Pipefish, close relatives of seahorses and sea dragons, are long, thin, and almost snakelike. Most are marine dwellers, living in salt water environments; and, most are found in tropical and temperate regions. In all, there are more than two hundred known species of these small, intriguing creatures. Let’s take a closer look.
Pipefish: The Basics
It’s easy to identify a pipefish. These little animals look a lot like seahorses, but their bodies are straight instead of curved. They have long, tubelike snouts that culminate in small, narrow, toothless mouths. Like their sea horse relatives, this family of fish has a highly modified dermal skeleton with longitudinal ridges that form an armored plating.
Some pipefish have prehensile tails and can cling to stalks of seaweed or sea grass. All have dorsal fins but no ventral fins; some species do have tiny auxiliary fins, with some having more pronounced caudal fins than others, but nearly all species use their dorsal fins as their primary method of locomotion. Most pipefish are notoriously poor swimmers in open water, which is why you’ll normally find them in sheltered locations. One group, known as flagtail pipefish, are much better swimmers than the rest.
Very few pipefish ever grow to sizes larger than about 16 inches long. They begin life as free swimmers, hatched from eggs which tend to be carried by males, which have a specially developed pouch or spongy patch of skin specifically designed for that purpose. After an elaborate courtship and mating ritual, female pipefish deposit eggs, then leave to forage for food. Interestingly, many species exhibit pair bonding, with some mated pairs exhibiting monogamous behavior or seasonally monogamous behavior.
While some species have fry that do have short larval stages and live as plankton for a short time, other pipefish are born as miniatures of their parents. Like some other marine dwellers, many types of pipefish are capable of changing color to blend in with their surroundings, transforming themselves from shades of olive green and tan to sandy white, and back again. Some are even capable of displaying reddish colors.
Feeding mainly on minuscule crustaceans and other tiny creatures, and sometimes even consuming their own fry, pipefish have very few predators.
Where to Find Pipefish
Various species of pipefish have been recorded all over the world, mainly in shallow areas with plenty of shelter. They can be found on coral reefs and in brackish water, in kelp forests, and in mangroves. Some live in tropical “muck” environments, and others take refuge beneath piers and inside harbors.
Often difficult to spot, these fascinating little fish are a favorite macro subject. Move slowly, let your eyes adjust to the environment, and watch to see what emerges. Once you have seen a few pipefish, you’ll find that they are easier to locate, particularly when they are feeding, as they tend to vacuum up big mouthfuls of water and then spit it out. Whether you’re diving in Maine or Nova Scotia, Florida, the Caribbean, or more exotic locales such as Indonesia, you’ll find pipefish. Happy hunting!