Madura Pipefish

Interesting Info

• They are found in shallow waters along the southern and western coasts of Australia, from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Jervis Bay in New South Wales.
• Madura Pipefish have a long, slender body with a tubular snout and a small mouth at the end. They are generally brown or grey in colour, with small spots or stripes on their body.
• They have a unique swimming style – they move through the water by undulating their body from side to side, rather than using their fins.
• These fish are typically found in seagrass beds, where they blend in with their surroundings to avoid predators.
• Madura Pipefish are ovoviviparous, which means that their eggs develop inside the female’s body until they hatch and are released as fully-formed young.
• The male Madura Pipefish carries the fertilised eggs in a specialised pouch on his belly until they are ready to hatch. The male can carry up to 100 eggs at a time, and may carry them for several weeks before they hatch.
• Madura Pipefish feed on small crustaceans and other tiny animals, which they suck into their mouth using their tube-like snout.
• Their lifespan is not well documented, but it is believed to be around 1-5 years.