Long Snout Pipefish 12cm - Freshwater

Long Snout Pipefish 12cm

Long snout pipefish are essentially the closest species you will get in a freshwater aquarium to a seahorse. They are very closely related to the ocean-dwelling seahorse and pipefish but thrive in full freshwater settings which makes them an appealing species for experienced aquarists to try out. The sensitive nature and finicky eating habits of the long snout pipefish mean that these fish truly need a lot of time and dedication required for them to thrive in the home aquarium. These pipefish will be a true eye-catching inclusion to a species-specific, biotope-style aquarium. 

The long and slender shape of the long snout pipefish adds a really interesting dynamic aquarium as they drift around the water almost looking like a loose aquatic leaf floating around. Though the long snout pipefish has a really small profile, they do get to around 22 cm long so the aquarium size they are kept in is quite important. They have a really interesting colour palette as well with a cameo-like pattering of silver, white, yellow, shades of brown and black lines. These pipefish have comical eyes that are constantly looking around for food, the dark colour of their pupils really stands out with the jet-black line that cuts through it and travels to their tail. They also have fluttering dorsal and caudal fins that finish with a very small, circular tail fin. 

Their simple but quirky aesthetic also offers hours of fun as they swim around the aquarium latching onto the aquascape and plants for support as they go through their never-ending pursuit of food. The long snout pipefish can up to 10 years and are a totally peaceful species but should only ever be kept in a species-specific setting because of how sensitive they are. Though these pipefish can live their full life in freshwater, they are actually found in brackish and almost saltwater settings. This extensive range in the wild also plays a massive impact in their breeding as female pipefish deposit their eggs into the breeding pouch of males, the male then incubates the eggs and releases fully formed baby pipefish into marine estuaries or nearby brackish environments. Because of this, the long snout pipefish cannot complete its full lifecycle in a pure freshwater setting, if you are having the intention of breeding this fish, there are a lot of environmental conditions which need to be met for the fry to have the slightest chance to survive. The wild location of long snout pipefish in the indo-pacific region even reaches northern parts of Australia.  

Tank Recommendations for your Long Snout Pipefish 

These pipefish will get to a maximum length of around 20 cm and require a tailor-made environment to suit their needs. The minimum aquarium size that these fish should be kept in is a 60-liter aquarium that is 60cm long, 30cm wide and 30cm tall. 

Long Snout Pipefish require very calm water and replicating this in the home aquarium would be best.

Though the type of substrate used is not too much of a concern, these fish will appreciate harder water parameters with the PH at around 7.5 - 8.0.

This can be easily achieved through the use of an aragonite sand substrate.  

The long snout pipefish will also love plants like java moss and hardscape they can wrap around such as Chola wood.

These Pipefish are also tropical fish that are best kept at 24-26 degrees. 

Suitable Tank Buddies

Due to their extremely peaceful and slow behavior, the long snout pipefish are best kept in pairs. They also require multiple feedings throughout the day and they can get easily outcompeted by other tank mates. If the choice is made to keep them with tank mates it should only be species that can act as clean-up crew or equally slow fish. 

Usually Compatible

Borneo Suckers, Neon tetras, bristlenose plecos, and snails

Sometimes Compatible

Pygmy Corydoras, shrimp, betta, and Endler guppy. 

Rarely Compatible

Any fast-moving species such as danio, black widow tetras, and Congo tetras or aggressive species like red tail shark, and Apistogramma 

Feeding your Long Snout Pipefish

Much like their ocean cousins the seahorses, the long snout pipefish requires regular feedings throughout the day to cope with their incredibly fast digestive system. Feeding them a variety of foods that will be suspended in the water column such as live baby brine shrimp, Grindal worms, frozen Mysis shrimp, copepods and similar species would be best.

A minimum of 2 feedings is required and this can at times overwhelm the filtration in the aquarium leading to nitrate or ammonia spikes so it is always recommended to have ample filtration in the tank.