Banded pipefish

The banded pipefish is a marine relative of the seahorses (family Syngnathidae) from the Indo-Pacific, living among crevices and caves on coral reefs. It has a long, slender, snake-like body ringed with bold black and white to red bands and a small, flag-like flared tail tip. It is a slow, deliberate swimmer, peaceful and rather shy, best kept singly or as a mated pair in a calm system without aggressive tankmates. This is a delicate species requiring a mature aquarium rich in live rock and copepods, as it feeds by slowly picking tiny live crustaceans from the water and rockwork. Getting it to accept enriched frozen foods such as mysis can be difficult, and it must not compete with fast or boisterous fish for food. It is reef-safe apart from tiny invertebrates. Its demanding feeding requirements make it a fish for experienced marine aquarists.