Are pipefish susceptible to ich?

[khanb31]

Hello,

I was curious about whether or not any types of pipefish are able to contract ich? They are fish technically right?

They have gills so I would imagine that they would be able to contract it however putting them through proper QT would seem to be a daunting task and all.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

SLim Jim

 

[ann83]

Yes. Pipefish can contract ich. Why do you think putting them through QT would be a daunting task? Are you referring to feeding? Its the perfect opportunity to try to train them to frozen foods, and live foods are always available if you need them.

 

[Elysia]

Ann is definately correct. Pipes do get ich. And not just on their gills. They can get it on their bodies, too. Do not make the mistake that I did. I had read that seahorses and pipes did not get ich, which caused me to hesitate when my wonderful frozen food eating bluestripe pipe showed spots. By the time I reacted, it was most likely too late.

 

[Fireworm]

So if they can get ich, is it ok to put a cleaner shrimp in with them, or is that jsut going to cause more stress on the sea horse or pipe fish

 

[mollymonticello]

I had a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp in with my bluestripe pipefish, I do NOT recommend it. That shrimp harassed my pipefish anytime it came near. And not to clean the pipe, the shrimp was downright aggressive and actually attacked my pipefish on several occasions. It's gone now, to say the least.

I have heard other people say that cleaner shrimp stressed out their seahorses or pipefish too much just from cleaning.

 

[Fireworm]

I thought I had read that before but wasn't sure.

 

[Elysia]

Pipefish can tolerate the hyposalinity that is necessary to fight ich. Just make sure they are in a QT tank and that you siphon off the bottom of the tank everyday when you do your water change. As long as you get the pipe in the hyposalinity treatment before the ich has progressed too far, the pipe will survive.