first pipes soon.

[rozzzna]

in about a months time i will be getting my first pipes. I originally planned and set up the tank for seahorses, but the ones i wanted were not available.

The tank i have set up is about 10g with a 3g fuge.
This tank is only meant to be a quarantine and observation tank for the newcomers. And hopefully they could learn to eat frozen foods in this tank as well.

my plan in the long run is to release them into my reef (42g) when im sure they will survive there and hopefully eat frozen.

I really like the Dunckerocampus pessuliferus and Doryrhamphus excisus and i plan on getting a pair of both species.

Maybe i will let the D. excisus stay in the 10g afterwards and only the larger D. pessuliferus will go into the reef.

ive researched the 2 species a lot (and im aware they might be tricky for first pipes), but just wanted to know if anyone had some experiences or advice for me.

thank you very much

 

[namxas]

IME, D. pessuliferus tend to be very touchy, and by the time they reach the LFS, are quite emaciated. i suspect this is one of the reasons they don't do as well as some of the other flagfins.

to keep two of the bluestripes, you have to be absolutely certain that you have a M-F pair as two males will fight to the death, especially in a smaller setup.

finally, every piscine specimen in your currently residing in your reef is known to pick on SH and pipes, so there's a good chance the pipes will spend most of their time in the LR, moreso than usual. also, the sixline will be in direct competition with the pipes for pods in your tank.

that being said, it's going to be really important to get the pipes eating ASAP to fatten them up. if it means supplying them with live pods, then do so until you can get them onto prepared foods such as mysis, oyster eggs, and cyclopeeze.

HTH

 

[rozzzna]

hi Greg

The person i will be buying the pipes from handpicks them himself at the wholesaler, and makes sure he only picks the most healthy specimens for me. they will never reach any LFS.

Im aware that the bluestripes has to be a M-F pair, and i will tell him how important it is that he doesnt pick 2 males.

I have great confidence in this person, and he knows alot about the fish he is picking up for people, so im pretty sure i will recieve great and healthy fish.

I have been thinking a bit about the 6-line and that is why i hope to get the pipes eating frozen before i release them into the display tank. Maybe i will simply set up a new tank for them - or sell the 6-line although it might break my heart as he is my absolute favorite fish.

You dont think clowns and the lawnmover will be ok with the pipes? if not i have a 35g running (fragtank) without fish. That might be a solution for the pipes although there will not be many rocks to hide behind/in.

Food is available easy, both living and dead.

im actually just brainstorming a bit here, and playing with my options i really want the pipes, it took me a year of research about pipes and seahorses before i finally had the guts to try it.

 

[rozzzna]

oh, and btw i only have 1 clown left.. the other one died a while back. note. the clown and the wrasse are about 1½ inch each. the lawnmover is alot bigger.

 

[namxas]

kudos for doing the research! it's great to see someone taking the time to "do it right".

i guess you'll just have to see with the blenny, but they do tend to get nasty on a lot of peeps. if the sixline is that small, it may be OK...again, i've seen it go both ways for peeps.

like i said, the huge key with the pessuliferus will be getting a specimen that isn't emaciated from the get-go. that will give you the best chance. do keep us posted, and pix are mandatory!

 

[rozzzna]

ok, i plan on keeping them in the 10g, for as long time as i need to make sure they eat frozen, and that they will be ok if i transfer them to the DT. i guess i will then have a gutfeeling wether or not the pipes and the other fish will/can get along each other.

I will definately post pictures when they have settled in