All fish / Syngnathidae

Yellow-banded Pipefish

Doryrhamphus pessuliferus

Also known as yellowbanded pipefish, yellow banded pipefish, banded pipefish, janss pipefish, yellow-banded flagtail pipefish, dunckerocampus pessuliferus, ヨスジタツノイトコ, 黄带海龙

A slim pipefish banded in yellow and red with a small rounded tail fan marked in white and red. It hovers near caves and overhangs on reefs and is kept for its striking colours and gentle, curious behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Single or a mated pair

Diet

Carnivore: live and frozen mysis, copepods, enriched brine shrimp, small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and nearby reefs

Breeding

Males carry the eggs on a brood area under the belly until they hatch. Spawning happens in captivity with established pairs, but rearing the tiny fry on live copepods and rotifers is difficult.

Good to know

Needs frequent small feeds of live or frozen foods and should not be housed with fast or boisterous feeders or fish that nip. Often confused with the Janss pipefish, Doryrhamphus janssi, which has a dark mid-body rather than yellow.