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Manado pipefish (Microphis manadensis) — Syngnathidae

Manado pipefish

Microphis manadensis
Family: Syngnathidae

The Manado pipefish (Microphis manadensis) is a brackish-water fish of the family Syngnathidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Solomon Is., Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Indonesia, Vanuatu, Palau, Papua New Guinea and others

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Description

The Manado pipefish is a pipefish (Syngnathidae) from shallow seagrass, weedy and coral-rubble water around Australia and the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 15 cm and has a very slender, stiff, ring-armoured body with a tubular snout, strongly camouflaged among water plants. As a slow swimmer it sucks up small crustaceans and planktonic animals. The male carries the eggs on his belly or in a pouch. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Manado pipefish?

The Manado pipefish has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Manado pipefish live?

The Manado pipefish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around algae or seagrass beds. Oceania: Solomon Is., Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Indonesia, Vanuatu, Palau, Papua New Guinea and others

How big does the Manado pipefish get?

The Manado pipefish grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Manado pipefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Manado 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

Manado pipefish (Microphis manadensis) — Syngnathidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Tse Chung Yi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Manado pipefish (Microphis manadensis) — Syngnathidae — 3
Tse Chung Yi (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Manado pipefish (Microphis manadensis) — Syngnathidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Tse Chung Yi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Manado pipefish (Microphis manadensis) — Syngnathidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Whispers of Aqua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Manado pipefish sourced
Scientific name
Microphis manadensis
Family
Syngnathidae
Other names
Mando river pipefish; Menado pipefish; Short-tailed pipefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Mouth position
Beak-shaped sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow sourced
Natural range
Oceania: Solomon Is., Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Indonesia, Vanuatu, Palau, Papua New Guinea 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
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. 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 Microphis

More from the family Syngnathidae

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