Itching for a pipefish

[ChrisPrusha]

The mention in one of these recent threads of a pipefish has me itching for one. Presently I have a 180g and a 20H. I have about 10 fish in the 180, including a yellow tang and a flameback angel, so I think that's out. The 20H contains a yashia goby, a swalesi goby, a tiger pistol, and an an emerald crab. Is the 20H too tiny for a pipefish, and/or is the bioload too heavy already? And would you consider these two gobies mellow enough to allow a pipefish to live peacefully?

If I get some responses that point to the possibility of this working, I will do research before I get anything. If it's a no go, that's cool, too!

[washowi]

What's your water chemistry? Heck, I have 13 fish in my 90 so I think you can put more in your 180 easy. Just depends on your water changes and regiment.

I personally know noyhing about pipefish though..

Tocc

[ChrisPrusha]

I do a 40% water change on the 20H and a 10% water change on the 180 each and every week. The 20H is only about 8 months old, while the 180 is about 5 years old.

Lemme list the inhabitants of the 180:

1 yellow tang
1 flameback angel
1 scissortail goby
1 royal gramma
1 pink speckled govy
1 flame hawk
1 arrowhead wrasse
1 lawnmower blenny
1 pajama cardinal
1 false perc
1 tigertail cuke
1 cleaner shrimp
1 pistol shrimp
1 blue linkia
Assorted snails and hermits

Anything look anti-pipefish in there?

[110galreef]

You will probably be ok. May try to get two of them and maybe they will do a little better. I was told wouldnt be much better getting a pair, but did any way. A 180 is a good size tank so they should be ok. The 20 may be to small for them. I noticed they seem to like when I feed the tank micro-vert. Probably small bits they can eat. I dose a little oncea week for now. Shut off skimmer and remove mechanical filtration.

My 110 gal fish consist of:
-Yellow stripe maroon
-Yellow Tang
-Blue Tang
-Purple Pseudo
-6 line wrase
-sand sifting gobie (???) forgot which one
-2 blue green chromis
-2 pipe fish

No one has seemes to be picking on my pipe fish.

[Doug1]

Chris, the manager at the shop I used to work at had fairly good look with them in a seahorse tank, they share a lot of characteristics, IIRC they were in a 50g or so hex tank, prolly the best use for one of them

[Geoff]

bio-load you will be borderline, but i do not think that will be the problem. they are slow movers. they have a hard time competing for food with other fish. they work well with other Syngnathidae because they all have the same feeding abilities.

G~

[rangerfan]

what kind of pipe fish do you have pics

[110galreef]

As Geoff mentioned they are slow feeders. To help solve this I try to feed first on the one side they are not on and then quickly add some to the side they are on. This usually helps keep the other fast eaters on the other side. Help not solves though.

[110galreef]

http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62745

Here is a picture of mine. First post. This is what got ChrisPrusha wanting one I beleive!

[ChrisPrusha]

That's the one!

[JennM]

Just be aware that you may need live food at least initially - live brine or ghost shrimp depending on the species/size of the pipes. I was able to train them onto mysis fairly easily.

The 20 should be fine for them.

I had gulf pipes that bred in captivity - was even able to rear the young.

Cool fish - Seahorses and pipes are my faves.

Jenn

[Twitterbait]

You will probably be ok but i still swear that it is always best to keep pipefish and seahorses in species only tanks. they can be fussy eaters and slow movers.

[kellie_halcomb]

pipefish are the same as a seahorse they cant be in a tank with big fast moving fish as they are slow and cant fight for food the only way to have one is to have a seahorse,pipefish only tank.cleaner shrimp can also be in the same tank as they help keep they tank clean 4 the pipefish.i have a banded pipefish.

[ChrisPrusha]

Welcome aboard, Kelli!!! w000000000000t!!!

I never did get the pipefish, btw.