The Banded Pipefish is difficult to keep due to its unusual feeding requirements. It normally prefers to eat only live copepods in a mature reef aquarium with plenty of live rock or macroalgae. An ideal diet to start this fish on is Nutramar Tigrio Bottled Live Copepods, and vitamin-enriched live baby brine shrimp. However, live baby brine should not make up the majority of its diet. Over time, the Banded Pipefish may become accustomed to eating frozen CYCLOP-EEZE®, small Mysis, and Nutramar Ova.