Sustainable Pods in a Pipefish tank?

[beez]

Hi all,

Need to get some advise from the pipe experts....

I'm setting up a 180 gal RR thats been sitting empty for a while as a FOWLR tank for pipefish.

I want to make sure their nutritional needs are met, and I've read up on them, but I still have questions:

Obviously I'll give frozen a try, but I want to make sure I can provide enough pods in case thats all they'll eat. The tank will have about 275 lb. of live rock and a shallow sand bed, and I thought I'd add some macro and rubble piles too...sticking with a small protein skimmer. If I stock the tank with pods from Reed Mariculture in the beginning, do you think I'll be able to continually grow enough pods for the pipes to stay fat and healthy? (I plan on adding phyto to the water) If so, how many pipes would you advise? Obviously I'd love to keep a bunch, but I don't want to do so at the risk of them starving. Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[danfrith]

I think you should have more than enough room for maybe 10- 15 pipes, depending on the species. I would also recommend maybe a 20- 30 gal refugium just to be on the safe side for food. What species did you have in mind?

 

[pledosophy]

In a tank that big you should have no worries, but a refugium would be a great addition for many reasons.

 

[scapes]

my pipes love playing in the macro. i have a 35gallon hex and the macro reaches almost to the top of the water. when the moonlights come on, they come out and swim around the top and play in the macro. kinda cool.
as far as food, I feed mine frozen and when my male seahorse has babies, they eat the babies so frozen and fresh for mine

 

[seamonkey2]

Sounds good, you can try this:

set up the tank, fill it place the LR until you are happy, buy a good amount of copepods, florida pets sells them, let it sit for a month, feed the tank some food for the pods.

Do not put any pipes yet..this is the hard part

without predators the pod population will go crazy, then you can start to add...lets see 180ga=alot of pipes at least 20 of different kinds, try for triads instead of pairs.

they will eat the pods, but since there are to many, they will continue to reproduce as the pipes eat them

also plant your tank, pipes love to hide in the grass and it provides a natural enviroment for pods

good luck

Jose

 

[beez]

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses!!! This definitely puts my mind more at ease.

Danfrith, my plan is to introduce them in pairs (or perhaps trios, as Jose is suggesting...) as they become available, and I was thinking of adding one (or maybe 2) pairs of dragonfaces first. Then (hopefully) some bluestripes, which I believe don't get too big. Past that, I hadn't really thought much...I kinda like them all!! :lol: (planning on avoiding ghost pipes though, based on comments in this forum....)

Anyway, thanks again for the advise everyone...this is definitely one of the best, and most helpful, forums on RC.

Cheers!!

 

[beez]

...incidentally, outside of a LFS, where do y'all get your pipes? Liveaquaria seems to carry them with pretty good frequency, and I've seen them 'now and again' on other sites...any recommendations?

 

[danfrith]

I think if you cant get them locally I would only trust Liveaquaria. You should be able to add as many dragon face pipes as you want (both male and female), i've never heard of the males fighting in this species. Bluestripes would be good along with bandeds, multibandeds, and jann's. Dont really know of any other species that are redilly available in the hobby.
What ever your chioce, Good luck.
And keep us updated.

 

[beez]

Will do, and thanks again!!!!