jans pipefish

[tgoeujon]

ok so i made an impulse buy on this one. got the jans pipefish( hope i spelled it right) put him in with my two gator pipes about a week ago. he eats good, swims around all the time, looks really healthy. but he is always upside down, not floaty or anything just upside down. if anybody has one is that normal cause it seems kinda wierd and at 90 bucks i dont want to flush him.

[ferret]

Hi,

I think that is normal behaviour of the pipefish ( not the alligator pipefish ). All my blue strip pipefish ( five of them) are always swimming upside down looking for food between the live rocks in my sump except the horses.

[naesco]

Originally Posted by tgoeujon

ok so i made an impulse buy on this one. got the jans pipefish( hope i spelled it right) put him in with my two gator pipes about a week ago. he eats good, swims around all the time, looks really healthy. but he is always upside down, not floaty or anything just upside down. if anybody has one is that normal cause it seems kinda wierd and at 90 bucks i dont want to flush him.

Not a good choice as this species is very difficult to keep.
If you mean it has its head down this is normal from what I have seen.
Here is an article on them.
http://www.utahreefs.com/articles/Pipefish_final.pdf
They require care by an expert, live food and frequent feedings, a species tank. They live with cardinals.

[tgoeujon]

mine eats like a pig and it eats everything i try, by upside down i mean like an upside down catfish. gills up and eyes down

[reefy]

Originally Posted by ferret

Hi,

I think that is normal behaviour of the pipefish ( not the alligator pipefish ). All my blue strip pipefish ( five of them) are always swimming upside down looking for food between the live rocks in my sump except the horses.

I agree with ferret my blue strip pipefish swims upside down searching for food.