Esa R. Mikkonen, Finnland
Info
Choeroichthys sculptus is a shy, solitary pipefish that inhabits tidal reef shallows and seagrass beds at depths of up to several meters (Kuiter 2000).
Studies of this species have found Choeroichthys sculptus in shallow mangrove basins in western Madagascar (Weis 2009), in reef flats and lagoons in southern India (Murthy et al. 1989), and in mudflats and seagrass beds (Zoostera capensis) in Mozambique (De Boer et al. 2001).
The small pipefish is characterized by a short snout and a body and tail that are approximately the same length.
The animal is dark brown in color and has 2–3 rows of black-edged white spots on its sides, larger white spots along its back, and dark spots on its underside and on both sides of its head.
The trunk and tail rings have notches between the rings with conspicuous shields, each with a protruding ridge or keel.
Males have small white ocelli in a parallel row along the trunk.
Etymology:
The genus name “Choeroichthys” comes from Greek, where “choiros” means pig and “ichthys” means fish.
The species name ‘sculptus’ comes from Latin, where sculptus means “carved,” referring to the conspicuous keeled scutella.
Synonyme:
Doryichthys sculptus Günther, 1870 · unaccepted
Doryrhamphus macgregori Jordan & Richardson, 1908 · unaccepted
Microphis ocellatus (Snyder, 1909) · unaccepted (Ambiguous synonym: not Duncker, 1910)
Our special thanks go to Esa R. Mikkonen from Finland, who took the photo of Choeroichthys sculptus in Romblon in the Philippines!
The term "reef safe" is often used in marine aquaristics, especially when buying a new species people often ask if the new animal is "reef safe".
What exactly does reef safe mean?
To answer this question, you can ask target-oriented questions and inquire in forums, clubs, dealers and with aquarist friends:
- Are there already experiences and keeping reports that assure that the new animal can live in other suitably equipped aquariums without ever having caused problems?
- Is there any experience of invertebrates (crustaceans, hermits, mussels, snails) or corals being attacked by other inhabitants such as fish of the same or a different species?
- Is any information known or expected about a possible change in dietary habits, e.g., from a plant-based diet to a meat-based diet?
- Do the desired animals leave the reef structure "alone", do they constantly change it (boring starfish, digger gobies, parrotfish, triggerfish) and thus disturb or displace other co-inhabitants?
- do new animals tend to get diseases repeatedly and very quickly and can they be treated?
- Do known peaceful animals change their character in the course of their life and become aggressive?
- Can the death of a new animal possibly even lead to the death of the rest of the stock through poisoning (possible with some species of sea cucumbers)?
- Last but not least the keeper of the animals has to be included in the "reef safety", there are actively poisonous, passively poisonous animals, animals that have dangerous biting or stinging weapons, animals with extremely strong nettle poisons, these have to be (er)known and a plan of action should have been made in advance in case of an attack on the aquarist (e.g. telephone numbers of the poison control center, the treating doctor, the tropical institute etc.).
If all questions are evaluated positively in the sense of the animal(s) and the keeper, then one can assume a "reef safety".
Studies of this species have found Choeroichthys sculptus in shallow mangrove basins in western Madagascar (Weis 2009), in reef flats and lagoons in southern India (Murthy et al. 1989), and in mudflats and seagrass beds (Zoostera capensis) in Mozambique (De Boer et al. 2001).
The small pipefish is characterized by a short snout and a body and tail that are approximately the same length.
The animal is dark brown in color and has 2–3 rows of black-edged white spots on its sides, larger white spots along its back, and dark spots on its underside and on both sides of its head.
The trunk and tail rings have notches between the rings with conspicuous shields, each with a protruding ridge or keel.
Males have small white ocelli in a parallel row along the trunk.
Etymology:
The genus name “Choeroichthys” comes from Greek, where “choiros” means pig and “ichthys” means fish.
The species name ‘sculptus’ comes from Latin, where sculptus means “carved,” referring to the conspicuous keeled scutella.
Synonyme:
Doryichthys sculptus Günther, 1870 · unaccepted
Doryrhamphus macgregori Jordan & Richardson, 1908 · unaccepted
Microphis ocellatus (Snyder, 1909) · unaccepted (Ambiguous synonym: not Duncker, 1910)
Our special thanks go to Esa R. Mikkonen from Finland, who took the photo of Choeroichthys sculptus in Romblon in the Philippines!
The term "reef safe" is often used in marine aquaristics, especially when buying a new species people often ask if the new animal is "reef safe".
What exactly does reef safe mean?
To answer this question, you can ask target-oriented questions and inquire in forums, clubs, dealers and with aquarist friends:
- Are there already experiences and keeping reports that assure that the new animal can live in other suitably equipped aquariums without ever having caused problems?
- Is there any experience of invertebrates (crustaceans, hermits, mussels, snails) or corals being attacked by other inhabitants such as fish of the same or a different species?
- Is any information known or expected about a possible change in dietary habits, e.g., from a plant-based diet to a meat-based diet?
- Do the desired animals leave the reef structure "alone", do they constantly change it (boring starfish, digger gobies, parrotfish, triggerfish) and thus disturb or displace other co-inhabitants?
- do new animals tend to get diseases repeatedly and very quickly and can they be treated?
- Do known peaceful animals change their character in the course of their life and become aggressive?
- Can the death of a new animal possibly even lead to the death of the rest of the stock through poisoning (possible with some species of sea cucumbers)?
- Last but not least the keeper of the animals has to be included in the "reef safety", there are actively poisonous, passively poisonous animals, animals that have dangerous biting or stinging weapons, animals with extremely strong nettle poisons, these have to be (er)known and a plan of action should have been made in advance in case of an attack on the aquarist (e.g. telephone numbers of the poison control center, the treating doctor, the tropical institute etc.).
If all questions are evaluated positively in the sense of the animal(s) and the keeper, then one can assume a "reef safety".
