new 30g tank

cside

New Member
I just started a 30 gallon tank. everything i have i caught from the gulf. I also have some shrimp, baby flounder, and blenny-like fish which would not cooperate for pictures
 
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smartorl

Guest
If caught in the Gulf it's most likely a shortfin. They actually are pretty hardy little guys. I do feed my pipe tank bbs and they breed and are very, very active.
 
I have a sea robin from the Inlet. Not intentionally, he was caught by someone who went out on my boat and I found him forgotten in the live well after we were home, an hour from the coast. I set up a 20 gallon for it and it is a pretty easy fish. I have had him about a year and it eat mysis, shrimp and scallops really well. It's grown about 1" since I've had it.
 
I don't recommend anyone remove sea life to stock their tanks, but in my case, it was kind of forced on me and I have thoroughly enjoyed the robin. It is really cool when it uses it's "feet" to walk all over the tank chasing after food.
 

cside

New Member
What exactly should I feed the Pipefish type thing? It will not eat frozen mysis so I might put it back in the gulf this weekend
 

meowzer

Moderator
I don't think you can put them back.....At least I have always read that
 
I think you need to get it some live food....like live brine.....do you have that available to you??
 

cside

New Member
If I caught it in the gulf I cant put it back in the gulf? and also i think i can get some live brine shrimp
 
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smartorl

Guest
The pipes are really easy for the most part. I have two hatcheries set up, you can buy them or I use old water bottles with the tops cut off. I have an air pump, tubing goes to a tee that has shut offs for each of the valves. I run tubing from two of the valves to the bottles. I dip about 1/2 bottle of water from my tank, add about 1/4 teaspoon brine shrimp eggs, swish, and insert the tubing to the bottom and let them cook. The eggs hatch time is shorter if the temps are warmer. I live in FL and keep mine outside, in the winter, I move them in and put them on a heating pad. Each night, I pull one bottle and place it on my desk and turn on the desk lamp. While waiting for the shrimp to come to the top and the shells to rise or fall, I mix a new batch and put it on the bubbler. It takes about 10 minutes to seperate and you can see the shrimp moving to the light, I turn off the filter and use a baster to add the shrimp to the tank. The pipes will hunt and readily accept the bbs. Once I have pulled a feed out, I add a few drops of marine snow and put it back onto the bubbler for the morning feed.
 
I have been asked to start weaning some of mine off to frozen foods. I have sold dozens and dozens of my babies. I don't mind hatching the brine, it's all part of my routine and my pipes are very healthy so I really don't see a reason to change.
 
I did put a chaeto ball in their tank, they love to hide in it and also to hunt the pods and bbs that hide there. They are actually pretty active and have personalities. I am not sure how they would do with some more aggressive fish, I would probably be a little concerned with the flounder, depending on the size. I have an assortment of mini gobies in mine that along with a corky finger and some gorgs, clean up the excess bbs.
 
If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to offer my experiences. I have had dwarf seahorses and pipes for about 6 years now.
 

cside

New Member
Ok. thank you so much. And the flounder are only an inch long so im not worried about them.
 
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smartorl

Guest
Good luck. It seems like alot of work but it's really not and they are really fascinating to watch. I have noticed that they do better in groups. The singles I have had in QT have been more reclusive and quiet. I am not sure where you are located but there is a guy in Lutz that breeds them. Those I got from him arrived healthy and he even threw in a few extra!
 
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smartorl

Guest
I can pm you his info if you would like it. I haven't seen anything in print to that effect, honestly, there isn't alot of information out there about them so it has been alot of trial and error. However, my observation is that they tend to be social. If they lay up in the chaeto, there are several together, there are usually a couple on the rocks, etc. Solos in qt tend to hide, whereas groups tend to be out and on the prowl.
 

cside

New Member
Ok. I don't know that I want to add any more to my fairly small tank. Mine is actually quite social also. However, I will definitely contact you in the future if i am interested.
 

cside

New Member
I have three pipefish now that are getting along quite nicely. I feed them live brine that they seem to enjoy as does the filefish. I also found out that I had some toad fish that i had to put in my brother's tank. Are there any slow moving fish that i can put in my tank other than seahorses that will get along with pipefish?
 
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