Description
Blue Pipefish (Doryrhamphus excisus)
(Also known as the Bluestripe Pipefish or Blue Stripe Pipefish)
Overview
The Blue Pipefish is a slender, elegant reef fish belonging to the seahorse family (Syngnathidae). It is easily recognised by its long, thin body marked with vivid blue horizontal stripes running along its orange or reddish base colour. Growing to about 8–9 cm (3–3.5 inches), it is an active and fascinating species best suited for mature, peaceful reef aquariums. Like seahorses, the males carry eggs in a brood pouch.
Origin
Widespread across the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, East Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Great Barrier Reef. Found in pairs or small groups around coral heads, cleaning stations, and reef slopes, where they often feed on small crustaceans and parasites on larger fish.
Feeding
The Blue Pipefish is a micro-carnivore that feeds on tiny live prey in the wild, such as copepods, amphipods, and other planktonic crustaceans. In captivity, they can be challenging to feed and usually require a mature aquarium with a stable pod population. Suitable foods include:
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Live copepods and amphipods (essential staple)
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Enriched live baby brine shrimp
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Frozen cyclops or mysis (for weaned individuals)
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Cultured live foods from refugiums
Feed multiple small meals daily to ensure adequate nutrition.
Tank Mates
Pipefish are very peaceful and should only be housed with calm tank mates that will not outcompete or intimidate them. Ideal companions include:
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Small gobies and blennies
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Seahorses and dragonets
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Firefish and cardinalfish
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Peaceful reef-safe shrimp and invertebrates
Avoid aggressive or fast-feeding species such as wrasses, dottybacks, and large tangs.
Aggression
Completely peaceful. Best kept as a pair or in a small group in larger, mature systems. Males may spar briefly, but serious aggression is rare.
Experience Level
Advanced. The Blue Pipefish is delicate and requires stable water quality, abundant live microfauna, and careful feeding practices. They are sensitive to poor water conditions and competition at feeding time.
Water Parameters
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Temperature: 24–27°C (75–81°F)
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pH: 8.1–8.4
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Salinity: 1.022–1.025 SG
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Hardness (dKH): 8–12
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Tank Size: Minimum 55 gallons (210L) for a pair or small group in a mature reef system
Gentle flow and plenty of live rock for copepod colonies are essential.
Reef Compatibility
Reef safe. Will not harm corals or invertebrates. Ideally suited to peaceful reef aquariums with refugiums that sustain natural plankton populations.
