Slender 'Fish-like' Hitchiker in My Macro

[Snow_Phoenix]

I brought home a clump of Chaeto + Fern Caulerpa from my LFS to replenish my fugebox as I usually do on a monthly basis. Er, today it came with something 'extra'.

 

I thought I saw a funny-looking worm-like thing slither from the clump of macro in my fugebox and down into the LR rubble/small pieces I keep in the bottom of the box. I didn't think much of it until I noticed it had a very-visible snout, a pair of eyes, and the slender body it has is dark orange with darker horizontal bands. I can't see the tail portion of it, or if it even has a tail. I tried my best to get a few pics of it, but my cellphone camera cannot focus on the acrylic walls of the fugebox through my tank glass for some reason, so here's all I managed to get:

 

 

My question is simple. WTH IS THIS THING??? 

 

I'm worried because I don't know if it would be detrimental to my tank. As it is, I'm having issues with my 20G atm, and I'm waiting for the tank to re-stabilize. This 'creature' is micro-sized at <1" long and is also pretty much inactive but breathing at the bottom of my fugebox (so yes, I think it actually has tiny gills). My guess is it's a fish of some sort. In fact, I have a vague theory of what it might be, but I don't want to put the idea out unless someone confirms it for me. 

 

Please, please help me ID this thing. The sooner, the better. 

[patback]

Maybe a blue stripe pipefish?

[WV Reefer]

3 minutes ago, patback said:

Maybe a blue stripe pipefish?

The coloring definitely looks similar. 

[Snow_Phoenix]

4 minutes ago, patback said:

Maybe a blue stripe pipefish?

Can one actually live in a clump of macro for a prolonged period? My macro came in a bag with nil water in it. 😞 Journey from store to my house was less than 10 minutes today due to light traffic. Can anything even survive in clumps of macro + 1" of water for ~10 mins?

 

I did do a bit of researching earlier, and the idea of pipefish did come to my mind, but I wasn't sure.

 

The last time my LFS pulled in bluestripes/alligators/flagtails was 3 weeks ago. 

 

And based on my store's past history, they have had tiny critters like urchin clingfish and sexy shrimp get sucked in through the grates and travel down the plumbing into the sump. 😞 

[Snow_Phoenix]

4 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

The coloring definitely looks similar. 

If whatever this is makes it through the night, I'll try my best to get a clearer pic to confirm if it is indeed a tiny pipefish. I can't turn the lights on again for another camera shot - my Starry got spooked when I did it just now. He might bash against the lid if I do it again. 😞 

[WV Reefer]

1 minute ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

If whatever this is makes it through the night, I'll try my best to get a clearer pic to confirm if it is indeed a tiny pipefish. I can't turn the lights on again for another camera shot - my Starry got spooked when I did it just now. He might bash against the lid if I do it again. 😞 

I’m surprised Thanos doesn’t just bust through the lid! 😀

[Snow_Phoenix]

2 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

I’m surprised Thanos doesn’t just bust through the lid! 😀

He probably will, one day. That's why I keep three lids on the tank at all times. 

[patback]

A few years back someone posted about a goby I think it was, surviving a couple months in their cold garage in the little bit of water in the back of an aio they had stored away. 

Most fish shipped from overseas come in a ridiculous small amount of water.  

If there was an inch of water in the bag, I'd say that's enough for it to survive in for 10 minutes. 

[Joevember]

Wow, another possible fish hitchhiker. A different, very recent, ID thread has a fish hitchhiker. Crazy! 

 

(I can't actually help ID, I just like these ID mysteries 😂)

[Snow_Phoenix]

4 minutes ago, Joevember said:

Wow, another possible fish hitchhiker. A different, very recent, ID thread has a fish hitchhiker. Crazy! 

 

(I can't actually help ID, I just like these ID mysteries 😂)

I don't mind non-fish hitchikers, tbh. Most of the time, hitchikers are cool. But a fish hitchiker like this is something that I'm unfortunately not prepared for. If it does end up turning out to be a pipefish of some sort, I'll try to capture it and deport it back to the store. Mind you, it's going to sound weird when I tell them I just found a 'fish' in your chaeto. 

[patback]

1 minute ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

I don't mind non-fish hitchikers, tbh. Most of the time, hitchikers are cool. But a fish hitchiker like this is something that I'm unfortunately not prepared for. If it does end up turning out to be a pipefish of some sort, I'll try to capture it and deport it back to the store. Mind you, it's going to sound weird when I tell them I just found a 'fish' in your chaeto. 

