TankBud

Bluestripe pipefish

Doryrhamphus excisus

Also known as Bluestripe cleaner pipefish, Blue-stripe pipefish, Indian blue-stripe pipefish, Flagtail pipefish

SaltwaterFish

Bluestripe pipefish (Doryrhamphus excisus)
Andreas März from Flickr:[1] · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.0–8.4
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
26 gal
100 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Syngnathidae
Origin
Native to the tropical Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific, living in caves and crevices on coral reefs where it cleans other fish.

Overview

The bluestripe pipefish is a tiny, peaceful pipefish for a mature reef tank with plenty of copepods. It suits experienced keepers.

Did you know

The bluestripe pipefish is barely as long as a matchstick, yet it runs its own cleaning station. It picks parasites and dead tissue off fish many times its size.

Caring for the bluestripe pipefish

Give the bluestripe pipefish at least 26 gal (100 L), in a nano or small reef with lots of live rock. Hold the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.0 to 8.4.

It needs frequent tiny foods, mainly live copepods plus small frozen items such as cyclops and baby mysis. A mature tank with a healthy population of copepods, or an attached refugium, helps a great deal.

It is peaceful and delicate, so keep it only with slow, gentle tank mates. Any boisterous fish will outcompete it. It is coral safe, but watch it around stinging anemones.

The male broods the eggs beneath his tail, like other pipefishes. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

Doryrhamphus excisus is the smallest reef pipefish in the trade. It has a tiny orange body with an electric-blue stripe down the side and a fan-shaped tail. That bright blue stripe and flag tail advertise its cleaning service to passing fish.

In the wild

The bluestripe pipefish lives on coral reefs across the tropical Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific. It hovers in caves, crevices and overhangs, often upside down, and picks minute prey from the rock.

Common questions

What size tank does a bluestripe pipefish need?

A bluestripe pipefish needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a bluestripe pipefish need?

A bluestripe pipefish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.0–8.4.

What does a bluestripe pipefish eat?

A bluestripe pipefish needs tiny foods often, above all live copepods. Small frozen items such as cyclops and baby mysis round out its diet.

How big does a bluestripe pipefish get?

An adult bluestripe pipefish reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

How does a bluestripe pipefish breed?

The male bluestripe pipefish broods the eggs beneath his tail, as other pipefishes do. Breeding it is hard.

Related species