Blue Pipefish

[lanamarks]

I've never had pipefish but have had saltwater for a while. I want to find out all I can about these little guys and see if my tank could work for them:

28gal Cube
Peppermint Shrimp
2 clown gobies
Small royal gramma

Tank has corals but mainly just zoas and SPS (no aggressive corals with long stingers or anemones).

Qts:
1. I've read they can tolerate fairly high flow. I have strong flow but with a Koralia (wider flow than direct powerhead). Would they be okay?

2. Would they eat small ornamental shrimp (like sexy shrimp?)

3. How hard are they to acclimate to frozen/dried foods? What is the best bet to get them to eat? How long does it usually take

4. Am I okay with just one (versus a pair)?

5. How personable are they? Since I can't add to many critters I want fish that are interesting to watch.

 

[lanamarks]

No pipefish owners piping up?

 

[lanamarks]

No pun intended

 

[rssjsb]

Are you talking about bluestripe pipes? If so, I think they would probably be ok in your setup, with the possible exception of the gramma, which can be territorial and aggressive when they get older. Even if it's not aggressive, it may mean that you'll never see the pipefish except at feeding time.

Bluestripes are interesting little fish. Mine eats frozen mysis and cyclopeeze, and I give her Tiggerpods occasionally. It took them awhile to eat even that. I've never seen a bluestripe eat flake or pellet foods, and I doubt that they would. They don't seem to appreciate high light - mine is in a tank with MH, and I mostly see her out swimming around after the lights are out.

I don't think they would be able to eat even a sexy shrimp - their mouths are too small.

HTH.

 

[danfrith]

I think your tank would be fine with a pair of bluestripes. They love mysis and cyclopeeze as stated. I have my pair in an SPS tank with a majestic angel and a convict tang and a few other fish, all seem to completely ignore the pipefish. I've had my female for over three years and shes probably one of my favorite fish. Good luck. I'd say try to get a pair.

 

[lanamarks]

Thanks. I'll probably wait a while and let my tank parameters settle but want to plan ahead on the stocking!

My sisters comment was, "Ewww, you want to put eels in the tank!". Anything thin without prominant fins is a eel in her mind so she wants me to not put them in.

 

[mollymonticello]

Caution with the Koralia. I have had Bluestripe pipes with 2 Koralias since August. But I have heard from others that Koralias can suck in and kill pipefish and seahorses.

I think it probably depends on where you get them from as to whether they will eat frozen or not. Some places train them to frozen better. It took me about 2 months to fully train both of mine. Be prepared to hatch brine shrimp a lot especially if you are quarantining (you should) or if you don't have a lot of pods. I got mine to eat cyclops first because they were too small to eat mysis. They are now just barely big enough to eat small mysis like Hikari. They can't smell garlic, but they can taste it and seem to like it. So gutload your BS in garlic and then soak your frozen in it. It helps them to learn that garlic = food. I also soak BS and frozen food in Selcon and Marine C. Also, gutloading BS with some kind of algae based food will boost their nutrition.

I love my bluestripes, they are some of my favorite fish. They're very friendly and recognize me when I come to the tank.

 

[danfrith]

Yeah like Molly said be careful with the powerheads, my bluestripes make me nervous everytime they even get close to the Koralias.

Haha, my dad doesnt even consider them fish and reefers to them as "pipecleaners".

 

[lanamarks]

Thanks for the tips. Not sure if I want to step out and try it yet or not, still letting my tank settle in some more.