Straightnose pipefish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Straightnose pipefish |
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The straightnose pipefish (Nerophis ophidion) is a unique type of pipefish. It lives in salty water that is not quite as salty as the ocean, called brackish water. You can find it in parts of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the Baltic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea.
What Does It Look Like?
At first glance, the straightnose pipefish might remind you of a worm. But it's definitely a fish! Its head is tiny and looks a lot like a seahorse's head. This is because they are closely related.
The body of the pipefish is round, like a tube. Its fins are very small. You might confuse it with the broadnosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle). However, the broadnosed pipefish is a bit stronger and has a body shaped like a hexagon.
Straightnose pipefish are usually green with a yellowish belly. Female pipefish have light blue marks on their head and body. When it's time to breed, both males and females become more colorful. The male's snout even turns yellow! These fish usually grow to be about 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 inches) long. The biggest ones can reach up to 30 centimeters (about 12 inches).
Where Does It Live?
This fish lives along the coasts of Europe in the North-eastern Atlantic. Its home stretches from southern Norway all the way down to Morocco. You can also find it in the Baltic, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea.
The straightnose pipefish likes to live on sandy bottoms. It can be found in water that is 2 to 15 meters (about 6 to 49 feet) deep. It often hides among plants and other things growing on the seafloor.
Life in the Water
The straightnose pipefish loves to live among eelgrass and seaweed. It often wraps its tail around these plants. This helps it stay hidden and keeps its head up. Being well-camouflaged helps it blend in with its surroundings. This way, it can avoid predators and surprise its prey.
It eats tiny creatures like zooplankton and copepods. It sucks them into its mouth, which acts like a small vacuum cleaner.
How They Reproduce
The straightnose pipefish is special because of how it reproduces. Like seahorses and other pipefish, the male takes care of the eggs. This means the female's job is to find a good male to mate with.
Female straightnose pipefish often compete with each other to attract males. Males then choose which female they want to mate with. Because of this, females have developed special features. They have unique colors and skin folds that help them look more attractive. Females are also more active in trying to get a male's attention. After mating, the male carries the eggs until they hatch.
