Dragon Pipefish

The Dragon Pipefish is a striking and relatively large pipefish species that features bold alternating bands of dark brown or black and white encircling its rigid, elongated body. The caudal fin is bright red or orange with a prominent flag-like shape, which it waves conspicuously while swimming. Reaching approximately 7 inches in length, it is one of the larger Doryrhamphus species and makes an impressive display animal for dedicated syngnathid aquariums.

In the wild, Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus inhabits cave walls, overhangs, and ledges on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to Japan and the Great Barrier Reef. Like its close relative the Blue Stripe Pipefish, it exhibits cleaning behavior, hovering at stations where larger reef fish come to have parasites removed. The species is typically found in pairs that share a home territory within protected reef crevices, often hanging upside down on cave ceilings in a characteristic posture.

The Dragon Pipefish is a rewarding but demanding aquarium species that requires careful attention to diet and tankmate selection. Its elongated body and tubular snout are adapted for suctioning up tiny crustaceans one at a time, making it unable to compete with conventional aquarium fish for food. A dedicated pipefish or seahorse tank, or a very calm reef aquarium with only the gentlest tankmates, is essential. An established refugium producing copepods and amphipods is the single most important factor for long-term success. With proper husbandry, this species can thrive for years and may even breed in captivity.