‘Ugly’ Fish you now love

[Nate Chalk]

I have a few pipes in my reef. Those dragonface don't live long because they eat more pods than a mandarin and in a normal reef tank, there is just to much competition. I also have a pair of mandarins, a pair of Ruby Red dragonettes, and a pair of bluestripe pipefish.



The bluestripes I have always kept and they seem to live about 5 or 6 years as that is their normal lifespan. I have no problem with them and they require no feeding on my part.
They also constantly spawn



These Janss Pipes are another story.





I kept this guy for 7 years but I had to feed him and he only ate frozen mysis. Nothing else not even live worms. But it was my favorite and beautiful fish about 7" long.

These multi banded pipes never last long no matter how much I feed them. Again, to much competition in a normal reef so I don't keep them any longer.



If I can't keep a fish for it's normal lifespan, I don't want them

That is amazing. The multi banded pipes are amazing. Honestly all of them are.


Pretty sure my cbb only eats my pod population. Self sustaining food right now. Seems like a "gazillion".

Id be tempted to try one of these fellas . If they can handle the heavy flow.

 

[MIKE NY]

My dragon faced pipes and a file….. They all eat mysiss and small frozen foods.

 

[Paul B]

Id be tempted to try one of these fellas . If they can handle the heavy flow.

I collect local Pipes here in New York under a heavy surf. I don't know how they swim through it. Usually I find them in bays,