TankBud

Red belly pipefish

Hippichthys heptagonus

Also known as Belly pipefish, Sulawesi red belly pipefish

FreshwaterBrackishFish

Red belly pipefish (Hippichthys heptagonus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
21 gal
80 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Egg carrier · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Syngnathidae
Origin
Estuaries and lower rivers across the Indo-Pacific

Overview

The red belly pipefish is a peaceful pipefish that needs a mature, gentle tank. Its slow feeding on tiny moving prey makes it a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

Slice a red belly pipefish across and its body is a seven-sided ring rather than a round tube. That shape gives the species its name, heptagonus, which means seven-angled.

Caring for the red belly pipefish

Give red belly pipefish a mature, planted tank of at least 21 gal (80 L) with soft flow. Add root and wood cover and dense marginal growth, since they hang low among the plants in calm water.

The red belly pipefish adapts to fresh or lightly brackish water. Keep it warm at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C), with a neutral to alkaline pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Stable water and a steady supply of tiny prey matter more than exact salinity.

It feeds only on small moving prey. Offer newly hatched brine shrimp, copepods, Mysis and small mosquito larvae several times a day.

It is peaceful and social, and you can keep it alone or in a small group. It is a slow, deliberate eater, so choose tank mates with great care or leave them out.

The female places her eggs onto the male, who carries them and later releases live young. Males can begin brooding at only six to eight centimeters. The species is not known to breed readily in aquaria, and breeding is hard.

Good to know

The red belly pipefish, Hippichthys heptagonus, is also known simply as the belly pipefish. It belongs to the family Syngnathidae.

In the wild

The red belly pipefish ranges widely across the Indo-Pacific, in the zone where rivers meet the sea. It lives in lower rivers, mangroves and tidal creeks.

Common questions

What size tank does a red belly pipefish need?

A red belly pipefish needs at least 21 gal (80 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a red belly pipefish need?

A red belly pipefish is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.

What does a red belly pipefish eat?

A red belly pipefish eats only small moving prey, such as newly hatched brine shrimp, copepods, Mysis and small mosquito larvae. Feed it several times a day.

How big does a red belly pipefish get?

An adult red belly pipefish reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How does a red belly pipefish breed?

Red belly pipefish females place their eggs onto the male, who carries them and later releases live young. The species is not known to breed readily in aquaria, and breeding is hard.

Related species