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Unique Occupant for Biocube 29- Blue stripe Pipefish?


reefaramos

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I just added my first fish to my tank within the week, a black ocellaris clown. I won't be adding anything else for a while, but I'd like to entertain some options in the mean time. My ultimate goal is to have likely 4-6 fish in here depending on size. I've got a couple ideas lined up in my tank thread already, but one of my LFS' introduced me to the idea of dragonface pipefish once the copepod population is established (and right now, its booming... every day the population seems o pretty visibly double, it's crazy).

 

Anyways, in looking at the dragonfaces, which would still be an awesome addiotion, I stumbled upon the blue stripe. Assuming I get another glown and a small shrimpgoby or twin spot, I was thinking of adding one or a male/female pair to the tank in a couple months. Does anyone have any experience with them? From what I've read up so far, they can tolerate tanks with most species of coral and even mini-maxi anemones, and high flow (something I thought was out of the question before doing some reading). The main limiting factors would be copopods and high lighting, which I think I need to dial down a bit anyways.

 

Mainly just curious if anybody has any experience with these awesome little guys, suggestions as to whether or not to put them in here, or any other ideas on some really interesting/unique fish for the setup. I really wan't to have something different in here that has personality.

 

Stocking plan as of current, lacking this guy

 

-2 Ocellaris Clownfish

-1 Canary Blenny

-Shrimpgoby/Clown Goby/Dragonette

-Sexy Anemone Shrimp

-Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

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Hey they are a great addition to your tank. I had one in my 8 gallon BC. He hunted down pods like a pro. He started picking off the freeze dried Ciclopeze. There small size is a bonus.

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Hey they are a great addition to your tank. I had one in my 8 gallon BC. He hunted down pods like a pro. He started picking off the freeze dried Ciclopeze. There small size is a bonus.

How long was your tank set up before you put him in?

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It was over a year set up... it would be wise to get some live pods established in your tank. These pipefish are very small. Mine was about 2 inches long. The current didn't bother her. They have an interesting tail. Like most pipefish. It must be a defence thing like the fake eye on other fishes.

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Hmm. Yea, definitely waiting on my pod population to grow and stabilize, theres a boom in pop. right now but I definitely think thats something that comes and goes, yea? I don't have a problem seeding when neccessary, I used to make like a little "in tank refugium" when I had my mandarin in an old tank, I would buy some new chaeto every couple weeks and I had a little area of rubble I tied together with mesh in the back corner that pods could freely populate in. That worked out, it definitely seems like the blue stripes would be constantly foraging, and need a lot of food to keep up with the higher current.

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RIP Sebastian

Hmm. Yea, definitely waiting on my pod population to grow and stabilize, theres a boom in pop. right now but I definitely think thats something that comes and goes, yea? I don't have a problem seeding when neccessary, I used to make like a little "in tank refugium" when I had my mandarin in an old tank, I would buy some new chaeto every couple weeks and I had a little area of rubble I tied together with mesh in the back corner that pods could freely populate in. That worked out, it definitely seems like the blue stripes would be constantly foraging, and need a lot of food to keep up with the higher current.

Since you're a beginner, I wouldn't recommend it. Especially because your tank is new.

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Since you're a beginner, I wouldn't recommend it. Especially because your tank is new.

Eh, beginner is relative. I kept and serviced tanks for a couple years. Just had a long hiatus and decided to delve a bit deeper this time. But thank you for your response, definitely something I would be getting down the line id it ever came to it. Not looking for this guy right now. I'm going super slow with the addition of fish in this small system and wouldn't dare to think I have anywhere near a stable pod population in this tank so support a solely pod-feasting critter.

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My pair will go right into the current of an MP10 without issue, and my 60G gets into the 450 PAR so light in not much of an issue. That being said, I will say they tend to stick to the rocks and nooks to eat pods all the time so not an open-water dweller like the Banded pipefish that I had. (much bigger though)

 

Mine have taken to eating Frozen LRS, Brine, and broken up Mysis along with pods. I do however add pods every month or two just to be sure they get enough.

I would not suggest them with other pod eaters like Dragonettes.

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My pair will go right into the current of an MP10 without issue, and my 60G gets into the 450 PAR so light in not much of an issue. That being said, I will say they tend to stick to the rocks and nooks to eat pods all the time so not an open-water dweller like the Banded pipefish that I had. (much bigger though)

 

Mine have taken to eating Frozen LRS, Brine, and broken up Mysis along with pods. I do however add pods every month or two just to be sure they get enough.

I would not suggest them with other pod eaters like Dragonettes.

Awesome to hear. I have read that they can be weaned onto other foods, which is promising. I have the clownfish and will likely be getting a canary blenny, so I'm not terribly worried about him foraging the rocks and not seeing it all the time.

 

Also, regarding the dragonette, it would be a one or the other type of thing. Even if I could find one or the other that eats frozen, they would still be foraging for pods and not justifiable to purchase both for a tank so small. I catch your drift.

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