Got a pipe...

Richocet83 · 10/21/2011, 01:38 PM

Hi all,

I've been waiting for my LFS to get me two dragon-face pipefish and they haven't had any luck. I went in today and they had a Yellow-Multibanded Pipefish (Doryrhamphus pessuliferus) and a very small Blue Stripe Pipe (Doryrhamphus excisus). I was very interested in the Blue Stripe and asked if they could offer some food... to my dismay, the Blue Stripe wouldn't eat the frozen Cyclop-Eeze offered. However, the multiband started eating the Cyclop-Eeze right away... she has descent body condition and no visible abnormalities so I figured I'd take the leap.

She's in my 75gal mixed reef and looks well so far.

I've read a lot on here about Mysis being offered and accepted relatively well. Do all you pipefish gurus here think I should try Mysis, or is Cyclop-Eeze enough? I'm all for offering a variety but wanted to get opinions first. Currently, the tank gets fed 2-3 times per day with Rod's Herbivore, Oyster Magnifique (only once a day), and frozen Cyclop-Eeze. BTW, tank has 100lbs of Live Rock and a macro (chaeto) basket in sump with lots of pods.

And now, on to some photos...

mtc1966 · 10/21/2011, 05:09 PM

cant answer your ? but that is a great looking pipe fish. good luck with it

Richocet83 · 10/21/2011, 05:30 PM

Thanks mtc... I'm in uncharted territory but so far I've seen her making feeding gestures all over my live rock this afternoon... not sure if she's getting anything (can't see into the rocks where she's sticking her head) but hoping for the best.

Richocet83 · 10/22/2011, 08:18 PM

Well, I tried some small mysis mixed with the Cyclop-Eeze and she didn't touch the mysis but it is destroying all the Cyclop-Eeze dropped in the tank.

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 07:36 PM

Hey I got a pair of banded pipes from faois and they both prefer mysis and i then started them on cyclopes it took a while before they started the Cyclopes, but I think that better the variety the better they will do. I have had mine about 2 months and they eat pods that are in the tank to I am replenishing those for them and I feed mysis twice a day and cyclopes with every feeding. Im no expert, but just my recent experience. I want one of the ones you have, but I can never find them at lfs. Where did you get yours?

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 07:39 PM

Hey I got a pair of banded pipes from faois and they both prefer mysis and i then started them on cyclopes it took a while before they started the Cyclopes, but I think that better the variety the better they will do. I have had mine about 2 months and they eat pods that are in the tank to I am replenishing those for them and I feed mysis twice a day and cyclopes with every feeding. Im no expert, but just my recent experience. I want one of the ones you have, but I can never find them at lfs. Where did you get yours? Btw great looking fish hope he does well. O and the mysis that I feed is hikari and I feed a lot because they are very selective on which ones they eat. I use the foam cover for the vortech to catch the mysis that they dont eat then take it off let it all go in the tank again to let them sort back through it so I dont put to much nutrients in tank.
Regards,
Danny

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 07:42 PM

Here is a link to mine this was a few weeks ago now there is a small blueline with him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 07:45 PM

Here are a vid of mine a few weeks ago there is now a blue line with them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu
hope I gave you some insight.

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 07:50 PM

Here is a link to mine this was a few weeks ago now there is a small blueline with him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5EJFzEY&fe

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 08:00 PM

Here are a vid of mine a few weeks ago there is now a blue line with them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu
hope I gave you some insight.

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 08:08 PM

Here are a vid of mine a few weeks ago there is now a blue line with them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu
hope I gave you some insight.

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 09:13 PM

woops sorry for all that my comp froze...

Richocet83 · 10/23/2011, 09:27 PM

No worries... And I don't think it's just you. I'm trying to use tapatalk and it was having trouble accessing this forum off and on tonight.

dantdodge · 10/23/2011, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richocet83

No worries... And I don't think it's just you. I'm trying to use tapatalk and it was having trouble accessing this forum off and on tonight.

quick question how do you like your ins100 I have the INS 180 right now just curious what your thoughts are and what water level do you keep it in for good skimming?

