Description

Also known as Blackside Pipefish, Flagtail Pipefish, Japanese Blue-striped Pipefish.

Found singly, or in pairs, a cleaner pipefish found sheltering in caves, reef crevices, sponges and in the spines of sea urchins, sharing space with other creatures, like moray eels, mud crabs, and shrimps, over coastal lagoons, in tide-pools, and outer reefs.
They feed on parasites from other fish and zooplankton, which they suck whole into their mouths.
Length - 8.5cm
Depth - 0-30m
Widespread Western Pacific

Pipefish are like seahorses in that the male gives birth!
The female deposits their eggs after fertilisation into the males pouch located under their tail to incubate the eggs for one month before giving birth. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/23083