used to schooling freshwater fish

Thanks for the heads up about the suns, and seahorses can be kept with other species, one just must be careful. This website has been a treasure trove of information.

http://www.seahorse.org/library/arti...ankmates.shtml

CoralReeForrest · 06/17/2014, 05:13 PM

The mandarins as a 3 pair will not work, one of the females will die, and if the other one doesnt pair with the more dominant male she will also die. Seahorses are very delicate species and tend to need a "species only" tank. They don't handle flow well, they need certain living requirements met, such as micro algae to graze in and latch to, enough food to go around, which is where having a mandarin with them comes in. A Mandy is always going to win when it comes to eating more pods, they literally eat 22 hours a day so not much tends to compete with them.

I'm not saying dont give it a go! Just trying to help out. Good luck with your pursuit!

AZBigJohn · 06/17/2014, 08:54 PM

We have a seahorse forum that has a ton of good information in here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=35 I would ask all your seahorse questions there!

asd0123 · 06/17/2014, 10:35 PM

Alright, thanks guys! Any information is appreciated!

06/16/2014, 10:50 PM	#1
asd0123 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 4	Amphipod Culture in Refugium for eventual Seahorse use Okay, I'm not really new to the hobby entirely, but I am new to a marine tank, so I thought I'd throw this here. I've done extensive research on refugiums, but I just can't seem to be sure enough for myself. My ultimate goal is to get seahorses. Now, before anyone freaks out, I do NOT plan on getting them right away. I know the risks and difficulties which they entail (I never understood this word, you'd think enTALE would be more appropriate, but I digress). I plan on first getting 6 firefish, then corals (non stinging, low light ones sun coral, clove polyp, zoas, blastomussa, giant green polyp duncan, toadstool mushroom leather, trumpet coral, and candy cane coral), and some inverts (sexy shrimp, feather duster, and blue sea star). Once I get all of these (like I said LONG way from seahorses) I want a male mandarin and 2 females. Finally I'd like to plop in 2 pairs of H. erectus (tiger strain). Now, I know it would not be enough to completely support mandarins or seahorses, and I'd need captive breds to eat frozen foods as their main diet. My question, however, is; Would a refugium setup with live rock, an inch or so of live sand and a starter kit for refugiums (live aquaria has one with amphipods, copepods, cheatomorpha, gracillaria, and ulva lettuce) make a sustainable population? I know they need to be supplemented also with some ground up flake/pellet food as well. This is my plan. I have an old 55 gallon and two 10 gallons. Use the overflow in the 55 to pump water into the sump where a pump will push water into the refugium. The refugium will be positioned slightly higher than the show tank and I'll use a gravity system to safely pump water back in, so no one gets hurt. Will this be a setup that will allow a sustainable amphipod/copepod population to grow, and some to be safely dumped into the show tank for fun snacks? Thanks!! P.S. I included all the corals, fish inverts, and refugium supplies in case I've got things wrong (again, newbie-ish). Please feel free to rip my plan apart (be gentle) because I'd rather not have it at all than endanger some poor creature's life. Also if some species do counteract each other pleases specify, I kind of have it ranked which I'd prefer, and I'd rather eliminate less desirables first.

06/17/2014, 08:54 PM	#5
AZBigJohn Usually confused... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,091	We have a seahorse forum that has a ton of good information in here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=35 I would ask all your seahorse questions there! __________________ John Current Tank Info: Currently a 29 gallon all-in-one frag tank and a 210 gallon tank slowly becoming my dream system!

06/16/2014, 11:58 PM	#2
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	you'll have plenty of pod eaters in 55G and not enough food source for all of them. if you could get frozen/pellets eating mandarins, then i think a pair is ok. i don't know about 3 in same tank. 6 firefish will fight one another and you'll be left with one or a pair if you are lucky in the end. you'll need to target feed sun corals. and i haven't learned about seahorses i thought they need seahorse only tank.

06/17/2014, 05:13 PM	#4
CoralReeForrest Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Redding,Ca Posts: 1,010	The mandarins as a 3 pair will not work, one of the females will die, and if the other one doesnt pair with the more dominant male she will also die. Seahorses are very delicate species and tend to need a "species only" tank. They don't handle flow well, they need certain living requirements met, such as micro algae to graze in and latch to, enough food to go around, which is where having a mandarin with them comes in. A Mandy is always going to win when it comes to eating more pods, they literally eat 22 hours a day so not much tends to compete with them. I'm not saying dont give it a go! Just trying to help out. Good luck with your pursuit!

06/17/2014, 10:35 PM	#6
asd0123 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 4	Alright, thanks guys! Any information is appreciated!