Richocet83 · 10/24/2011, 09:17 AM

I have my skimmer in a constant 6.5" of water which is the recommended level for this skimmer. I had some trouble with it at first... I actually had to restrict air flow slightly to get a good foam head to develop (I guess the air bubbles coming in were too large with airway completely open. Since making the adjustment. I'm pulling out ~2-3" of dark skimmate every other day. Also, since adjusting it I have added Bio-Pellets to my filtration and the skimmer is constantly pulling crud out now. The only thing I have to compare it to are my previous no name skimmers and a SeaClone (so basically no comparison). I'm very happy with this skimmer and if I ever setup another aquarium I would stick with reef dynamics.

namxas · 10/24/2011, 02:52 PM

IME, D. pessuliferus is one of the more touchy flagfins, altho the fact that yours is eating is a huge thing. Make sure you offer the pipe plenty of food, and don't stop trying to mix in mysis once the pipe is used to its new digs. H2O mini mysis are a good size for these fish.

uslanja · 10/24/2011, 06:05 PM

Nice looking fish!! We feed Rottifers to our pipe as well as Mysis and Cyclop-eez.

KimP · 10/24/2011, 06:20 PM

That is a gorgeous pipe you have there, and even better it eats frozen!

Richocet83 · 10/24/2011, 08:04 PM

Thanks everyone! I'm gonna continue offering mysis but maybe the ones I have are too large. Will check out the mini mysis! This girl is chowing on the frozen Cyclop-Eeze. I'm feeding her 3-4 times a day, do you think I should increase feedings?

aidan0217 · 10/27/2011, 07:54 PM

nice looking...faois?

Richocet83 · 10/28/2011, 07:32 PM

Nope. Coral Corral

Richocet83 · 10/31/2011, 10:40 PM

Made an observation over the last few days. Pipefish, or at least mine, seem to be very visually oriented hunters. I've offered food (Cyclop-Eeze) during full light, actinic light only, and no lights to find my pipe only feeds when the full lights are on, and at that, only feeds on the bright red ones. When the actinics are on or all lights are out she swims past everything, ignoring even the red Cyclop-Eeze they she takes with great gusto during the day. Since noticing this lack of visual contact in lower light, I have only offered food during "daylight" hours the last few days. Anybody else notice this? Does anybody else's pipe eat only during daylight?

dantdodge · 11/03/2011, 12:06 AM

I have noticed that... I have not tried feeding at night either. My experience so far studying how they eat and behaviors. Just to go over a few I have observed. One when I placed one of my regal angels in the qt with my blue line pipe he actually cleaned the ich off the regal angel I thought that was cool. I have also noticed that the all of my pipe fish the two banded and the blue line pipe fish have taken a liking to mysis and cyclopeez. I have observed them eating only the head of the mysis when first introducing them, with the blue line and both banded. A few weeks later the larger of the banded started to eat the whole mysis, but he would still only eat ones that he could see the eyes on. The smaller blue line and banded still ate the same. A couple weeks later I tried the cyclops and the small banded and the blue line loved them they started right away and only picked the red ones. I noticed the large banded showed no interest. My final and most recent observation is feeding with no flow. Last week I went to feed and decided to turn off the MP40 I fed mysis and cyclopeez and they eat a much larger amount off food if it is on the floor or a rock they are all eating mysis and cylops and I add amphipods and CP. So with the flow off I think they inspect it longer and can make a better decision before eating. Just some things I have observed over the last three months.

Bman10000 · 11/03/2011, 10:21 PM

You can get a small in tank hatchery for brine shrimp. Aqua-medic makes a great little unit and it even comes with some decapsulated brine shrimp. Try it out, your pipefish will do flips for it

rayjay · 11/04/2011, 08:39 AM

When brine shrimp cysts contact your tank water, either directly or via hatching water, you do risk the chance of causing problems in the tank as the cysts are known to harbour nasty bacteria.
You can mitigate this if you decap or sterilize the cysts before placing them in the hatcher.

