Blue-Stripe Pipefish
Doryrhamphus excisus
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of Stock | 2 - 3" - Africa | Original price was: $101.99.$53.99Current price is: $53.99. | Email me | |
| Out of Stock | 2" or smaller - Africa | Original price was: $97.99.$51.99Current price is: $51.99. | Email me |
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Monday – Friday 8 AM – 9 PM
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 | Semi-Aggressive |
| Reef Safe | Yes |
| Functional Benefit | Ornamental Only |
| Diet Type | Planktivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 30 gallons |
| Max Size | 3 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
The Blue-Stripe Pipefish (Doryrhamphus excisus) is a small flagtail pipefish with an orange body, a bright blue side stripe, and a rounded black-and-white tail fin. Often called a ‘cleaner pipefish,’ it spends much of the day hovering near rockwork and reef crevices while picking at tiny foods.
What You’ll Observe:
- Short, hovering swims followed by quick ‘pecks’ with its tubular snout
- Regular foraging laps along the rockwork, especially in lower-traffic areas
- A calm, pair-friendly presence that doesn’t disrupt corals or other fish
- More activity when fine foods are in the water column
Provide a mature reef with plenty of rockwork, overhangs, and calm feeding zones where small foods can stay available. Offer frequent, small feedings of plankton-sized meaty foods (mysis, baby brine, calanus, or fish eggs) so it can take steady bites.
Will it take frozen food, or does it need live copepods?
Many learn frozen foods, but a live pod population helps long-term consistency.
How do I make sure it gets enough to eat in a mixed tank?
Feed smaller foods more often and deliver them near its usual hunting path.
Can I keep two together?
Pairs are common, but avoid keeping two males together.
Why does mine ‘hover’ in one spot and bob up and down?
That station-keeping hover is a normal pipefish behavior near shelter.
Is it normal for it to spend time in shaded caves or overhangs?
Yes—many settle into protected, lower-light areas between foraging laps.
Each fish is checked for strong appetite and activity before we approve it for your tank.
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