Snake Pipefish - Corythoichthys intestinalis
Snake Pipefish (Corythoichthys intestinalis)
The Snake Pipefish, Corythoichthys intestinalis, is a delicate and unusual marine pipefish with a long slender body, intricate scribbled markings and a gentle gliding movement through the aquarium. Also known as the Scribbled Pipefish, Banded Pipefish or Messmate Pipefish, this Indo-Pacific species is best suited to peaceful mature reef or specialist aquariums where it can browse for tiny crustaceans among rockwork, sand, rubble and coral structure. It is reef safe and fascinating to observe, but it needs calm tank mates, low food competition and regular access to small live or frozen foods.
Common Name:
Snake Pipefish, Scribbled Pipefish, Banded Pipefish, Messmate Pipefish, Australian Messmate Pipefish.
Scientific Name (Latin):
Corythoichthys intestinalis
Maximum Size:
Up to around 16 cm.
Water Type:
Marine
Origin / Natural Habitat:
Indo-West Pacific, including tropical reef regions of Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, northern Australia and nearby central Pacific areas. Naturally found on shallow sandy, rubble, mixed sand-coral and reef-flat habitats, including lagoons and sometimes seaward reefs. It is usually seen in pairs or small loose groups, moving close to the substrate and reef structure.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–27°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Hardness or Salinity: SG 1.023–1.025
Temperament:
Very peaceful and easily outcompeted. Best kept with calm, slow-feeding reef-safe fish such as small gobies, peaceful cardinalfish, seahorses in suitable specialist systems, tiny blennies and other gentle pipefish. Avoid aggressive, fast-feeding or predatory tank mates, including triggers, puffers, hawkfish, large wrasses, dottybacks, boisterous damsels and large predatory shrimps.
Diet:
Specialist micro-predator. In nature, it feeds on tiny crustaceans and other small prey found around sand, rubble, coral and rock surfaces. In the aquarium, offer live or frozen copepods, enriched brineshrimp, cyclops, calanus, rotifers, finely chopped mysis and other very small meaty marine foods. Many specimens are slow to accept prepared foods, so a mature aquarium with natural pod life and regular targeted feeding is strongly recommended.
Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 150 litres is recommended for a pair in a specialist or very peaceful reef setup, with larger mature aquariums preferred for long-term stability and natural microfauna production. This species should not be added to busy community aquariums with heavy feeding competition.
Behaviour & Activity:
A slow, deliberate pipefish that spends much of its time weaving around rockwork, rubble, sand patches and coral bases while picking at tiny food items. It is often seen in pairs, and males carry eggs in a brood pouch under the tail. It is not a strong swimmer, so it needs gentle to moderate flow with quieter feeding zones rather than constant turbulent current.
Reef Safe:
Reef Safe
Safe with corals and most peaceful reef invertebrates. It does not nip corals or disturb sessile invertebrates, although it will eat tiny copepods and other microcrustaceans as part of its natural diet. The main reef concern is not coral compatibility, but whether the aquarium is peaceful enough and rich enough in small foods to support it.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature, stable aquarium with abundant copepods, established rockwork and peaceful tank mates. Cover pump intakes, weirs and strong filtration openings, as pipefish are slender and delicate. Feed small portions several times daily if natural food is limited, and monitor body condition closely. Avoid copper-based treatments and sudden salinity changes. This is a specialist syngnathid and should not be treated as a standard community marine fish.
Suitable for:
Experienced fishkeepers
Availability:
Occasional in trade
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.
Original: $33.63
-65%$33.63
$11.77
Description
Snake Pipefish (Corythoichthys intestinalis)
The Snake Pipefish, Corythoichthys intestinalis, is a delicate and unusual marine pipefish with a long slender body, intricate scribbled markings and a gentle gliding movement through the aquarium. Also known as the Scribbled Pipefish, Banded Pipefish or Messmate Pipefish, this Indo-Pacific species is best suited to peaceful mature reef or specialist aquariums where it can browse for tiny crustaceans among rockwork, sand, rubble and coral structure. It is reef safe and fascinating to observe, but it needs calm tank mates, low food competition and regular access to small live or frozen foods.
Common Name:
Snake Pipefish, Scribbled Pipefish, Banded Pipefish, Messmate Pipefish, Australian Messmate Pipefish.
Scientific Name (Latin):
Corythoichthys intestinalis
Maximum Size:
Up to around 16 cm.
Water Type:
Marine
Origin / Natural Habitat:
Indo-West Pacific, including tropical reef regions of Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, northern Australia and nearby central Pacific areas. Naturally found on shallow sandy, rubble, mixed sand-coral and reef-flat habitats, including lagoons and sometimes seaward reefs. It is usually seen in pairs or small loose groups, moving close to the substrate and reef structure.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–27°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Hardness or Salinity: SG 1.023–1.025
Temperament:
Very peaceful and easily outcompeted. Best kept with calm, slow-feeding reef-safe fish such as small gobies, peaceful cardinalfish, seahorses in suitable specialist systems, tiny blennies and other gentle pipefish. Avoid aggressive, fast-feeding or predatory tank mates, including triggers, puffers, hawkfish, large wrasses, dottybacks, boisterous damsels and large predatory shrimps.
Diet:
Specialist micro-predator. In nature, it feeds on tiny crustaceans and other small prey found around sand, rubble, coral and rock surfaces. In the aquarium, offer live or frozen copepods, enriched brineshrimp, cyclops, calanus, rotifers, finely chopped mysis and other very small meaty marine foods. Many specimens are slow to accept prepared foods, so a mature aquarium with natural pod life and regular targeted feeding is strongly recommended.
Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 150 litres is recommended for a pair in a specialist or very peaceful reef setup, with larger mature aquariums preferred for long-term stability and natural microfauna production. This species should not be added to busy community aquariums with heavy feeding competition.
Behaviour & Activity:
A slow, deliberate pipefish that spends much of its time weaving around rockwork, rubble, sand patches and coral bases while picking at tiny food items. It is often seen in pairs, and males carry eggs in a brood pouch under the tail. It is not a strong swimmer, so it needs gentle to moderate flow with quieter feeding zones rather than constant turbulent current.
Reef Safe:
Reef Safe
Safe with corals and most peaceful reef invertebrates. It does not nip corals or disturb sessile invertebrates, although it will eat tiny copepods and other microcrustaceans as part of its natural diet. The main reef concern is not coral compatibility, but whether the aquarium is peaceful enough and rich enough in small foods to support it.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in a mature, stable aquarium with abundant copepods, established rockwork and peaceful tank mates. Cover pump intakes, weirs and strong filtration openings, as pipefish are slender and delicate. Feed small portions several times daily if natural food is limited, and monitor body condition closely. Avoid copper-based treatments and sudden salinity changes. This is a specialist syngnathid and should not be treated as a standard community marine fish.
Suitable for:
Experienced fishkeepers
Availability:
Occasional in trade
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.
