What to know about Dragon-faced pipefish

[Dilan Patel]

I like the Dragon faced pipefish. Since I am not allowed to have an eel lol this is close as I will ever get. I read they are basically mandarin goby care IE doesn't like a lot of flow and eats copepods. My tank is a 180gallon reef with 2 gyre xf250 running about 100%-70% all day different modes though. I only have a 4.5in open brain, couple hammers and frogspawn. Will a pair of 5in piepfish fit in well? I was also going to add a yellow wrasse in with these guys?

Current stocking:
yellow tang
kole tang
clown tang
purple pseduchromis
3 clownfish
3chromis
1 melenarus wrasse.

As you can see this tank is decently empty so I am looking to fill it up with sme interesting creature. My plan was add the dragn pipefish and yellow wrasse. Then later get peacful wrasses and a trigger and some more tangs? maybe a tusk.

 

[eatbreakfast]

A tusk will eventually bite them in half.

A yellow Wrasse and melanurus will be competition for pods.

 

[Dilan Patel]

so I guess that is a negatory

 

[Dilan Patel]

But I thik I can handle them so I might try it.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

The only thing I'd be worried about on your current list is the 2 wrasses out competing them for pods. It's doable, but you'll need a plan to keep pod population high enough for all 4 of those fish.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I'd also probably not add the tusk or trigger for the same reason @eatbreakfast mentioned above.

 

[Dilan Patel]

ok. I think I can have enough pods due to my refugium crawling with them and a ton of space for each fish to crawl and search for food.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

ok. I think I can have enough pods due to my refugium crawling with them and a ton of space for each fish to crawl and search for food.

Do you have a refugium or some other adequate breeding area for the pods? The population in your sump might be able to keep up if you're using a pod hotel or refugium for them to keep breeding. However, if it's just an open sump compartment that you've got, it likely isn't big enough to sustain them. Have you looked into how many pods these fish eat per day? It's a LOT. Just fyi.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

From a master.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/pipefish.278888/

 

[Dilan Patel]

Do you have a refugium or some other adequate breeding area for the pods? The population in your sump might be able to keep up if you're using a pod hotel or refugium for them to keep breeding. However, if it's just an open sump compartment that you've got, it likely isn't big enough to sustain them. Have you looked into how many pods these fish eat per day? It's a LOT. Just fyi.

I know it is like a leopard wrasse which I had a black one for a couple years until a mysterious death in a 55gallon without a sump. He was fed on Frozen food though along with a melenarus wrasse. The sump is a dedicated refugium that host macro algae and a bunch of pods.

 

[want2bsleepy]

Have you considered engineer gobies? They look like underwater snakes, most guests think they are eels. A very peaceful fish, they get along with everyone (although I would avoid having tiny fish in the tank with them as they might decide they look yummy). They are fantastic for your sand bed as they are constantly "engineering" tunnels in between the rocks. You do want to make sure your rock structure is secure on the bottom of the tank as it will shift in the sand if not. All in all, they are a fabulous fish and will satisfy your need for an eel more than dragon pipfish (plus they are a lot easier to keep alive). They also do well in groups.

Just my 2 cents worth!

 

[Salty1962]

When I had my Dragon Faced Pipefish, I setup several rock piles with strawberry crates over them where the pipefish could get in but the other fish couldn't. Worked out well for over 2 years. Just a thought.

 

[Kmsutows]

+1 for engineer goby!

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Have you considered engineer gobies? They look like underwater snakes, most guests think they are eels. A very peaceful fish, they get along with everyone (although I would avoid having tiny fish in the tank with them as they might decide they look yummy). They are fantastic for your sand bed as they are constantly "engineering" tunnels in between the rocks. You do want to make sure your rock structure is secure on the bottom of the tank as it will shift in the sand if not. All in all, they are a fabulous fish and will satisfy your need for an eel more than dragon pipfish (plus they are a lot easier to keep alive). They also do well in groups.Just my 2 cents worth!

Everything you said is true and I also like these fish. I had a group of these (6) and they are excellent sand sifters. On top of that they are Ick resistant.
2 things though:
1) Cover your tank, they are jumpers. (Although the good part is their 'skin' is not as sensitive and they can survive out of the water longer than typical fish)
2) They get big. Like 10" long. They go from juveniles to more than 6" in the first year usually. You'll need a big tank, which I think you have.
As juveniles they look almost identical to this:
http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/cora...e-with-venomous-twist-plotosus-lineatus-5931/
They hide amongst schools of these fish for protection. At about 3-4 months old they start to change to their adult form.
http://www.fishtanksandponds.co.uk/livestock/engineergoby.html
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/165/engineer-goby?pcatid=165&c=15+31+165
They really do act like eels though:
Off topic: I wild-collected a few schooling fry of some of these coral cats about two weeks ago. But I digress....

 

[Nikita1981]

My dragon face pipefish eats frozen Cyclops...just something to try if pod population gets low.

 

[JaimeAdams]

I have a dragon face pipefish in my 125 with a mandarine and a melenarus for pod competitors along with a bunch of other fish. It's been about a year now and everyone is doing fine. I do have a 20 gallon display refugium plumbed into my system. I seeded it with a ton of pods from a friend who cultures them, but haven't added any in probably 6 months.