Pipefish Diet?
- Thread starter tripstank
- Start date
fishyvet
New member
depends on the pipe.. I don't feed my blue lined or janus pipe at all, my alligator pipe on the other hand is a pain. I put 10 grass shrimp in the tank for him every other day and he hunts them all day. He gets supplemental feedings with gut loaded brine too. My janus will eat cyclopeeze when I feed my reef but other than that they are spoiled and I have not gotten them to eat prepared food yet.
Twice a day is defiantly ideal because pipefish do not have a stomach so their food is rapidly processed.
Twice a day is defiantly ideal because pipefish do not have a stomach so their food is rapidly processed.
fishyvet
New member
I don't know how they digest their food. Most of the time when my alligator pipe poops it looks like a mangled compacted shrimp. I would speculate that they have enzymes in their intestines that help digestion. Our own stomachs grind food down into small pieces to be pasted into the intestine where the majority of digestion occurs. Also, if a "food" is too large to fit into a pipe's mouth, they can eviscerate it leaving the shell behind. Here's a link where they mentions pipefish (and seahorses as well) do not have stomachs.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/hcs3/index.php
captainandy
Member
I feed mine PE mysis and arctic pods twice a day. However, they're always picking at the live rock and macros so I'll bet they're grazing all day long. By the way, stomachs are not necessary for digestion. Many people, after stomach removal for cancer (total gastrectomy) eat normal diets and only need iron and B12 supplementation. FWIW
