Introducing Cosmocampus elucens. The Shortfin Pipefish is a hardy pipefish species native to the seagrass beds of the Western Atlantic. This species is very similar to their seahorse cousins in appearance and behavior, and they make excellent seahorse tank mates. This species is highly variable in coloration, and they can even camouflage to match their surroundings.
Shortfin Pipefish are a demersal variety of pipefish, spending most of their time meandering around on the substrate and rocks. During feeding time, however, they become very lively and will free-swim in the water column hunting down frozen mysis shrimp. Pipefish are playful and socially engaging animals that make unique and wonderful pets.
Wild-caught pipefish are extremely difficult to keep because they typically only eat live foods. Captive-bred pipefish are raised on prepared foods, making them much easier to keep. They’re quite hardy when provided with the proper seahorse-specific environment and care. Biota’s captive-bred pipefish are healthy and robust, being bred and raised in Biota’s North Carolina facility by marine biologists with decades of seahorse experience.
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Editor’s Note: After consulting with the most recent 2023 List of Captive-Bred Marine Aquarium Fishes, and reviewing available online information, we have determined that this is the first reported successful captive-breeding of Cosmocampus elucens. It is also the first pipefish of the genus to be added to CORAL’s list. Despite being a wide-ranging species in the Western Atlantic region, it seems there has been little if any reports of aquarium husbandry prior to this time.
