tank size and general info on pipefish

[9Tailfox]

Right now I am currently in the planning stages of setting up a smaller sized SW tank. About 20 gal I have not decided on a 20L or 20H. I will have a hang on back refuge or a small external one if I can manage it (land lord does not want a tank larger than 20 gal in my apartment). I was planning on keeping it simple and looking into 2 pipes as the only fish maybe a shrimp or 2. I was going to be a mainly softies and maybe some zoa's too. I was also planning on keeping the temp on the lower side about 75-78 with a small chiller if I had to.

I'm still looking into finding out more information about pipes and have been having trouble finding material on them. Are there any good Pipefish specific sites? I was looking at maybe a pair of blue stripes, I also like dragonfaced but don't know how difficult they would be.

So in short,

1) would a 20 gal be acceptable for a pair of bluestripes or dragonfaces if I had it established for quite sometime with a small refuge for a pair of pipefish. I was thinking a 20L would be better as neither of the species need a lot of vertical room. Is that accurate?

2) How difficult are Dragonfaced to care for and what size tank would they need?

3) Are there any other websites that have a good supply of pipefish information?

 

[danfrith]

I think you could get away with any species in a 20 long. The bluestripe and dragonface might like it even better in a 20 tall. You shoudnt have any trouble with the corals and the pipefish. I would do your best to get a pair already feeding on frozen. What species would you most like to do? Also, I don't know of any good pipefish websites.
Good luck.

 

[9Tailfox]

Well, thanks for the reply. I really like the look of the dragonface and would prefer them. I hear that it can be hit or miss getting pipefish to feed on frozen so that would be a lucky break to get them already feeding on it.

So you think a 20H would work better than a long for those species, How come? Is there anything in particular that I need to keep in mind tank or environment wise for pipefish, dragonface specifically? Do they need to be treated with the same care you would sea horses? I know the flow should be on the lower end. Are they a cooler water variety, or warmer water? Natural diet pods if they are not on frozen. What amount of live rock volume would be best?

Is there anything I'm missing? Any info you can provide I would appreciate as there is not a whole lot of info about these fascinating fish even here.

 

[danfrith]

I think 20H would be good for those species because the bluestripe only gets up to 3 in. and mine tends to swim just as much vertically up the rocks as it does horizontally, the dragon face on the other hand swims against the rocks like goby and blenny species, so it will swim up tall rock work.

The Dragon face pipefish along with the whole genus Corythoichthys does not swim in the water column like other pipefish. They are the one pipefish that you tend to find in close proximity with corals in the indo-pacifica, I don't think you should have to worry about corals or anenomes except for carpets anenomes (which can be a hazard for any reef fish) with them. Also, I wouldn't worry about any problems with other fish, with the exeption of predatory fish. In the reef habitat, despite what others say, pipefish can hold their own pretty well.

When it comes to feeding pipefish it can be difficult to train them to frozen. I purchased my female bluestripe already feeding on frozen from the LFS. Then I purchased the male, he took awhile but I feel after he watched the female enough he has learned and is now feeding on frozen mysis. The female is almost completely reliant on my feedings while the male still picks over the rockwork for pods. For your dragon face I have heard that cyclpoeeze work well maybe rotifers and BBS would work too. I could never get my dragon face to feed on prepared foods (they mostly just fed on the copepods in the aquarium). IMO, Bluestripes have the best track record for accepting prepared foods, but what do I know. To intice them to feed you might offer live versions of the foods listed above and then slowly transition to frozen.

Same water temperature as other reef fish. Maybe a tad cooler.

Flow shoudn't be a problem with the dragon face as they grip the rockwork.

I would say in terms of rockwork the bluestripe and dragon face both prefer more rock compared to the longer body, free swimming species ( multibanded, banded, and janss').


Good luck and feel free to ask any other questions.

Also, if I can get some of my bluestripe pipefish fry feeding, there might be some CB frozen food eating pipefish in the near future.