Sucess with Dunkerocampus pessuliferus, let's hear it.

[MCCOOL]

I'm curious to hear from anyone who has successfully kept this species. I know they have a bad track record, mostly due to their lack of eating I believe.

So for anyone who has one, does it eat prepared food?
If so, what kinds?
how long have you had it?
In what kind of setup?

Feel free to add any other information you feel is pertinent to their success.

I know there is a Syngnathidae specific section, but since it's going in a reef, I'd rather post here.

Thanks

 

[MCCOOL]

Here are a few pics of mine. I acquired it 5 days ago, from a store that had it a week. It started out eating newly hatched brine shrimp, but I have successfully converted it to frozen baby brine and cyclops.

It is currently in a 5.5g tank alone, so it can eat freely, without competition. tomorrow (probably) it will be moving to a 20g QT where it will be treated with prazipro and Cupramine, before making his way to my 60g SPS tank.

sorry for the blurry pics, I only have my phone to take pics with.

 

[small alien]

Check out this thread about one.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1741640

 

[small alien]

Here's a pic of the one I had. Such an incredible fish.

 

[MCCOOL]

On a related note, how good are cyclops, nutritionally? I know the baby brine is not very good for it long-term, same with cyclops?

I want it to eventually eat mysis with the rest of my tank, but right now it's not taking anything that large.

 

[MCCOOL]

Small Alien,

I was hoping you would reply, I followed your thread very closely, sorry it didn't work out. The link didn't work for me, was it your thread?

Did yours start out eating food as large as mysis? mine shows no interest in mysis, or even adult brine.

 

[small alien]

I think I fixed the link. Please try it again. Cheers.

Mine did eat hikari mysis but it took longer to get on that than it did the banded. Eventually, both ate cyclops, roe and mysis but not PE.

 

[MCCOOL]

the cyclops are readily accepted, unfortunately I have been unable to locate the Nutramar Ova locally, I'm about to break down and spend the $40 to have it shipped from DFS. I've read nothing but good things about it.

I purchased "Maracyn 2" and "erythromycin" specifically for this guy, after reading your thread. I want to be on top of any bacterial issue that may arise.

 

[small alien]

Don't mean to distract from this thread but I thought I'd post this link to another pipefish thread that is going. I'm very excited about sharing info about this amazing group of fish. I love learning from my fellow fishy friends.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1895500

 

[MCCOOL]

Not distracting at all, I don't know how I missed that thread. I followed your thread on the 2 Dunkerocampus species closely, but completely overlooked your new thread. I would of just posted all this info in that thread haha

 

[MCCOOL]

Further discussion of my pipefish can be found at

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1895500