120 stock

[fishmanstan]

I have a 120. I caught my invert eating Christmas wrasse and want some new fish. My Mandy recently died also
My current stock
1 yellow tang
2 BW clowns
2 bangaii cards
1 dusky jawfish
4 chromis
I like tangs, wrasses(reef safe now haha), and love Dragonets and pipefish.
Can u keep a Mandy n pipefish if u have enough pods? I love the drsgonfsce and banded pipes. Please help advise my stock. I would like a hawkfish, but heard they est inverts. I like the convict tang also.
Thanks!

 

[fishmanstan]

Also can mandarins die if they get stung by coral/anemone?

 

[fishmanstan]

Bump

 

[rssjsb]

Also can mandarins die if they get stung by coral/anemone?

They can and do. I would especially avoid a mandarin if you're planning to keep any kind of sand-based anemone.

 

[fishmanstan]

Well I had my Mandy die, and I have 3 anemones:- a sebae, and 2 rbtas.

 

[rssjsb]

I think all of the anemones that are usually described as "sebae" - crispas, malus, auroras - are sand-based, so I will assume that yours is too. If so, I would not add another mandarin (or any other dragonette) to your tank.

Others may disagree with me, but I also think you will have a hard time adding another tang to your tank now that the yellow is established.

You could add some fairy/flasher wrasses, as long as your tank is covered. They're colorful, not too hard too keep, reef/invert safe, and active. You might be able to add a dwarf angel of some sort.

What kind of corals do you have?

 

[fishmanstan]

Lps, sps, dendros, clam, nems. I don't want a dwarf angel since they are borderline reef safe. I understand about the tang, I really want a Mandy or pipe still..

 

[tylersarah]

Pipefish are like sea horses, very docile and do not do well in community tanks. They like low flow and peaceful tank mates.

 

[fishmanstan]

I have heard different about some species, like dragonface and another one I cannot think of atm.

 

[rssjsb]

Lps, sps, dendros, clam, nems. I don't want a dwarf angel since they are borderline reef safe. I understand about the tang, I really want a Mandy or pipe still..

I'm sorry, I thought you said you were thinking about more tangs. Maybe I misread your first post.

I agree that an angel is probably a risk for your LPS. And I think you'll just have to choose between a mandarin and your anemone.

As to the pipefish, some people have added flagtail pipes to reef tanks. I've kept bluestripes in a softy tank for several years. They are about the easiest pipes. They don't seem to interact with other fish at all. I've kept them with clowns, tobies, and a dwarf angel before. However, IME, they're a little cryptic and don't seem to care for bright lights. Janns are a little easier to see, but I don't know what their track record is long-term either. I would avoid the multibanded - they just seem too hard to keep.

Dragonface pipes slither around and perch on corals. I would be nervous about keeping one with anemones in the tank. They also are nearly impossible to wean to prepared foods.

 

[fishmanstan]

What about the janns pipefish? Aka flag pipefish...? They swim around?

 

[rssjsb]

I've got a Janns in QT at the moment, and am about to add him to my 185 reef. He's eating mysis and seems pretty bold, but I just don't know enough at this point to recommend them.

The bluestripes and Janns are swimmers rather than "slitherers" or "grabbers." They "lurk" around under ledges and come out to feed. I've read that they sometimes display cleaning behaviors, but have never witnessed this.

 

[fishmanstan]

Are janns easy to train to feed frozen? I have heard them being cleaners also..I would like a pair...

 

[fishmanstan]

Anyone kept banded pipefish?

 

[rssjsb]

Are janns easy to train to feed frozen? I have heard them being cleaners also..I would like a pair...

Mine took to frozen mysis almost immediately.

I agree they're more interesting in pairs, but it can be hard to source them that way. I've never seen them offered locally, so I had to order them. Liveaquaria could not assure that the two I ordered would be M/F. I ordered two anyway, and I'm pretty sure that mine were both female. While they seemed to get along great at first, the larger one appears to have killed the smaller in QT.

 

[fishmanstan]

So can I keep janns in my tank w/3 nems?

 

[rssjsb]

Well, I've got two anemones in my display, so I will find out. From what I have observed in QT, I suspect the janns to behave like my bluestripe pipefish, which I kept in a 40 gallon with an LTA for several years with no issues. Unlike dragonface pipes or pipehorses, these fish hover under overhangs most of the time, so I don't expect it to really be at risk once it's situated in the new tank.

They aren't the strongest swimmers, so if it got between a strong powerhead and an anemone I guess it's possible that it could get blown into the anemone. My expectation, however, is that it will avoid areas of strong flow in the tank.

 

[fishmanstan]

Great! Where can I buy them? Besides LA...