Home · Syngnathidae · Brock's pipefish
Brock's pipefish (Halicampus brocki) — Syngnathidae

Brock's pipefish

Halicampus brocki
Family: Syngnathidae

The Brock's pipefish (Halicampus brocki) is a saltwater fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–45.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is., New Caledonia and others

Want the complete picture on the Brock's pipefish?

Get the app

Description

Brock's pipefish is a small pipefish (Syngnathidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a slender, bony-ringed body with skin appendages and flaps with which it camouflages among coral rubble, weed and sand, and a short tubular snout. With this it sucks up small zooplankton. Like other pipefishes the male carries and broods the eggs. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brock's pipefish?

The Brock's pipefish has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Brock's pipefish live?

The Brock's pipefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is., New Caledonia and others

How big does the Brock's pipefish get?

The Brock's pipefish grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Brock's pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Brock's pipefish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Brock's pipefish (Halicampus brocki) — Syngnathidae — 2
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Brock's pipefish (Halicampus brocki) — Syngnathidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — prilfish (CC BY 2.0)
Brock's pipefish (Halicampus brocki) — Syngnathidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Glen Whisson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Brock's pipefish (Halicampus brocki) — Syngnathidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Brock's pipefish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Brock's pipefish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Brock's pipefish sourced
Scientific name
Halicampus brocki
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Brock's pipefish; Tasselled pipefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
45.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is., New Caledonia and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Halicampus

More from the family Syngnathidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Brock's pipefish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Brock's pipefish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Brock's pipefish? Get the app