10/21/2011, 01:38 PM	#1
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	Got a pipe... Hi all, I've been waiting for my LFS to get me two dragon-face pipefish and they haven't had any luck. I went in today and they had a Yellow-Multibanded Pipefish (Doryrhamphus pessuliferus) and a very small Blue Stripe Pipe (Doryrhamphus excisus). I was very interested in the Blue Stripe and asked if they could offer some food... to my dismay, the Blue Stripe wouldn't eat the frozen Cyclop-Eeze offered. However, the multiband started eating the Cyclop-Eeze right away... she has descent body condition and no visible abnormalities so I figured I'd take the leap. She's in my 75gal mixed reef and looks well so far. I've read a lot on here about Mysis being offered and accepted relatively well. Do all you pipefish gurus here think I should try Mysis, or is Cyclop-Eeze enough? I'm all for offering a variety but wanted to get opinions first. Currently, the tank gets fed 2-3 times per day with Rod's Herbivore, Oyster Magnifique (only once a day), and frozen Cyclop-Eeze. BTW, tank has 100lbs of Live Rock and a macro (chaeto) basket in sump with lots of pods. And now, on to some photos... __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

10/21/2011, 05:09 PM	#2
mtc1966 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: middletown,ct Posts: 6,528	cant answer your ? but that is a great looking pipe fish. good luck with it __________________ 65g seahorse tank 20g sump with a reef octopus skimmer ,tlf 150 reactor, red sea ozone generator controller,cpr hob fuge with light and 2 China led lights one 42x1 w and one 24x3 w. occupied by 4 ecectus seahorses a couple small gobies and cuc. Current Tank Info: 58g main with 20g sump

10/21/2011, 05:30 PM	#3
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	Thanks mtc... I'm in uncharted territory but so far I've seen her making feeding gestures all over my live rock this afternoon... not sure if she's getting anything (can't see into the rocks where she's sticking her head) but hoping for the best. __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

10/22/2011, 08:18 PM	#4
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	Well, I tried some small mysis mixed with the Cyclop-Eeze and she didn't touch the mysis but it is destroying all the Cyclop-Eeze dropped in the tank. __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

10/23/2011, 09:27 PM	#13
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	No worries... And I don't think it's just you. I'm trying to use tapatalk and it was having trouble accessing this forum off and on tonight. __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

10/23/2011, 07:36 PM	#5
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	Hey I got a pair of banded pipes from faois and they both prefer mysis and i then started them on cyclopes it took a while before they started the Cyclopes, but I think that better the variety the better they will do. I have had mine about 2 months and they eat pods that are in the tank to I am replenishing those for them and I feed mysis twice a day and cyclopes with every feeding. Im no expert, but just my recent experience. I want one of the ones you have, but I can never find them at lfs. Where did you get yours?

10/23/2011, 07:39 PM	#6
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	Hey I got a pair of banded pipes from faois and they both prefer mysis and i then started them on cyclopes it took a while before they started the Cyclopes, but I think that better the variety the better they will do. I have had mine about 2 months and they eat pods that are in the tank to I am replenishing those for them and I feed mysis twice a day and cyclopes with every feeding. Im no expert, but just my recent experience. I want one of the ones you have, but I can never find them at lfs. Where did you get yours? Btw great looking fish hope he does well. O and the mysis that I feed is hikari and I feed a lot because they are very selective on which ones they eat. I use the foam cover for the vortech to catch the mysis that they dont eat then take it off let it all go in the tank again to let them sort back through it so I dont put to much nutrients in tank. Regards, Danny

10/23/2011, 07:42 PM	#7
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	Here is a link to mine this was a few weeks ago now there is a small blueline with him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu

10/23/2011, 07:45 PM	#8
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	Here are a vid of mine a few weeks ago there is now a blue line with them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu hope I gave you some insight.

10/23/2011, 07:50 PM	#9
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	Here is a link to mine this was a few weeks ago now there is a small blueline with him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5EJFzEY&fe

10/23/2011, 08:00 PM	#10
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	Here are a vid of mine a few weeks ago there is now a blue line with them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu hope I gave you some insight.

10/23/2011, 08:08 PM	#11
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	Here are a vid of mine a few weeks ago there is now a blue line with them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws1W5...&feature=feedu hope I gave you some insight.

10/23/2011, 09:13 PM	#12
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	woops sorry for all that my comp froze...

