TankBud

Banded pipefish

Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus

Also known as Ringed pipefish, Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus, Dragon pipefish, Harlequin pipefish

SaltwaterFish

Banded pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.0–8.4
Adult size
7.5 in
19 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Egg carrier · Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Syngnathidae
Origin
Native to the Indo-Pacific, living in caves and under ledges on reefs and often seen hovering upside down in shaded spots.

Overview

The banded pipefish is a slim, mostly peaceful reef fish for a mature tank with plenty of caves. It is a fish for experienced keepers only.

Did you know

Banded pipefish act as cleaners on the reef. Small fish sometimes hang motionless in front of a pair to let them pick off parasites, as they would at a cleaner wrasse.

Caring for the banded pipefish

Keep banded pipefish in a mature tank of at least 53 gal (200 L), with abundant live rock and caves. If you can, add a refugium that breeds copepods. Hold the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.0 to 8.4.

The challenge is feeding, because they hunt tiny live copepods and amphipods. They often need a steady supply, plus training onto small frozen mysis and enriched foods. They are easily starved.

Keep them only with peaceful, slow tank mates, never fast feeders or aggressive fish. A banded pipefish can live alone, but pairs suit it best, and two males will squabble. In a reef tank, add it with caution.

As in seahorses, the male broods the eggs. He carries them attached under his tail rather than in a closed pouch. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus was long listed as Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus, and it is one of the larger reef pipefishes. It is a slim, snake-like relative of the seahorse, ringed in bold red and white bands, with a small red paddle-shaped tail. That bright banding is thought to advertise that it cleans parasites off other fish. It moves with a gentle rippling of its fins and is completely harmless to handle.

In the wild

The banded pipefish lives on reefs across the Indo-Pacific, in caves and under ledges in shaded spots. It hovers there, often head-down, and picks tiny prey off the rock.

Common questions

What size tank does a banded pipefish need?

A banded pipefish needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a banded pipefish need?

A banded pipefish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.0–8.4.

What does a banded pipefish eat?

A banded pipefish hunts tiny live copepods and amphipods. It often needs a steady supply of them, plus training onto small frozen mysis and enriched foods.

How big does a banded pipefish get?

An adult banded pipefish reaches about 7.5 in (19 cm).

How does a banded pipefish breed?

A male banded pipefish broods the eggs, carrying them attached under his tail rather than in a closed pouch. Breeding it is hard.

Related species