attaching pipefish tank to main display

[rtay]

Hi
Im currently planning my next upgrade to 36x36x18 SPS dedicated DT and looking into attaching another DT 24lx18wx15h for pipe-fish. I have always loved pipe-fish and I have never been able to bring myself to put them in the main DT with so much flow and competition for food.
My idea was to have the main DT overflow tee off into pipe-fish tank so could regulate how flow goes through it. I guess a nice gentle flow would be better. Would love to hear some Thoughts on this as i have never kept pipe-fish so like to hear from people that have

Cheers

Rob

 

[dlterry85]

i have a pipefish in my dt and he does fine. its a dragonface and they seem to stay to the rockwork, so he does not get blown around. its a 75 gallon with a kole tang,coral beauty,firefish,two clowns. he is the only one that eats pods, so i add more a few times a year to just to make sure.

 

[namxas]

Just get yourself a pair of flagfins (genus Doryhamphus). They do fine at reef temps and flow.

If you get bluestripes, be SURE to get a M-F pair or they will fight to the death, esp. males. D. janssi is my fave.

 

[rtay]

Thanks for the reply guys I am planning on having minimal rock work do you think that this would change how the pipefish go in the tank.
I will have some over hangs for them to hang out

Cheers

Rob

 

[namxas]

It depends on the pipe...flagfins and DF's do appreciate rockwork with lots of crevices and caves. IME, they really need someplace to hide to feel comfy.

 

[rtay]

thanks mate so if i plan so that i can have some overhangs and some crevices in the rock work i should be able to some pipefish in the main DT which would be preferable.
How would they with 10-15 Zoramia leptacanthus, pair onyx clownfish, 1 Labroides dimidiatus,1 Cirrhilabrus laboutei, 1 tigrius blenny & a pair of red scooter dragonets

Cheers

Rob

 

[namxas]

They should be fine with those tankmates. In fact, many flagfins will perform cleaning services on their tankmates.

Our Janss' pair had a cleaning station and when they were open for b'ness, they would sit in the water column and perform and odd "head-up-see-sawing" display and the other fish would line up to be groomed.

 

[rtay]

cool i will be adding a pair of pipefish to the display then most likely Doryrhamphus janssi what do you feed yours can you get them to eat small pellet foods or most likely enriched bbs

Cheers

Rob

 

[namxas]

Our pair eats frozen mysis, BS+, and whatever they can hunt in the tank. Many pipes also eat roe (such as Nutramar ova) as well as frozen cyclopeeze (if the pipe is small).

 

[rtay]

Thanks for all the info mate

Cheers

Rob

 

[huig]

Hi,

I have a small tank attached to my DT.

The DT is a 300 g coldwater tank with 2 sharks, a few bullheads and some wrasses in it, so the pipefish would not fare well.

I collected the pipefish myself. Within a week I' ve trained/tricked them into eating frozen mysis, daphnia and cyclops.

The nice thing about the extra tank is some small/gentil creatures can be added as tankmates.