Blueline pipefish QT

[The_Reef_Keeper]

Hi,
I have a few questions about Quarentining Blue stripe pipefish because hopefully their tank will be ready and established by Christmas time.
1) do you QT your pipefish?
2) what methods do you use?
3) what medications do you use and what are some pipefish-safe meds ?
4) how do you feed your pipefish during QT?
5) what are common diseases and parasites i should know about?
6) anything else I should know?

Edit: I forgot to mention that I am thinking about doing the tank transfer method with every other tank (2,4,6) having PraziPro for the last 24 hours of each treatment and in between each transfer a bath in Paraguard and then QT for 2 more weeks
7) does this seem to extreme and stressful for pipefish?

Thanks and happy reefing

[The_Reef_Keeper]

I'm sad. 2 months and no replies. Anyone?

[devildog999]

Is there anything else in the tank the pipes are going into? For me, when doing a species specific build, I just throw them in because of their needs. For example, I am currently doing a 50g Searhorse tank.. when it is done cycling, they will be bought from a reputable seller and put straight in. There will be no other fish in the tank to start with so they will not be infecting anything else. More importantly to me though; their needs are too strong for just a QT. My DT is built for them and that is where they should go. I think they have a higher chance of doing poorly in a QT in such a circumstance.

But that's just me

[ThRoewer]

Pipefish should be quarantined, but if possible in a tank with live rock, macro algae and plenty of pods. If you have to use a "naked" standard QT you should definitely have live foods available (brine shrimp, tigger pods,...)

The only medication I know to be toxic to seahorses and pipefish is Chloroquine Phosphate. Unfortunately that's the best medication against Amyloodinium, so should you have to treat against that your alternative would be copper.

I would never treat pipefish prophylactic, especially not with medications.

Most common with freshly imported pipefish are bacterial infections.


Bluestripe Pipefish are generally easy easy to get to accept frozen mysis - all of mine do and they are not shy or afraid to snatch food right before other fish's mouths. They are among the most aggressive eaters in my reef tanks (that also contain carpet anemones).

They are usually also very hardy once established. I have one pair that goes on 3 years noe