Pipefish Resources

[JJA89]

Hi all,

I am newer to the hobby, just got into reef keeping this year. I had a banded pipefish for about 6 weeks but lost it this week. I also have a Mandarin Dragonet, so I have the tank stocked pretty well with various pods.

I understand them to be a very delicate species - anyone on this forum have much success?

My tank parameters are quite stable, the biggest change I had made over the weeks before was dosing calcium/ magnesium, so I’m not sure if a spike in these levels could cause them to stress to the level of death.

Looking for guidance or people’s experience here before investing in another one and figure out what I could have done wrong. Longterm, would I am considering a mixed dragonet, pipefish and perhaps seahorse tank. Really like them but I find resources to be pretty limited for pipes specifically!


Thanks,
J

 

[JumboShrimp]

Lol... I can see that you enjoy a good challenge in your reef-keeping life! Best wishes in all your salty-endeavors.

 

[Channas]

Hi all,

I am newer to the hobby, just got into reef keeping this year. I had a banded pipefish for about 6 weeks but lost it this week. I also have a Mandarin Dragonet, so I have the tank stocked pretty well with various pods.

I understand them to be a very delicate species - anyone on this forum have much success?

My tank parameters are quite stable, the biggest change I had made over the weeks before was dosing calcium/ magnesium, so I’m not sure if a spike in these levels could cause them to stress to the level of death.

Looking for guidance or people’s experience here before investing in another one and figure out what I could have done wrong. Longterm, would I am considering a mixed dragonet, pipefish and perhaps seahorse tank. Really like them but I find resources to be pretty limited for pipes specifically!


Thanks,
J

First things first, exactly how long have you had the tank running? What size? Parameters? Sump or No sump?

Second thing to keep all these 3 species together you need to prepare yourself on having copepods cultures ALOT of them or if you have deep pockets bulk buy copepods amphipods etc weekly. You also need to have a mature tank or semi mature with lots of love rock otherwise dragonette, seahorse and the pipefish Will starve to death.

Thirdly, a massive filtration system is needed hence a sump which i recommend to have the same size as the display and use 80% of it as a refugium combined with 2 Well oversized skimmers and a filter roller or other mechanical filtration. 30% or so weekly water changes.

4th Medication always at hand for the Seahorses and pipe Fish. Having these 3 species together Will cause outbreaks sooner or later. A hospital/quarantine tank needed to be setup as Well and have it running a few weeks before phurcasing any Seahorse or pipe Fish.

This might be a bit of a overkill and im sure you can do less and have them thrive but this is what im doing and it works for me.

Im sure im missing things to the list but this in my experience works Well, i have pipe Fish and seshorses together for 2 years now and they have given birth many times on both species which in my Book is a good indecator that they are happy.

 

[Channas]

As cuc goes, only One type of shrimp works with seahorses in my experience and thats the sexy Shrimp. Rest of cuc can be different type of snails, starfish and sea urchin. Stay away from Hermit crabs and crabs in general, they Will hurt the seahorses, i’ve seen it with my own eyes

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I would advise against it, especially being new in the hobby.

Seahorses are not like other fish, they need several feedings per day of frozen mysis. They also need super clean water, they don't have strong immune systems and they get sick very easily. Your test can show perfect parameters but that doesn't matter to seahorses, any amount of organics or bad bacteria in the water - which we can't test for - will jeopardize their health.

You need an oversized filtration system and need good discipline on husbandry. Its really not a beginner type fish.

 

[Channas]

I agree with above as Well, not a beginner Fish and your husbandry needs to be spot on, miss a water change by a day or Two can be catastrophic in some cases but Big enough system and you can get away with more neglect. I feed my pipe Fish and seahorses 3-4 times a day and live foods twice a week. Weekly water changes of 30% but what i forgot to add is that i have food stations made up of oyster shells for the seahorses which i remove any uneaten food from after each Feeding, that helps ALOT to keep the tank clean.