If you have a sump, I'd personally leave it in there. Low flow, lots of chaeto and pods... sounds like a good place for a pipefish as long as there is no access to pump inlets.   They also hardly add anything to bioload. 

[Snow_Phoenix]

2 minutes ago, patback said:

If you have a sump, I'd personally leave it in there. Low flow, lots of chaeto and pods... sounds like a good place for a pipefish as long as there is no access to pump inlets.   They also hardly add anything to bioload. 

I don't have a sump, per say, but I do have an in-tank refugium which is stocked with ~5kg of LR + various types of macro. Sometimes, my display fish wind up in the fugebox and I have to 'rescue' them from time-to-time.

 

The maybe-pipefish-maybe-not critter isn't doing too well though. It appears quite weak, and is just sticking to one spot (very inactive). I don't have much experience with small pipefish species, and none with blue stripes. I'm reading up on them though, and if I can get it out of my fuge, I will return it because I think it's what's best for the fish and my tank. Pipes and ponies are beautiful, but require specialized care. Not sure if I can handle one at all atm. 😕

 

 

[WV Reefer]

4 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

I don't have a sump, per say, but I do have an in-tank refugium which is stocked with ~5kg of LR + various types of macro. Sometimes, my display fish wind up in the fugebox and I have to 'rescue' them from time-to-time.

 

The maybe-pipefish-maybe-not critter isn't doing too well though. It appears quite weak, and is just sticking to one spot (very inactive). I don't have much experience with small pipefish species, and none with blue stripes. I'm reading up on them though, and if I can get it out of my fuge, I will return it because I think it's what's best for the fish and my tank. Pipes and ponies are beautiful, but require specialized care. Not sure if I can handle one at all atm. 😕

 

 

Fingers crossed he makes it long enough to go back. 😊🤞🏻

[FISHnChix]

27 minutes ago, patback said:

A few years back someone posted about a goby I think it was, surviving a couple months in their cold garage in the little bit of water in the back of an aio they had stored away. 

Most fish shipped from overseas come in a ridiculous small amount of water.  

If there was an inch of water in the bag, I'd say that's enough for it to survive in for 10 minutes. 

I had a lawnmower blenny survive in my intank basket with cheato in it during a wc.. at least 25 mins.. and he was totally normal after lol

[WV Reefer]

2 minutes ago, Weikel said:

I had a lawnmower blenny survive in my intank basket with cheato in it during a wc.. at least 25 mins.. and he was totally normal after lol

Totally normal. 😂

[FISHnChix]

4 hours ago, WV Reefer said:

Totally normal. 😂

Lol what he was normal swiming round like a champ hahha.. there was another member on here within the last year that had a lawnmower as a hitchhiker on live rock and he had like 45 mins of a drive with the rock wrapped in paper

[WV Reefer]

Just now, Weikel said:

Lol what he was normal swiming round like a champ hahha.. there was another member on here within the last year that had a lawnmower as a hitchhiker on live rock and he had like 45 mins of a drive with the rock wrapped in paper

It’s crazy the things they can survive. 

[hinnenkm]

It's definitely a blue striped pipefish - I have a pair at home. Hatching brine shrimp or feeding some pods to see if it eats might be a good next move, although I'm sure he's been through quite a shock! Keeping my fingers crossed for you that he survives!! My pair actually took pretty readily to frozen and now eat mysis like champs. 

Good luck and looking forward to seeing how this progresses.

[RayWhisperer]

Markings and overall shape sure do look like a blue stripe. If so, they are easy, as far as pipes care goes. Though 5 gallons isnt nearly enough room. They are not like seahorses, or grass pipefish. These are reef pipes, flow isnt a problem for them. All the flag tails do fine with plenty of flow. They are very strong swimmers.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Thanks for the input everyone. I just woke up - will check on the tank shortly to see if the little guy is still ok. I do hatch BBS regularly for my dragonets. I'll try basting some into the box and see if he eats. And think of a way to get him out of there somehow. 

[Snow_Phoenix]

Bad news everyone. It died overnight at the bottom of my fuge. I had to pull out all the rocks and macro from the fugebox to get to it. I checked it under the light, and yes, all of you were right. It turned out to be a very, very small bluestripe pipefish. Not sure what the exact cause of death was, but since it was very weak from the first moment I discovered it, I think stress might have killed it. I'm still not sure. 😞