TankBud

Long-snouted pipefish

Doryichthys boaja

Also known as Microphis boaja, Giant freshwater pipefish, Asian river pipefish

FreshwaterFish

Long-snouted pipefish (Doryichthys boaja)
NasserHalaweh · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–82°F
26–28°C
pH
7.0–7.8
Adult size
16.1 in
41 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Pouch brooder
Rarity
Rare
Family
Syngnathidae
Origin
Southeast Asia, Thailand to Indonesia

Overview

The long-snouted pipefish is big but delicate, and it needs a long, calm tank. It is a peaceful fish for keepers with experience.

Did you know

The long-snouted pipefish is the largest freshwater pipefish in the world, yet it hunts prey barely bigger than a mosquito larva. It picks off that prey with a quick snap of its long snout.

Caring for the long-snouted pipefish

House a pair or small group of long-snouted pipefish in at least 53 gal (200 L), and the longer the tank the better. Give them fine sand, very gentle flow and tall plants or branches as vertical structure to rest against. Hold the water at 79 to 82°F (26 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 7.8. They are timid and startle easily, so quiet placement and plenty of cover matter.

They take small live foods and often accept frozen bloodworms and mysis more readily than their smaller relatives. They still eat slowly, so they must not share a tank with anything fast or boisterous.

The male broods the eggs in a pouch under his trunk. Aquarium breeding has not been recorded.

Good to know

Doryichthys boaja shows alternating pale blue and brown bars along the trunk and tail. A recent revision folds the genus Doryichthys into Microphis, so the same fish appears in newer literature as Microphis boaja. Thai exports reach the trade fairly regularly.

In the wild

The long-snouted pipefish lives in rivers and larger streams across Southeast Asia, from Thailand and Cambodia through Malaysia and Indonesia. It always lives in pure freshwater.

Common questions

What size tank does a long-snouted pipefish need?

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

What temperature and pH does a long-snouted pipefish need?

A long-snouted pipefish is comfortable at 79–82°F (26–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–7.8.

What does a long-snouted pipefish eat?

A long-snouted pipefish takes small live foods, and it often accepts frozen bloodworms and mysis more readily than smaller pipefish. It still eats slowly.

How big does a long-snouted pipefish get?

An adult long-snouted pipefish reaches about 16.1 in (41 cm).

How does a long-snouted pipefish breed?

The male long-snouted pipefish broods the eggs in a pouch under his trunk. Aquarium breeding has not been recorded.

Related species