Janss’ Pipefish
Doryrhamphus janssi
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity |
|---|
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Full guarantee terms →Ships Monday – Thursday for next-day arrival at your nearest FedEx Hold location — typically ready by 9 AM. We monitor every delivery.
Shipping details →
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 | Peaceful |
| Reef Safe | Yes |
| Functional Benefit | Parasite Control |
| Diet Type | Carnivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 55 gallons |
| Max Size | 6 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
Janss’ Pipefish (Doryrhamphus janssi) is known for cleaner-style behavior, often hovering under ledges and inspecting other fish at a “station.” Its long, narrow body shows a blue head, orange midsection, and a flag-like tail edged in white—an Indo-Pacific reef look that stands out even in a calm community reef.
What You’ll Observe:
- Gliding, hovering swimming along rock faces and shaded overhangs rather than resting on the sand
- Pair-oriented behavior, with two fish often traveling and “patrolling” the same areas together
- Quick, precise “snout strikes” at tiny prey drifting by in the water column
- Occasional visits from other fish that pause nearby as the pipefish investigates them (cleaning-station style interactions)
For best results, provide a mature aquarium with plenty of live rock, shaded swim lanes, and calm areas where food can stay suspended. Offer very small meaty foods multiple times daily in a low-competition spot so it can feed at a steady pace.
Will it eat frozen foods, or does it need live pods?
Many specimens learn to take very small frozen foods once they recognize them as food; starting with tiny items offered mid-water helps.
How do I make sure it gets enough food in a mixed reef?
Feeding with pumps briefly reduced and target-feeding a “quiet corner” helps the food stay available long enough for it to hunt.
Do they do better alone or as a pair?
Many keepers prefer keeping them as a bonded pair so you’ll see more natural “together” cruising and interaction.
Is it normal for them to hover in one area and “bounce” up and down?
Yes—this station-style hovering is a common, normal behavior, especially when they’re settled in and watching for food and visitors.
Will it compete with mandarins or other pod hunters?
It can overlap on tiny foods, so most keepers focus on consistent feeding and maintaining strong microfauna production so everyone has steady access.
Each fish is checked for strong appetite and activity before we approve it for your tank.
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