Good-bye pipefish
 

My dragon pipefish died last night :cry: I have no idea why. We got him 2 weeks ago and he was doing great. He was eating well (live food only, which there is still lots of) he coloured up really nicely 2 days after adding him and my other pipefish is alive and well.

I just don't get how he could be doing so well then suddenly die. He was still fat and healthy looking (other then being pale) when I found him dead :sad:

There is only 3 explanations that I can think of: 1) The store I got him from has had a few of their fish (that other people have bought) die on them for no apparent reason 2) I know pipefish like low flow but maybe there isn't quite enough flow or 3) He was already old and it was just his time.

Maybe I'll never know, it just sucks loosing a fish, especially one that seemed to be doing so well. :cry:

Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately with delicate species those things happen sometime. Chin up!

It is recognized by all authorities that pipefish are also impossible to keep.
They are not available for sale by reputable LFS and online stores for that reason.

Please do not attempt to replace her.\

Thank you

Thank-you for your kind words

I have a blueline pipefish that is alive and well and thriving that was living with the dragon pipefish in our refugeium. I have had the blueline for about six months now and she's fat happy and healthy. If I choose to get another one (not sure I will or not) I will try to start off with one that is healthy looking from the start. The dragon pipefish was pale and not moving around much when I got her but seemed ok. She started hunting and eating food right away after bringing her home. It was just weird that she was doing so well then suddenly died. FYI the LFS I got her from is (for the most part) considered reputable.

Don't worry about naesco, he's always telling people what to do but no one really listens anyway.

:)

Sorry to hear about your pipefish.

:lol: I know but sometimes it's fun to talk back :razz: I do understand that you shouldn't buy a pipefish without having a proper set up for one, but if you know what you're doing and you have the right set up it should be fine.

J&L sell all types of pipefish...i guess they are not reputable.

Thats the dumbest thing I have heard in a while.
Thanks for the good laugh.

Nothing at all intended against the poster but his loss of the pipefish is typical of those that attempt to keep them.
The reality is that almost all well intentioned reefers who attempt to keep them fail. That is not only my opinion but the opinion of expert well respected authors.

I am surprised that J&L sell them as they are a reputable store.

Moogled, I am puzzled by your post. Do you disagree that they are almost impossible to keep? Are you concerned that I am warning unsuspecting hobbyist about the difficulty in keeping this fish alive?
Thank you

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/hcs3/index.php

"Care of pipefish is rather simple. When researched and assembled correctly, a pipefish aquarium can be remarkably fulfilling with little additional effort from the hobbyist. "

Great link :biggrin: That is the site that I read through before getting my blueline pipefish. It's the site that Christy links canreef to for info on pipefish.