Striped Pufferfish

The striped puffer fish or Striped pipefish, scientific name Microphis lineatus, belongs to the family Syngnathiformes (Needle-shaped). The fish is native to the coastal tropical waters of the American continent. It is found in fresh, brackish and sea water along coastlines from the southern states of the United States (Florida), Mexico to Brazil, as well as in the Caribbean. The typical habitat of this species is thickets of Sargassum brown algae.

Description

Adults reach a length of up to 20 cm. The fish has an unusual body – very elongated and thin, which resembles a twig. The back is brownish, the belly is white. Red dots run along the body in a dotted line. There are also red dots on the head.

The body shape and coloration is an effective camouflage if the fish is among Sargassum algae.

The striped pufferfish is a marine fish. However, it spawns in slightly saline water in river estuaries or in fresh water upstream. For this reason, it can be kept in brackish aquariums.

Behavior and Compatibility

Peaceful calm species, gets along well with relatives and other aquarium fish that can live in brackish water. For example, Swallowfish, Spatterfish, Argus speckled and others.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 250 liters.
• Temperature – 23-28°C
• Value pH — 6.0–8.0
• Water hardness – medium and high hardness (15-30 dGH)
• Substrate type – any
• Lighting – subdued
• Brackish water – recommended at a concentration of 15 gr. salt per 1 liter
• Water movement – moderate
• The size of the fish is about 20 cm.
• Nutrition – live food
• Temperament – peaceful
• Keeping in a group of 3-4 individuals

Maintenance and care, arrangement of aquariums

The optimal size of the aquarium for a group of 3-4 fish starts from 250-300 liters. When keeping, it is important to ensure that the salinity of the water is about half that of the sea, that is, at least 15 grams of sea salt should be dissolved in each liter of water.

The design should provide for places with dense aquatic vegetation, including floating. A good choice would be artificial plants that mimic the shape and color of Sargassum algae.

It is important to maintain a stable water composition and prevent the accumulation of organic matter. Brackish water has a high pH at which organic decomposition products (ammonia compounds) are most dangerous to aquarium inhabitants.

Food

They feed exclusively on live food, brine shrimp are a good choice.

Features of reproduction

The striped pipefish is closely related to the seahorse, which is reflected in a similar breeding strategy. In this group of fish, males take care of the offspring. With the onset of the spawning season, Pufferfish swim in the lower reaches of the rivers away from marine predators, where the breeding process takes place. Adult males take fertilized eggs from females in a special bag located on the abdomen, and carry them until the fry appear.