2" bluestripe pipefish

[Chelsey]

I was given two of these guys on Monday from a LFS that accidentally got them in a transhipment of fish. I've had seahorses before but they ate frozen when I got them so they were relatively easy to keep. This is my first experience with pipefish. These two are tiny (2"). What foods other than frozen cyclopeeze should I try and feed them? Do you have any tips for getting them to eat? I have a nice pod population, so they've got a little time before it becomes mandatory for them to eat prepared foods. Thanks for any help!


Chelsey

[acrodave]

i have a pair of them and mine eat the frozen cyclopeeze and arcti pods from reef nutrition

[danfrith]

For bluestripes I would recommend frozen mysis. My pair of bluestripe's goes crazy over them.

[Chelsey]

The mysis is as big as the pipes, they're roughly 2" long if that.

[Bidadari]

My blue stripe ate frozen mysis. You can try the hikari brand mysis, they're smaller than the PE brand. Although my bluestripe loved the smaller chopped pieces of the PE as well.

[danfrith]

Trust me, that's what I thought when I first tried the mysis, but some how they get their mouth around it.

[rssjsb]

My bluestripes have never eaten mysis, but they do eat cyclopeez. Mostly they eat pods off the live rock and don't require a lot of supplemental feeding. I give them Tiggerpods occasionally, which they seem to enjoy.

[danfrith]

I've tried cyclopeeze and they showed no interest in them. I guess it depends on the fish.

[Aldente]

I have one and he eats frozen mysis also.

[chicagodog]

My pipes take all of the above, pick at the rocks all day, and now the male has taken to chasing my pregnant shrimp (2 cleaners, 1 peppermint), sneaking up behind them, and trying to steal the eggs from under them!!

[Chelsey]

My kids are eating frozen cyclopeeze and tiny pieces of mysis shrimp now :) They're doing great.

[fishyvet]

Congrats! Maybe you could teach my blue line a thing or two ;)

[shilo_1]

Please post some pics ! :)