Pipefish in a Community tank

[M.Doshier]

I was just wondering, instead of adding a Dragonet to a community tank (consisting of clowns and gobies), would it be possible to just add a pipefish? Assuming the pod levels were large enough to obtain life for the pipefish. What about if there are corals in the tank also? No anemone I can will be a must. If I have a large fuge and sump, how do the pods get from the fuge to the tank? Do they go through the pump? How's that going to work? Thanks

 

[sloshes]

Everything I've read and heard says no.

 

[M.Doshier]

So basically, if you want pipefish and stuff, it has to be a species tank, or a SH and pipefish tank huh? I've just read that most gobies and stuff will not hurt them and vice versa, so I thought that it might be possible.

 

[waterfaller1]

I keep a dragonface pipe in my main tank and 2 bluestripe pipefish in my fuge. They do fine.

 

[fishhaven]

I have Gobies, a hawkfish, a clown, snails and starfish in my tank with pipefish. None of them even look at the pipes.

 

[sunfishh]

There is a guy on here named Paul B that has pipefish in his reef tank. You might want to PM him.

 

[Sk8r]

re the pods, they get through the pump ok---couple of days ago I was watching as an amphipod got blasted up from the sump and against the glass: he scuttled away in a hurry. You could almost hear the tiny scream when he came hurtling out. If he can make it out, at a hundred times the size of a pod, I think the pods can do it.

 

[North Bay 101]

I have a dragon faced pipefish in a reef tank for just over a year now. Turnover is about 50+/hr and this fish even made it through two complete treatments of Interceptor. I am knocking on wood as this most peoples favorite when they look at the tank. By the way, we call him "Waldo"

 

[sloshes]

I've been led astray?

 

[North Bay 101]

I think that I have been very lucky.

 

[Paul B]

I have a pair of blue striped pipe fish in my 100 gallon mixed reef for about 6 months now. They are doing fine and even spawn every month or so. They find their own pods but I hatch out brine just in case.
Paul

 

[sloshesv]

I can't believe this. I've been duped.

 

[Paul B]

My reef is very old and I doubt too many other types of pipefish would survive.
Paul

 

[reefnewbie54321]

what other fish do you have in there?

 

[Paul B]

I have a lot of fish in there, I am not sure if I can remember them but, moorish Idol, bangai cardinal, rainsford goby, fire clown, purple psudo, mandarin, three clown gobies, firefish, and a copperband butterfly, I think thats it besides the pair of pipefish.
Of course there are also a lot of inverts too. The pipefish find enough food on their own.
Paul

 

[Me No Nemo]

I have a blue face pipe in a 125 softie as well as a Kellogi seahorse that came in as a hitchhiker. Both are doing very well, despite the higher current. I do remove the seahorse to a catchcup each day for dinner...he loves frozen baby mysis and frozen cyclopeeze. I also have a dragon face pipefish that is very fat and happy in my 130 sps tank. He chases down pods all day and I've read they eat red bugs as well, so he is in there as a preventative measure. All have been in the tanks for several months with no problems. I would not, though, suggest this to everyone...my tanks are full of pods which makes feeding them much easier.

 

[waterfaller1]

Here are some pics of the male in my refugium

Their tail reminds me of batman.

I recently found a female for him..they are inseparable.

 

[masterswimmer]

Paul B, if anyone could have kept a pipefish I knew it would be you. 'Grats dude. They are a crowd pleaser in my tank too.

I picked up a Janns' Pipefish (aptly named Ticonderoga by my daughter) in Oct. '05 (seven months now). He's doing great. He also eats frozen cyclopeeze.

Here's a very short couple of videos of him eating frozen:

Ticonderoga eating frozen cyclopeeze 1

Ticonderoga eating frozen cyclopeeze 2

swimmer

 

[Paul B]

Waterfaller. nice pictures. I can't get a close up of these pipefish, they don't stay still long enough and my tank is too big.
Mine are still spawning but the fry are too tiny to see, the eggs are just about too tiny to see.
Masterswimmer. These are just about my favorite fish too, It seems I have three favorite fish (copperbands, moorish Idols and pipefish) But bluestripe pipefish are the nicest because they are very unusual looking and not too often seen for sale. They are also a no maintenance fish like a mandarin. You put them in your tank and they take care of themself unlike a moorish Idol that you have to feed a few times a day and talk to nicely to keep them in a good mood :lol:
Have a great day.
Paul

 

[Paul B]

This little guy is pregnant again. You can see his "stomach" (pouch) here bulging.
Paul