Banded Pipefish
Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of Stock | 4.25 - 6.25" - Indo-Pacific | Original price was: $117.99.$61.99Current price is: $61.99. | Email me |
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Saturday 12 PM – 4 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 9 PM
Healthy, stable animals from vetted suppliers — inspected before packing, shipped overnight. Decades of experience built this model so we can deliver premium livestock at 30%+ less than you'd pay elsewhere.
| Care Level | Expert |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Reef Safe | Yes |
| Functional Benefit | Parasite Control |
| Diet Type | Carnivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 20 gallons |
| Max Size | 8 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
The Banded Pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus), also called the ringed pipefish, is a slender reef fish with cream-to-white body bands and a flag-like tail marked with a red center. It spends much of the day gliding through rockwork and branches while picking at tiny crustaceans, and it may also perform brief cleaning passes on tankmates.
What You’ll Observe:
- Smooth, snake-like cruising through rock crevices and along branching structures, with frequent pauses under ledges
- Rapid pecking at microfoods on rock and in the water column throughout the day
- Two individuals often traveling together and using the same overhang or cave area
- Occasional moments where other fish hover nearby while the pipefish makes short inspection passes
Provide a well-established aquarium with plenty of live rock and branching structure so it can perch and move cover-to-cover. Offer very small meaty foods (mysis, copepods, enriched brine) in multiple small feedings, and consider target-feeding so it can eat at its own pace. Choose calm tankmates and keep a few lower-flow zones where it can feed comfortably.
Will a Banded Pipefish eat frozen food right away?
Some do, but many respond fastest when frozen foods are introduced alongside live foods at first, then gradually shifted toward frozen once feeding is consistent.
How do I keep it from getting outcompeted at feeding time?
Feed in a lower-flow corner and use a feeding station (or gentle target-feeding) so food stays concentrated where it’s hunting.
Do they need copepods in the tank even if I’m feeding frozen?
A mature tank with natural microfauna helps a lot, and it also gives the fish something to hunt between feedings.
Is it normal for them to hover in one spot for long periods?
Yes—many pipefish alternate between slow cruising and short hovering rests under ledges or along branches.
Do pairs stay together in aquariums?
Often they do; when kept as a pair, they commonly share the same route and shelter areas and move around the tank together.
Each fish is checked for strong appetite and activity before we approve it for your tank.
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