I am new to pipefish and wanted to get some information. I have read that they are difficult to wean onto prepared foods and that they do not like being around stinging organisms. What corals or anemones are safe or not safe with pipes? How well do they do in a relatively high flow environment (45X turnover)? Do they attach themselves like seahorses, or do they swim freely? Of the commonly available species, which is the most suitable for a mixed reef? Thank you in advance!
New to Pipes
- Thread starter Dizzle63
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landlord
New member
I would say that dragonface pipes are the most likely to be able to hold onto structures. At least when I had mine they scooted around in contact with the liverock.
They were housed in an SPS tank stocked full without any stinging issues. There was also a GBTA in the tank with them, no problems there either.
I found the hardest part about pipes is acquiring healthy specimens that make it past a couple weeks. I have gone through about 6 differnt pipes (3 species) and the only one to make it and thrive is my current yellow multibanded. He is a fat hog, chows down on frozen cyclops, swims with the bigger kids, etc...
Good Luck
landlord
They were housed in an SPS tank stocked full without any stinging issues. There was also a GBTA in the tank with them, no problems there either.
I found the hardest part about pipes is acquiring healthy specimens that make it past a couple weeks. I have gone through about 6 differnt pipes (3 species) and the only one to make it and thrive is my current yellow multibanded. He is a fat hog, chows down on frozen cyclops, swims with the bigger kids, etc...
Good Luck
landlord
wolfman1973
New member
the dragon faced pipes are one of the best for a mixed reef. you need to have lots of pods in there for them to eat because it is hard to get them to accept anything else. i keep mine in a mixed reef and they are doing great,in fact my male is carying his 5th batch of eggs.
namxas
Things With Stings R Us!
many of the "flagfin" (Doryhamphus sp.) of pipes make excellent additions to a reef, and for the most part are a bit easier to wean onto frozen than dragon-faced pipes simply by virtue of the size of their mouths.
Janss' (D. janssi and bandeds (D. dactyliophorus) are probably your two best bets, IMHO. bluestripes (usually D. excisus) are also a good choice, but are smaller, and unless you're sure you have a pair, males will fight to the death. i'd also shy away from yellow-banded (D. pessuliferus) and multi-banded (D. multilineatus) as their survival rate tend to be a bit sketchy even if you can get them eating.
the flagfins are free-swimmers, whereas dragon-faced pipes slither around between the rockwork and corals.
i kept a pair of Janss' in my reef for about 3 years and they did wonderfully. they even set up a cleaning station and groomed my other fish on occasion. they ate frozen Hikari mysis as well as pods they hunted in the tank.
HTH
Janss' (D. janssi and bandeds (D. dactyliophorus) are probably your two best bets, IMHO. bluestripes (usually D. excisus) are also a good choice, but are smaller, and unless you're sure you have a pair, males will fight to the death. i'd also shy away from yellow-banded (D. pessuliferus) and multi-banded (D. multilineatus) as their survival rate tend to be a bit sketchy even if you can get them eating.
the flagfins are free-swimmers, whereas dragon-faced pipes slither around between the rockwork and corals.
i kept a pair of Janss' in my reef for about 3 years and they did wonderfully. they even set up a cleaning station and groomed my other fish on occasion. they ate frozen Hikari mysis as well as pods they hunted in the tank.
HTH
Personally, I wouldn't keep a pipe w/ any strong stinging coral, just to be safe. This includes all the fish eaters and the aggressive corals, including the carpet anemones, frogspawns, anchor, elegance, some of the open brains/meat corals... Especially if you are thinking of going the route of a dragon face pipe. They aren't the strong swimmers that the flagfin pipes are.
As far a using their tails, I think the only ones in the hobby that really do that are the alligator pipes.
As far a using their tails, I think the only ones in the hobby that really do that are the alligator pipes.
mollymonticello
Member
It's only a matter of time before there is an accident. Anemones and Euphyllids should never be kept with pipefish or seahorses.
Dragonfaced pipefish are known for being slightly more tolerant to corals (SPS and soft corals) than other pipefish or seahorses, but they would be stung badly by an anemone if they were to touch one. I've seen dragonface pipes killed and partially consumed by moderate sized bulb anemones. Not pretty.
mollymonticello
Member
sorry, double post!
mollymonticello
Member
.
namxas
Things With Stings R Us!
*waves to Felicia*
i mostly agree about Syngnathids and stinging corals and nems, but when i had my reef, i kept a tube nem and several large Euphyllia with my Janss' with no trouble (as mentioned, flagfins are super strong swimmers that don't really "perch" when out in the open. that being said, i wouldn't trust carpet nems or elephant ears with pretty much ANY fish.
i mostly agree about Syngnathids and stinging corals and nems, but when i had my reef, i kept a tube nem and several large Euphyllia with my Janss' with no trouble (as mentioned, flagfins are super strong swimmers that don't really "perch" when out in the open. that being said, i wouldn't trust carpet nems or elephant ears with pretty much ANY fish.
wolfman1973
New member
dragon faces are stronger swimmers than most people give them,granted the do mostly crawl around.mine seem very smart when it comes to reconizing my anemones and hammer coral,in fact mine sometimes sleep within an inch of one of my anemones.now it is true that anemones and hammer like corals could be a danger to the pipes but i think that could be applied to alot of other critters we put in there with them!!!!!!!!!!1
namxas
Things With Stings R Us!
i've never heard of any other pipes eating redbugs...just dragon-faced. pods are another story, a pair pipes can put a REAL hurt on a system's pod population in short order.
i know a fellow in Germany who keeps DF's in his reef and they actually slither thru his Euphyllia with no apparent trouble.
porkchop48
New member
5th batch of eggs.. That is awesome. Have any hatched?
wolfman1973
New member
i have never seen them release the young and the young are the size of the parents food(very small) the male seems to release them every ten days or so and they mate the next day when the actinics come on. i have to get a good camera so i can take pics
mollymonticello
Member
Are you talking about Ralph? I know he has Toadstool corals, etc, but I didn't know he had Euphyllids. Have you seen pictures of this?
suzimcmullen
New member
I have 2 pipefish that was sent to me by Dana with CCritters. I am not sure of the type. One of them was pregnant and delivered 15 right after he came. The babies have doubled in size in just 2 weeks. I grow out brine shrimp and feed them my own formula that I have been developing over the last year. The pipes were small but able to eat baby brine from the start and now eat 3-4 day old enriched brine easily.
Suzi
Suzi
mollymonticello
Member
I have to admit, I have a 1 inch Duncan frag in with my one bluestripe...I worry about it constantly. But so far, so good. The polyp is splitting, but maybe I won't have to get rid of it when it gets big?
Where the heck has Ralph been these days? I miss his photos.
Where the heck has Ralph been these days? I miss his photos.
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