Pipefish Compatibility With Reef

[b0bby1]

hey guys, i was wondering if a pipefish could go into my 20 gallon tank. lots of coral, about 25 lbs of LR, flow is not bad. i currently have a yasha haze goby, sixline, percula, and a blue tang the size of a nickel to a quarter. if that would be overstocking, would it work if i took out the sixline?

[hatfielj]

In a tank that small I would be a little hesistant since you already have a heavy fish load. I would especially worry about the 6 line wrasse being aggressive towards it. If the tank was larger and you didn't already have a 6line I would say you'd be fine, but pipefish are very sensitive to aggressive tankmates.

[acrodave]

i would be more worried about a tang any tang in a 20

[danfrith]

I would say if you took out the tang it would probably work for a few species of pipefish . I think the species that are going to be two big for that tank are the banded, multibanded, and janses. Good luck.

[Bebo77]

try a many banded pipe fish.. but i agree.. take out the tang...

[b0bby1]

im keeping the tang in there till it gets about 2.5" inches which wont be for a year. but im going to take out the sixline, cus i dont like him that much. would a pipe work then?

[waterfaller1]

Please consider taking out the tang, regardless of his size..he needs more swimming room and a highly oxygenated tank. They also need to eat alot to gain nutrients from their food, so it is a great tax on a 20 gallon system. I would suggest the addition of an established refugium before attempting a pipefish. Consider an African bluestripe, they stay smaller & will usually eat some frozen mysis shrimp. Overall though..pipefish need a steady supply of copepods, or live rotifers. Good luck.;)

[b0bby1]

thanks, i no the tang is basically my whole bioload but i like him. but i plan on taking him out within the next month.