Pipefish Query

[Africa aquatic]

Hi

Have just come back from the local TFS and they have 2 large +- 25cm pipefish in freshwater section. They are being sold as giant crocodile pipefish, but these store names can be unreliable and from what I can gather they are also possibly brackish dwellers. I realise this is the bare minimum to go on but was wondering anybody had any ideas ?

Thanks
Luke

 

[nmonks]

The name means nothing to me, though the crocodile (as oppose to giant crocodile) pipefish is a name used for a marine species, Syngnathoides biaculeatus.

In any case, yes, your instinct is correct to assume that these are brackish water fish. Maintain them around SG 1.005 at 25 C and see how they fare. The most common of the big "freshwater" pipefish is the species known as Microphis smithi, in fact a regional form of Microphis brachyurus aculeatus.

http/www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=9892

Cheers, Neale

Have just come back from the local TFS and they have 2 large +- 25cm pipefish in freshwater section. They are being sold as giant crocodile pipefish, but these store names can be unreliable and from what I can gather they are also possibly brackish dwellers. I realise this is the bare minimum to go on but was wondering anybody had any ideas ?

 

[didz04]

My brother has also seen these in a tank with 2 inside £50 for both. He said that it had written only should be kept on its own and these were both in freshwater. These remind me of seahorses but can these pipefish curl their tail like the seahorse?