10/24/2011, 09:17 AM	#15
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	I have my skimmer in a constant 6.5" of water which is the recommended level for this skimmer. I had some trouble with it at first... I actually had to restrict air flow slightly to get a good foam head to develop (I guess the air bubbles coming in were too large with airway completely open. Since making the adjustment. I'm pulling out ~2-3" of dark skimmate every other day. Also, since adjusting it I have added Bio-Pellets to my filtration and the skimmer is constantly pulling crud out now. The only thing I have to compare it to are my previous no name skimmers and a SeaClone (so basically no comparison). I'm very happy with this skimmer and if I ever setup another aquarium I would stick with reef dynamics. __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

10/24/2011, 02:52 PM	#16
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	IME, D. pessuliferus is one of the more touchy flagfins, altho the fact that yours is eating is a huge thing. Make sure you offer the pipe plenty of food, and don't stop trying to mix in mysis once the pipe is used to its new digs. H2O mini mysis are a good size for these fish. __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"!

10/24/2011, 06:05 PM	#17
uslanja Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada Posts: 30	Nice looking fish!! We feed Rottifers to our pipe as well as Mysis and Cyclop-eez.

10/24/2011, 06:20 PM	#18
KimP Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 86	That is a gorgeous pipe you have there, and even better it eats frozen!

10/24/2011, 08:04 PM	#19
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	Thanks everyone! I'm gonna continue offering mysis but maybe the ones I have are too large. Will check out the mini mysis! This girl is chowing on the frozen Cyclop-Eeze. I'm feeding her 3-4 times a day, do you think I should increase feedings? __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

10/27/2011, 07:54 PM	#20
aidan0217 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 58	nice looking...faois?

10/28/2011, 07:32 PM	#21
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	Nope. Coral Corral __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

10/31/2011, 10:40 PM	#22
Richocet83 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Dunedin, FL Posts: 402	Made an observation over the last few days. Pipefish, or at least mine, seem to be very visually oriented hunters. I've offered food (Cyclop-Eeze) during full light, actinic light only, and no lights to find my pipe only feeds when the full lights are on, and at that, only feeds on the bright red ones. When the actinics are on or all lights are out she swims past everything, ignoring even the red Cyclop-Eeze they she takes with great gusto during the day. Since noticing this lack of visual contact in lower light, I have only offered food during "daylight" hours the last few days. Anybody else notice this? Does anybody else's pipe eat only during daylight? __________________ Life's a garden, dig it! 75gal AGA RR - Mixed Reef 12gal Mr Aqua Planted FW Aquarium 200gal 100% captive raised reef (work tank)

11/03/2011, 12:06 AM	#23
dantdodge Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tampa Posts: 308	I have noticed that... I have not tried feeding at night either. My experience so far studying how they eat and behaviors. Just to go over a few I have observed. One when I placed one of my regal angels in the qt with my blue line pipe he actually cleaned the ich off the regal angel I thought that was cool. I have also noticed that the all of my pipe fish the two banded and the blue line pipe fish have taken a liking to mysis and cyclopeez. I have observed them eating only the head of the mysis when first introducing them, with the blue line and both banded. A few weeks later the larger of the banded started to eat the whole mysis, but he would still only eat ones that he could see the eyes on. The smaller blue line and banded still ate the same. A couple weeks later I tried the cyclops and the small banded and the blue line loved them they started right away and only picked the red ones. I noticed the large banded showed no interest. My final and most recent observation is feeding with no flow. Last week I went to feed and decided to turn off the MP40 I fed mysis and cyclopeez and they eat a much larger amount off food if it is on the floor or a rock they are all eating mysis and cylops and I add amphipods and CP. So with the flow off I think they inspect it longer and can make a better decision before eating. Just some things I have observed over the last three months.

11/03/2011, 10:21 PM	#24
Bman10000 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Calgary Posts: 20	You can get a small in tank hatchery for brine shrimp. Aqua-medic makes a great little unit and it even comes with some decapsulated brine shrimp. Try it out, your pipefish will do flips for it

11/04/2011, 08:39 AM	#25
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	When brine shrimp cysts contact your tank water, either directly or via hatching water, you do risk the chance of causing problems in the tank as the cysts are known to harbour nasty bacteria. You can mitigate this if you decap or sterilize the cysts before placing them in the hatcher. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

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