Tell me about Alligator pipefish

[60G]

Hi i want a alligator pipefish please tell me all you know thanks:bounce1::bounce1::bounce1:

[namxas]

What exactly do you want to know? That's a pretty broad request...kinda like "tell me everything you know about dogs".

[aday2remmbr]

they are much like seahorses, they need daily feedings of live brine and pods. they cant have any tank mates besides seahorses and sometimes mandarins so there is no competition for food. they arent very big so a 20 gallon is a good sized tank. they are very delicate and need top notch water quality.

[60G]

thanks:celeb1: is mysis shrimp a good food for them?i seen a video of them eating ghost shrimp and guppies to.and are they the easiest to keep out of all the pipes?

[namxas]

'Gator pipes are actually one of the LARGER SW pipes, and they'd do better in a larger setup than a 20 gal (I'd go at least 29 gals for a pair), however, the space in a 40 gal would be better. They tend to take to frozen more easily than many pipes, partially due to their size, and are actually classified by many as a "pipehorse" because they have prehensile tails like a SH.

[60G]

ok thanks how big do they get i heard 10" is this right?

[namxas]

I wouldn't count on a captive specimen hitting that mark unless it was collected at that size. Captives are going to reach about 7"-8" tops. I just saw some good-sized specimens at one of our LFS this past weekend and the female was about 7". The two males were about an inch shorter.

[60G]

what corals can i have and cant have with thats fish?

[namxas]

For Syngnathoides biaculeatus, follow the same basic rules as you would for SH: Nothing with a sting...no sweepers, no 'nems, etc.

A seagrass bed aquascaping theme would be the best choice as these fish are found in seagrass beds. Since true vascular seagrasses can be a bit tuff to keep, you can use Caulerpa prolifera and "plant" the rhizoids so it covers the substrate like seagrass.

[60G]

thanks i have some money plant so is that ok to?

[demonclownfish]

alligator pipes have been know to rid tanks of RED BUGS! so if you ahve a red bug problem they are a natural solution :)

[namxas]

I've never heard of or seen 'gators eating redbugs...it's dragon-faced pipes that are known for eating them. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but in general, I think redbugs are probably on the small side for adult 'gators to pay much attention to, much in the way that adult SH pretty much ignore copepods.

thanks i have some money plant so is that ok to?


The Halimeda will be fine with the pipes.

[60G]

I have some of these bugs in my tank will they eat them?

[namxas]

That would be a Gammarid amphipod, and yes, those are like candy to a Syngnathid.

[60G]

i went to the lfs today and they had some tiny blue strip pipes but i want a alligator pipe .

[namxas]

Don't get multiple blue-stripes unless you can verify their sex. Males will fight to the death, period...