Bluestripe Pipefish (Doryrhamphus Excisus)

Species Name : Doryrhamphus Excisus

Care Level : Expert Only

Temperament : Peaceful

Color : Blue, Orange

Diet : Carnivore

Reef Compatible : With Caution

Water Conditions : sg 1.020-1.025, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4

Max. Size : 3»

Origin : Africa, Indonesia, Red Sea

Family : Syngnathidae

Minimum Tank Size : 30 gallons

The Bluestripe Pipefish (Doryrhamphus Excisus) is the smallest of the reef pipefishes available in the aquarium hobby.

It has a long, slender body with a tiny, tubular mouth and a round, flag-like tail. The body is orange with a blue stripe on either side running from snout to tail. The tail is maroon to red with highly variable yellow, orange, and white markings.

Bluestripe Pipefish are among the hardiest pipefish, but still suggest expert only aquarists keep Pipefish due to their small size and unusual requirements.

This species is best kept in mated pairs or harems of one male and multiple females in an aquarium that is 30 gallons or larger. Males are territorial and will not tolerate the presence of one another. If adding more than one bluestripe pipefish to the aquarium, it is recommended to add them at the same time.

It may be kept with small, shy fish such as small gobies, seahorses, dragonets, and firefish. Aggressive, territorial, or fast-moving fish do not make good companions. Pipefish will be harmed by anemones and corals with stinging tentacles or corals that are large enough to consume them, such as brain corals. They can also be harmed by invertebrates such as crabs and large shrimp. These Pipefish usually spend daylight hours swimming vertically behind a pipe or upside-down under a rock ledge. At dawn and dusk they can be found swimming out in the open in search of food.

Most specimens will refuse frozen foods, so be prepared to culture your own copepods, isopods, amphipods, Mysids etc. Feed several times daily, and ensure they are not being out competed for food by unsuitable tankmates. They normally prefer to eat only Cyclops, small Mysis, and Nutramar Ova.