Ringed Pipefish

The Ringed Pipefish is a tiny and strikingly patterned species that features distinctive dark rings or bands encircling its slender, rigid body. At just 3 inches in maximum length, this is one of the smallest pipefish species available in the aquarium trade. The body coloration typically consists of alternating bands of dark brown or black and lighter cream or white, with a characteristically flagged caudal fin in red or orange that provides a vivid splash of color. The overall effect is reminiscent of a miniature banded sea snake, making this an eye-catching species despite its diminutive size.

In the wild, Doryrhamphus melanopleura is found across the Western Pacific, from Japanese waters southward through Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. It inhabits reef caves, crevices, and overhangs, often found hovering upside-down on cave ceilings or alongside vertical rock walls in pairs or small groups. Like other Doryrhamphus species, it may exhibit cleaning behavior, picking parasites from the skin of larger reef fish. Pairs typically maintain a small territory centered on their preferred cave or overhang.

Keeping the Ringed Pipefish is an expert-level endeavor due to its tiny size and extremely specialized feeding requirements. This species feeds exclusively on microscopic copepods and other tiny crustaceans, and its minute mouth limits it to the very smallest food items. A productive refugium and a well-established aquarium with a thriving microfauna population are non-negotiable requirements. The 20-gallon minimum tank should provide caves and overhangs for natural behavior, and tankmates must be limited to the most peaceful, non-competitive species available. Despite its challenges, this diminutive pipefish is deeply rewarding for the experienced syngnathid keeper.