Solve the mystery of the Blue Stripe Pipefish...

[Guinapora]

So a week ago my blue stripe pipefish had their second batch of eggs. The first I left alone to see if they were fertile and it was a really small batch.

The second batch I watched everyday till day 8 when there was nothing. I removed the male on day 4 and put him in a kreisel in the same system. Day 6 the female of the pair disppeared from the tank (not in the kreisel). As the eggs got larger they developed darker coloring, more brown than orange. So one would expect all to be well. And day 8 I woke to nothing, checked before I went to bed. And a couple eggs that looked empty had been hatched.

I have one more pair up my sleeve, but they haven't shown any signs of mating. Even though they are the larger of the 2 pairs.

I've read that too much crustaceans will cause other species to have problems with their larvae hatching. But that's the sample for pipefish. And I gutload the hell out their food.

I was really bummed about this, and don't want to go through it again.
These are pictures from the first batch.

 

[ann83]

Are you saying that the eggs "disappear" but you aren't finding any larvae? If so, that makes sense. Bluestripe pipefish eat their fry. Or are you saying the eggs remain but do not hatch?

 

[Elysia]

"I've read that too much crustaceans will cause other species to have problems with their larvae hatching. But that's the sample for pipefish. And I gutload the hell out their food."

Are you saying that you have read that a diet too dependent on crustaceans will cause fish to have problems w/ their larvae hatching, but that crustaceans are the staple for pipefish?
I would agree w/ Ann -- Is there a reason you think that the pipe eggs aren't hatching? If I am not mistaken, you wrote above that your adult female disappeared in the tank -- if the female can "disappear," think how easy it is for the fry!

 

[Guinapora]

M Wittenrich, stated " However, if the broodstock have received too much chitin in their diet, the eggs cases may be too hard and hatching made difficult for larvae." This was mostly seen with gobies and damsels, but I'm keeping it in mind. Seeing how they eat a variety of cyclopeeze, artemia, rods coral food, brine shrimp, and mysis.

The male was placed in a kreisel, the female was by herself (with the male in the kreisel) in a 20 gallon with some live rock connected to multiple tanks. Someone of mofib said the gestation period was 4 days... When it's really 7-8.

The eggs are there one night and the next morning there is nothing. No eggs, no fry. Just the male in a dark kreisel tank.

 

[ann83]

I'd say the eggs are hatching and the male is eating the fry before you find them.

 

[ReefNutPA]

I agree, Ann. Pipes will eat their fry, and it's especially easy when they are confined in a kreisel/small tank for birthing.

Tom

 

[Elysia]

Guinapora, I wasn't questioning the facts, just wanted to make sure that my interpretation of what you wrote was correct.

 

[David123]

Syngnathids cannot digest chitin, this is why you see so many empty "shells" in their fecal matter.

 

[reefer3ctj]

cool fish