Seahorses in the Display...am I crazy?

So I am planning out my 210 gallon Aquarium and I am trying to get some feedback on whether or not I can swing this. I was thinking it would be really cool to have a lagoon type place in the tank with lots of Macro Algae and a feeder tube coming up right in the middle of the macro so I can spot feed the seahorses all sorts of goodies (live and frozen). I am looking for your feedback as to whether I will be able to pull this off (I know the initial reaction will be "no way" but maybe your brilliant ideas will help us come up with a way to make it work.

Reasons I think this can be done:

• pipefish are common in reef tanks that are properly set up.

• Seahorses are better at eating prepared foods than they have been in the past.

• I want Macro algae in my display (no tangs to gobble it all up) means lots of "natural" habitat for them in my display.
• the feeder tube will help get the food they need to the right place without calling attention from the other tank mates.
  

Obstacles that may be problematic

• Water current: I want some SPS so certain parts of my tank will be very high current for a seahorse
• feeding: I know how smart fish are when it comes to food.
  

Also, is there a certain type/species that would be better suited for this environment than others. Lets discuss it and determine if this is worth dreaming about or if I am just off my rocker.

The feeder tube would basically be airline tubing that would go down to the bottom of the tank through the overflow, under the sand to the desired location, then up into the macro. the feed end could just be loose at the top of the tank. I would use a big syringe to inject the food to its destination.

Thanks for the heads up on Suzy and Amie. I know Suzy pretty well and was hoping she would chime in.

Thanks


Edited by SWells - September 14 2008 at 3:44pm

Yeah, I definitely wouldn't be able to keep SPS and seahorses in the same vicinity...It is probably too much to ask for them to stay in the designated "low flow" section of the tank isn't it? Thanks for the feedback. I have never heard about the gas bubble disease being caused by halides, but I will look into it...I hated helping our little dwarfs expel the gas build up.

Has anyone with seahorses in a large tank seen a tendency to stick close to a food source? or do they cruize all over the place regardless of food sources?

Yeah, I think you are right. DO pipefish do that much better with the high flow? I have seen several sps tanks with pipefish. They have a lot less surface area, so I would assume they do better. Maybe that would be a good middle ground.

Thanks for the input. as cool as it would be,  I don't want to throw any animal into an environment where its safety/survival would be compromised. 

why not set up two tanks that share the same water, (gravity flow) that way you could have both.

bannshy wrote: check out this web site - look at "Marte's Reef" and the "Seahorse" Videos http://www.reefvideos.com/

Thanks for that video link...I just may have to turn my 24 gallon nano into a seahorse/mangrove tank. 

BAD IDEA. Your seahorses will get caught!

That would work ...... unless the anenome sticks to the rays tail as it goes by and rips the anenome off of its perch or the Ray eats the clowns like mine did.

Ive had both seahorses and pipes but never in a reef. Horses hitch to anything they float by. There are very few corals which will allow this without giving them a nasty sting.