First time pipefish owner

GoldfishtheKing · 10/28/2012, 04:51 AM

I've been in the reef hobby for roughly 8 months, i have a 30 gallon nano cube and I traded some frags for a pipefish, hes green in color and swims all over the places and he'll swim up to power heads and let them push him around and stuff. he seems really active if i touch my tank he'll swim up to my hand. but he keeps managing to find ways to get his tail stuck on things, he got it stuck on some rock, i got him loose with out any injury then he thought it would be a good idea to wrap his tail around my power head, and it got stuck, i woke up in around ~2:30 am and saw it and got it loose. how do i keep him from getting it stuck all the time?

Cirrhitichthys · 10/28/2012, 10:37 AM

Could you get a picture of him?

He sounds like a dragonface pipefish, which are actually pipehorses. So he may not be stuck, rather, he is holding onto the rocks and powerhead. I'd suggest getting a powerhead which is not open, so a maxijet, or the like. This will prevent him from gripping onto the powerhead, and having it shear off his tail. Good luck with the little guy.

~Cirrhi

rssjsb · 10/29/2012, 09:39 AM

I agree a picture would help.

The pipefish that are usually referred to as "dragonface" pipes do not have gripping prehensile tails. But they're also not green. This is why common names re a problem.

Could it be an alligator pipe?

namxas · 10/30/2012, 02:40 PM

I agree with Robin...sounds like S. biaculeatus (alligator pipe).

rssjsb · 10/31/2012, 09:24 AM

Lol, after going off on common names, I did it myself. Thanks, Greg.

10/28/2012, 04:51 AM	#1
GoldfishtheKing Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 1	First time pipefish owner I've been in the reef hobby for roughly 8 months, i have a 30 gallon nano cube and I traded some frags for a pipefish, hes green in color and swims all over the places and he'll swim up to power heads and let them push him around and stuff. he seems really active if i touch my tank he'll swim up to my hand. but he keeps managing to find ways to get his tail stuck on things, he got it stuck on some rock, i got him loose with out any injury then he thought it would be a good idea to wrap his tail around my power head, and it got stuck, i woke up in around ~2:30 am and saw it and got it loose. how do i keep him from getting it stuck all the time?

10/28/2012, 10:37 AM	#2
Cirrhitichthys Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: 127.0.0.1 Posts: 46	Could you get a picture of him? He sounds like a dragonface pipefish, which are actually pipehorses. So he may not be stuck, rather, he is holding onto the rocks and powerhead. I'd suggest getting a powerhead which is not open, so a maxijet, or the like. This will prevent him from gripping onto the powerhead, and having it shear off his tail. Good luck with the little guy. ~Cirrhi __________________ Patience and Knowledge are the keys to success. Being able to resolve problems on your own is helpful too. Current Tank Info: 3g Picotope Cycling, 5.5g AIO in the works

10/29/2012, 09:39 AM	#3
rssjsb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,243	I agree a picture would help. The pipefish that are usually referred to as "dragonface" pipes do not have gripping prehensile tails. But they're also not green. This is why common names re a problem. Could it be an alligator pipe? __________________ Robin

10/30/2012, 02:40 PM	#4
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	I agree with Robin...sounds like S. biaculeatus (alligator pipe). __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"!

10/31/2012, 09:24 AM	#5
rssjsb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,243	Lol, after going off on common names, I did it myself. Thanks, Greg. __________________ Robin