Reef Aquarium Fact #268 Pipefish need a species only tank to be able to thrive.

revhtree · Jan 14, 2013

We are going to continue discussing the reef aquarium facts submitted by our members. Do you agree or disagree? What are your thoughts?

Fact #268

Pipefish need a species only tank to be able to thrive.

Truth or False? What else might we need to learn on this subject? Please also share any pictures that may pertain to the subject.

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o2manyfish · Jan 14, 2013

I don't know the definition of 'thrive'. In the past I kept Dragon Faced Pipes, Blue Line, and both colors of banded for multiple years till a tank crash.

At the moment I have a pair of dragon faced pipes for almost 2 years.

I have them in my main display tank, which is high flow (including a 2 story surge tank), and with a massive fish population.

They seem happy.

Dave B

revhtree · Jan 14, 2013

Dave well done! Please consider creating a thread documenting your experience with keeping the fish in a full blown reef.

Me z · Jan 14, 2013

Ive never had a problem with dragon face in a mixed reef either!

revhtree · Jan 15, 2013

I see this one might be debunked! I love pipefish and have always wanted a pair.

mfinn · Jan 15, 2013

I have my yellow multibanded pipe in my 50. It seems to be a very picky eater and I don't know if he could survive in a tank like my 240.
I do know I get to see him more in the 50, than I would if he were in the 240.

sageharmon · Mar 28, 2014

o2manyfish said:
I don't know the definition of 'thrive'. In the past I kept Dragon Faced Pipes, Blue Line, and both colors of banded for multiple years till a tank crash.

At the moment I have a pair of dragon faced pipes for almost 2 years.

I have them in my main display tank, which is high flow (including a 2 story surge tank), and with a massive fish population.

They seem happy.

Dave B

Hey o2manyfish.
How did you get your corals to grow directly on the sand bed?
Thanks!

o2manyfish · Mar 28, 2014

I started the zoas on tiles and sheet of acryllic. Then put them on the bottom of the tank and added sand on top.

The sand was very shortlived. I only had sand in the tank for about 18 months before I upgraded from 360 to 400g and then went back to bare bottom. I love the look of sand, but I use the magnet with the scrub pad in the tank all the time to clean algae, and sand was constantly scratching the tank.

Since this a thread from over a year ago, I still have the same pair of dragon faced pipes doing well, even after my tank crashed in September and I lost 130+ fish and 200+ corals. The pipes never missed a beat with the Kalk disaster, and the subsequent months of dead and rotting flesh in the tank.

Dave B

GrizFyrFyter · Mar 28, 2014

I have three 300g mixed reef tanks at work and a 120g reef tank at home and all 4 have pipe fish of one kind or another (total of 7) for long term and they seem to be happy and active.

Jason edwards · Apr 22, 2014

Pipefish especially multibanded have very dog like personalities. Kinda like yellow spotted jawfish. I had success with them in the past, scooters, mandarins, dragon face, sea horses , blennie ect. For best succes all non aggressive species of similar needs. Training to a feeding dish is highly advised and will prove rewarding.

ReeferBean · Apr 22, 2014

I also had success with an australian banded pipefish in a mixed reef for just over 2 years until it passed. It would hang in the back during the daylight ours but would come right out into the flow to feed. At night, it cruised all over foraging.

vlangel · Apr 22, 2014

I love pipefish too but I am assuming that you folks who are successfully keeping them do not have LPS with stinging tentacles ,is that correct?

GrizFyrFyter · Apr 22, 2014

I have all kinds of LPS in my tank at home. Acans, brains, euphyllia, favia... I also have bubble tip anemones and a carpet anemone and my dragon face pipe fish hasn't had any problems.

general0 · Apr 22, 2014

I have a dragon face pipefish in a mixed reef (primarily SPS) but also plenty of LPS (Chalice, acans, symphillia, torch, frogspawn) with tons of flow (MP40, MP10, WP40, and Jebao DC9000 return) in a 120g and it has been thriving in my tank with multiple species of fish as it's tank mates for almost two years now. I add live copepods once a month to supplement the existing stock. it swims all over the tank and I can find it in the rocks, sand, or floating on the current sometimes moving about in the tank.

Having a reliable food source I feel is key to my success with the Dragon Face Pipefish and it's one of my favorite fish in the tank to watch!

Squishie89 · Apr 23, 2014

I agree, need a true definition of the word thrive for this discussion. BUT, I have 2, a male and female, and they seem to be doing great. I love the quirk they add to the tank. Mine eat nutramar ova and copepods, probably other live things as well. They have not bred or spawned, but I tell them there is no pressure. They have no problem with the corals in the tank, they actually really like hanging out next to the Tyree leather. And no problem with the flow, in fact at dusk one of them (the male I think) swims INTO the flow of the powerheads and holds his own very well.

Ladysaber · May 2, 2014

I also have a dragon face in my mixed 90g. He is all over the tank and literally sleeps on one of my toadstools at night. He's in a tank that is heavy with LPS, nems, and other stinging corals. He seems to know that he needs to stay away from them.

rworegon · Jul 2, 2014

This is my pair of Dragon faced pipes. I took this pic with my cell phone right after lights out. They are almost inseparable.

Pair of dragon faced pipefish hanging out together just after lights out. by rworegon, on Flickr

Note this is in a full blown 90 gal reef with MP-40'a on either end and a couple of korallia's for added flow.

vlangel · Jul 2, 2014

They sure are cute! I am enquiring about getting some captive bred pipefish when I purchase captive bred seahorses.

ReeferBean · Jul 2, 2014

I had a australian banded pipefish for about 2 years in my reef tank... they are definitely slower moving but he made it with much more aggressive eaters.