Longmouth pipefish

Care at a glance

Overview

The longmouth pipefish is the largest freshwater pipefish a hobbyist is likely to meet, a drifting needle well over a foot long, so it needs length of tank rather than a nano. It is peaceful and social and can be kept as a small group, but like all pipefish it feeds only on small live and frozen prey and is easily outcompeted, so tankmates must be chosen with great care, or skipped in favor of a species tank. Feed newly hatched brine shrimp, copepods, Mysis and small mosquito larvae. It holds in slow, deeper water among plants and roots. A long, planted tank of about 200 liters or more suits it.

In the wild

Doryichthys heterosoma is known from the large rivers of western Indonesia, in Borneo and neighboring islands, where it holds in slow, deeper stretches among vegetation. Recreate that with plenty of horizontal swimming length, dense marginal planting, driftwood and root cover, and gentle flow. Warm water at 23 to 28 degrees Celsius and pH 6.5 to 7.5 suits it. A mature tank with an established supply of tiny live food helps sustain a fish this large on such small meals.

Good to know

Doryichthys heterosoma is a giant among freshwater pipefish, reaching about 34 centimeters, with a long trumpet-like snout and a slender ringed body. It belongs to the Syngnathidae, and the male carries the developing eggs and gives birth to live, fully formed young. It is a poorly known fish, and captive breeding is rarely achieved.

Did you know

It was described in 1851 from just four specimens and has stayed so rarely collected since that much of its everyday life history is still a blank.

Common questions

Related species

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• 

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