Seahorse or pipefish compatibility in my tank

[thompson2224]

I am currently letting my 72 gallon tank cycle right now and I am planning my livestock out for it. I have always been fascinated with seahorses and pipefish. The pipefish I like is the dragon face. I currently have a 20 gallon and 5 gallon tank running that I am going to be moving the livestock into the 72 gallon once it is done.

In these two tanks are the following corals and fish:
2 clown fish
2 cleaner shrimp
snails
frogspawn
rose bud anenome
toadstool leather
green star polyp
rainbow acan
merry christmas scan
torch coral
rhodactis

In the 72 I am planning on adding a mandarin goby, a blue tang, coral beauty, diamond goby, neon goby, and other corals that I find I like.

As for my pod population in these two tanks they are crawling, literally everywhere all over the glass and rocks. And they have no natural predator in the tank right now so they will continue to populate.

With the 72 gallon, I am adding a 20 gallon sump onto it using the 20 gallon I currently have running for it, I will use chaeto and other algae in the refugium and add more pods into it so they continue to populate and make it into the tank.

For filtration I will have 90 lbs of rock in the tank and 80 lbs of sand. I also have a reef octopus skimmer for the sump, UV sterilizer, and two filters that will allow me to run carbon if needed.

Is there any pipefish or seahorse that would be able to be kept in this tank and be happy? Or is there no way this setup allows for a pipefish or seahorse? I want what is best for all the animals in this tank and corals as well.

Thanks

 

[JLynn]

Firstly, I am pretty sure that a 72 gallon tank is too small for any kind of tang. Last I checked, they needed 150g or more. Tang policing aside, what you have described sounds fine for a pair of pipefish. So, yes, you could indeed get Dragonface Pipefish! Seahorses, on the other hand, would not be safe in your tank.

 

[mbingha]

180 for a blue tang. They get big fast. If you must have a tang get one of the bristletooth variety.

 

[thompson2224]

Okay maybe I'll hold off on the tang then. But the dragon face pipefish would be fine?

 

[mbingha]

I'm no expert on seahorses or pipefish, but I thought they typically got stung by coral and required a cooler tank than most reef tanks. Not to mention they typically do better in species only tanks due to competition for food...

Again, just what I've read, and anyone with actual experience please correct me if I'm off base.

 

[thompson2224]

Where do you usually find the dragon face pipefish?

 

[JLynn]

Seahorses generally don't do well in reef tanks, because they hitch on corals which sting. Pipefish, on the other hand, are generally fine in typical reef tanks. The reason lower temperatures are kept in seahorse tanks is because studies have shown that pathogens reproduce exponentially more quickly at temperature of 75 F and higher. It is not necessary, and (tropical) seahorses are not actually quite as comfortable at the recommended 72-74 F, but it is done for their health.

Live Aquaria carries Dragonface Pipefish. If you prefer not to order them online, they are relatively common in LFS because people think they will eat red bugs- just to be clear, I have seen no evidence to substantiate this claim.

 

[thompson2224]

Okay. Is there different colors of these, or different breeds? Ive seen some that are blue and some that are whiter. I like the blue ones much better

 

[rayjay]

While I know that pipe fish are often kept in reef tanks, I don't have enough experience with them to comment.
For seahorses, I have a LOT of experience.
Seahorses are best placed in species only tanks with conditions kept for their specific well being.
Mixing species, or even same species different breeding source VERY often leads to the demise of one or both species.
The odds are better if you can get different species from the same breeding source like seahorsesource.com.
As almost all pipe fish are wild caught, they especially are not good to mix with seahorses.
Seahorses have a problem with exposure to pathogens that they haven't grown up with.
Seahorses are also very susceptible to bacterial infestations so while they normally would be in warmer waters in the wild, in our tanks, the bacteria are captive and get out of hand very quickly.
You can read more by checking out the links at the BOTTOM of "MyThoughts on Seahorse Keeping".

 

[rssjsb]

Dragon face pipes slither and perch in corals. They are not compatible with anemones and anemone-like corals. Other flag tail pipes may be ok with your setup. Jann's or bluestripes would be a better bet.

Also, they are similar to mandarins in terms of their dietary needs. They hunt constantly and will compete for food and may or may not take frozen food. Not sure a 72 is big enough for both.

 

[fishy.22]

I too was wondering about pipefish, very helpful thread guys. Robin, do you have any suggestions to supplement food if they aren't taking frozen?
Thanks

 

[NatureNerd]

Please see the recent thread titled something like: "Tank size for pair of dragon face pipes"

DFPF can be housed in a 72g but please wait several months before you even attempt. That is even with established live rock and moving rock from your old tanks. You need a large, and most importantly "stable" pod population. Also, as mentioned above, you can't have fish in there that are competition for pods.

Please don't try until you are sure you can provide for them.

 

[rssjsb]

I too was wondering about pipefish, very helpful thread guys. Robin, do you have any suggestions to supplement food if they aren't taking frozen?
Thanks

frankly, I don't think it's feasible to add enough live foods (i.e., adding bottled pods) to sustain them long term. I would stick with other types of pipefish. I've got a Jann's that took frozen mysis right away and seems to get by fine with that. I'm skeptical that a dragon face will ever get there. They may eat frozen (although I've personally never had one do so), but you can't count on that being enough.