Banded pipefish

[southstar066]

Looking to get a banded pipefish for my frag tank. Its a 40g dt, with a 20g sump/fuge. Do they only eat live food? Or do they eat frozen. This would be the only fish aside from maybe another pipefish down the line. any recommendations?

 

[pledosophy]

Mine hunts all day long, but also eats frozen cyclops after some training. My system is a 34g display with a 25g refugium, both are heavily planted so pods and even small shrimp are plentiful.

I gotta say, I really like having the pipefish, he is so graceful. Like seahorses, they also seem to recognize me when I am by the tank.

HTH

 

[southstar066]

Thanks for the help, How did you go about training them?

 

[pledosophy]

I trained in a barebottom tank with a turkey baster. Took a few days. I had kind of an easy go of it to be honest. I probably could have done it in the display in hindsite, but IME with other syngnathids, barebottom tanks have always been the best. Less distractions.

JMO

 

[redfishsc]

I have a banded pipe in a 20g-long frag tank. The tank has a lot of pods in it, but mine will eat mysis very easily.

I ONLY bought him when I saw that he ate mysis very quickly. I am regretting not buying the other one they had.....

 

[southstar066]

I bought a pair, I havent seen them eat, ever when I put live brine in, They just hide. But their bellies look fat, so I think they are eating

 

[TamiW]

I think its pretty fair to say pipes like bandeds take to frozen fairly easily, BUT, there is no guarantee. If you want to be successful, you have to plan to feed live at first, both adult brine shrimp and bbs. Also try offering cyclopeze, frozen brine shrimp, and frozen mysis. Once they learn to take one, they seem to adapt quickly to most frozen shrimp.