Pipefishes or pipe-fishes are a subfamily of small fishes, which, together with the seahorses and seadragons, form the family Syngnathidae.

What species is a pipefish?

pipefish, any of about 200 species in 51 genera of elongated fishes allied to the sea horses in the family Syngnathidae (order Gasterosteiformes). Pipefishes are very slender, long-bodied fishes that are covered with rings of bony armour.

What do pipefish look like?

Pipefish look like straight-bodied seahorses with tiny mouths. The name is derived from the peculiar form of the snout, which is like a long tube, ending in a narrow and small mouth which opens upwards and is toothless. The body and tail are long, thin, and snake-like.

Where do you find pipefish?

Habitat, Behaviour and Feeding

They favour sandy or muddy seabeds and are often found in weed beds or within seagrass beds, and are commonly found in estuaries and sheltered inshore waters. The greater pipefish has a very small mouth which is located at the end of the long snout.

Can you own a pipefish?

Compatibility. Pipefish are best kept in an aquarium with only pipefish or seahorses. ... Depending on the species, pipefish should either be kept alone or in pairs. Some people manage to keep pipefish in groups but you should only do this if you are an experienced aquarist and have a large enough tank.

Facts: The Pipefish

How do you take care of a pipefish?

The Red Banded Pipefish is a tropical species that does best at water temperatures between 72°F-77°F. The Ph balance of the water should also be maintained between 8.1 and 8.4 as they prefer alkaline content of the water to be high (dKH 8-12). The specific gravity should be maintained ideally between 1.020-1.025.

Are pipefish endangered?

The estuarine pipefish, Syngnathus watermeyeri, is one of the rarest animals in Africa and occurs in only two South African estuaries. The species was declared provisionally extinct in 1994, but was later rediscovered and is currently listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered.

Is the pipefish a bony fish?

The family Syngnathidae is a group of bony fishes that includes seahorses, pipefishes, pipehorses and sea dragons. ... Along with syngnathids, members of the related Solenostomidae family, or ghost pipefish, are also found in the North-west Marine Region.

Are pipefish hard to keep?

Unless your tank has a large population of resident live food such as pods, most pipefish will be very difficult to keep. The reason is that like seahorses, pipefish do not possess a stomach and cannot store any food, they hardly have an intestine either.

Are seahorses and pipefish related?

Seahorses and Pipefish are a curious group of creatures which all belong to the Syngnathidae family. As members of the same family they share some interesting traits; Their jaws are fused to form a straw-like snout, instead of scales they have thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates and they are slow swimmers.

Do pipefish eat coral?

Aggressive, territorial, or fast-moving fish do not make good companions. The Dragonface Pipefish is slightly more tolerant of corals and larger fish, but can be harmed by anemones and corals with strong stinging tentacles or corals that are large enough to consume it, such as brain corals.

What color is a pipefish?

Northern pipefish vary in color from pale tan to brown, with mottled tannish and brown markings. Dusky pipefish vary in color from whitish to brownish, with tan to nearly black markings. Dusky pipefish have a longer snout and a shorter dorsal fin than northern pipefish.

How big do alligator pipefish get?

Description. The alligator pipefish can grow to a length of about 29 cm (11 in) though a more typical length is 20 cm (8 in). The narrow head has the snout tipped by a pair of short tentacles and the body is elongated and tetrahedral.

What do ghost pipefish eat?

Ghost Pipefish feed on minute crustaceans and other plankton, which are sucked up though their tube like snouts.

Do pipefish have teeth?

The pipefish derives its name from its specialised snout. The snout is pipe-like and the long tube ends in a very small and narrow opening that form the mouth of the pipefish. The mouth has no teeth and opens upwards. The skeleton of the pipefish is highly specialized and have developed into armoured plating.

Do pipefish have jaws?

Bay pipefish are closely related to kelp pipefish and other Syngnathiformes (fish with “fused jaws”) such as seahorses, pipehorses, sea dragons, and ghost pipefish. In these fish, the “cheek bones” that suspend the jaws have evolved into a tube-like snout with little jaws and lips at the end.

Are there freshwater pipefish?

The Freshwater Pipefish, or Longsnouted Pipefish, is a true freshwater species with a fascinating personality and appearance. ... Stock pipefish in a species-only aquarium or with peaceful fish who won't compete for the live food supply.

What threatens a seahorse?

Like most other species, both terrestrial and marine, seahorses, pipefishes, sticklebacks, and their relatives face many threats, including habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and direct exploitation in the form of overfishing and bycatch. The extent of these threats vary from species to species.

Are seahorses asexual?

In asexual reproduction, an individual can reproduce without involvement with another individual of that species. ... Sexual reproduction in seahorses: Female seahorses produce eggs for reproduction that are then fertilized by the male. Unlike almost all other animals, the male seahorse then gestates the young until birth.

Are seahorses rare?

Size relative to a teacup: Seahorses are truly unique, and not just because of their unusual equine shape. Unlike most other fish, they are monogamous and mate for life. Rarer still, they are among the only animal species on Earth in which the male bears the unborn young.

How do you feed a pipefish?

Pipe fish will happily snack on shrimp, crab, snail, and polychaete larva floating around in the tank. Popular frozen food options for those pipefish that can be trained to take frozen foods are mysis shrimp, cyclop-eeze, and brine shrimp.

How long can pipefish live without food?

Anyway, your fish can go for a week, or two or three with no food. The pipefish will have to find pods if he can.

How long do freshwater pipefish live?

Freshwater pipefish have been recorded to live for over 10 years in captivity if cared for properly. Some pipefish have recently been captive-bred at fish farms. These individuals are much easier to care for than their wild-caught counterparts.