Robust ghost pipefish

Robust Ghost Pipefish ( Solenostomus cyanopterus )

The robust ghost pipefish ( Solenostomus cyanopterus ), also called Seagrass ghost pipe fish, lives in the Red Sea and tropical Indo-Pacific from the coast of East Africa to Fiji, north to southern Japan and south to Australia.

Features

The species is variably brown, pink or yellow in color with small black and white dots. Between the first three hard rays of the dorsal fin are two elongated black spots. Adult fish can reach a length of ten centimeters. There are 24 to 26 vertebrae. The body is protected by bony plates 27 to 35.

Fins formula: Dorsal V/17-22, Anal 17-22.

The caudal fin is spade-shaped or rounded, the tail fins short stem, in large females he disappears completely. The pelvic fins of females are transformed into a brood pouch for the eggs.

Way of life

The fish first living pelagic and go only propagate around the ground-based life over. Then you live in depths up to 25 meters along coastal reefs. The robust ghost pipefish is monogamous and always in pairs encountered. As with all ghost pipefish are the females with their pelvic fins a brood pouch and carry the eggs until hatching of juveniles around with you. They feed on small crustaceans.