Dragonface pipefish troubles

[soyadrink]

I got two dragonface pipefish 3 days ago. One already died and the second one still isnt eating. He always hangs out at this one spot right in front of the glass. Ones I turn my pump of though, he starts moving a bit. There is a lot of live stuff for him to eat in the rocks but he doesnt seem to look for anything either. I just turned the pump off so he might wander around a little more. Anything I can do?

Oh yeh, its a 20L with two very peaceful clownfish.

 

[Reeferdude]

I think your tank is too small for ANY Pipefish let alone 3. Stick with fish you can feed with store bought or hand made food...

 

[soyadrink]

I only got it(there is only one, read properly) because I'm upgrading to a 50g and I was told they eat frozen but of course I was stupid enough to buy them on the day they arrived at the store. Stupid mistake!

So I had the pump off all day and it swam around and seems a lot better. Apparently he even nibbled at something in the rocks.
btw, I hate the 20L because once you have the pump going, there arent really none flow areas. I had that problem before when I still had my xenia

 

[Krish]

btw, I hate the 20L because once you have the pump going, there arent really none flow areas

If I'm reading correctly, no deadspots in a tank is a good thing. Helps keep all the waste and detritus in suspension to be either used up by corals, skimmed off or removed mechanicallly. Something everyone shoots for

 

[soyadrink]

I know but its kind of ironic. It's perfect but not for my pipe! and my pump keeps falling...

 

[Krish]

If it is a powerhead, I'd look into one of these. I've used a few of them before and they worked great http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...reen=PROD&Product_Code=AF-SG50&Category_Code=

 

[tamarindthai]

pipe fish in the wild do not eat dead food,,you have to train them to eat frozon food,,move the food around pretended it alive food.
water flow ,,they will adjust themself to the flow,,fyi i got 6 tunze 6010 wide open every one of them in my tank,not the issue with pipefish at all.they will find the confortable spot to hang out.good luck

 

[soyadrink]

I'm just scared that because of the flow it wont search for live food in the rocks. I'll just have to wait and see.
thanks for every ones input so far!

 

[Reeferdude]

I only got it(there is only one, read properly)

OOPS! You're right I did read that incorrectly. OK. Here, I'll fixed it for you.

I think your tank is too small for ANY Pipefish let alone 2. Stick with fish you can feed with store bought or hand made food...

Regardless of the number you missed my point completely. I said ANY.

Pipefish need a substantial amount of healthy live rock to thrive and since your tank is too small and probably newly set up ( I say this because it's is a rookie mistake made all the time, similar with Mandarin Gobys, so don't get offended) you most likely do not have enough food to sustain one properly. Eating is the most basic function in life and there is something inherently wrong with buying a fish you expect to train to eat.

 

[soyadrink]

OOPS! You're right I did read that incorrectly. OK. Here, I'll fixed it for you.




Regardless of the number you missed my point completely. I said ANY.

Pipefish need a substantial amount of healthy live rock to thrive and since your tank is too small and probably newly set up ( I say this because it's is a rookie mistake made all the time, similar with Mandarin Gobys, so don't get offended) you most likely do not have enough food to sustain one properly. Eating is the most basic function in life and there is something inherently wrong with buying a fish you expect to train to eat.

see, The pipe is still quite small and if he would bother he'd have enough food for at least a month(by which time its gonna be a 50g)!(I had a scooter before and I know how much pods fish can eat)
The thing is, he doesnt go around the tank looking for food at all. Only at night he swims up and down the glass as if asking for food.
I am going to try to get live food today and see what he'll do then but if not I'll go with mysis.