How does the pipe-fish look and where does the fish live?

Nature has peopled the seas and oceans with amazing creatures, which sometimes seem unearthly and unreal. For example, fish-pipe (see photo below).

An amazing creature of an unusual form, of which we know practically nothing. The flotation family includes only four species that belong to the same genus. And all of them - owners of unusual appearance.

What does a pipe fish look like?

To begin with, this fish is known by several names, including a flute and a whistle. And all thanks to an unusual shape. Body elongated and round, disproportionately long head and jaws (make up almost 1/3 of the entire length) end with a tubular mouth, slightly flattened, which really is like a flute. The length on average is 50-70 cm, and individual individuals reach one and a half meters. The body is covered with small ctenoid scales (thin, translucent and round in shape with notches on the outer margin). Color is most often bright, typical for inhabitants of warm waters - green or yellow, less often brown or red shade. There may be stripes or spots along the body. In addition, fish-pipe has the ability to change the color under the influence of external stimuli.

Familiarity with this fish is often associated with recreation at the resorts, when tourists are inspired by an unprecedented variety of inhabitants of the sea to dive with scuba diving. And their attention is attracted by this slightly strange, but very beautiful fish.

Than eats?

Specific appearance and structure of the body determine the ways of eating. Fish-trumpet lives in the coastal zone and hunts near coral reefs singly or in small flocks. The main diet is small crustaceans and fish, cephalopods and arthropods. It easily captures them among the reefs. There is an opinion that for hunting she uses two tactics. The first way: hides behind a larger fish, and at the right time rushes to the victim, often clinging to it with the help of fins, which, incidentally, are rather poorly developed. Therefore, to gain high speed for the chase after the victim, the fish-pipe can not. The second way is that it simply freezes in an upright position, merging with the surrounding situation. When the extraction appears in the zone of reach, it immediately pounces on it. Her mouth is the same as a regular pipe. Fish also uses it in a peculiar way, upright in the head, like a pig, it rummages in mud to find food.

He leads a low-active lifestyle, which is primarily due to the structure of the body, but it is beautifully camouflaged in corals and seaweed.

Where does he live?

The habitat is wide enough - it's the Pacific and Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea. Fish-pipe - inhabitant of coastal waters in the area of 150 m and at a depth of about a hundred meters. More often than not, she peacefully waits her prey among reefs or rocks. It is edible and has good taste qualities, in connection with which, for example, it is used in Japanese national cuisine.

Chinese fish flute

This is one of the three species of the family flutoral. Its habitat is the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Maldives and Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The length of the body is about 60 cm. The maximum length of individual individuals is 70-80 cm. The color varies from pure yellow to green or brown with various spots. She has a muzzle like a pipe. Fish can open the mouth to the size comparable to the diameter of its body. Dorsal and anal fins transparent, marked at the root with a black stripe. This single inhabitant of warm waters feeds on either fish or shrimp, usually choosing one kind of food. He prefers to hide and hide in natural shelters, closer to the bottom.

Fish-pipe common

This is a typical representative of the family flutoral from the order of needle-shaped. The fish reaches a medium size of about 70 centimeters. Dwells along the coast of Florida and Bermuda to the north of South America. Fish-pipe ordinary has a characteristic for the whole family structure of the body and mouth, which is able to stretch quite widely and allows you to capture medium-sized fish. Very often they are found in aquariums.

Contents in the aquarium

The fish-pipe is suitable for aquarium maintenance quite well. But it is important to remember that in connection with the size of her body (70-80 centimeters), a large amount of water is required, from 300 liters. The aquarium is best to choose an elongated, at least two meters long. Since it is an inhabitant of warm seas and oceans, the water temperature should be maintained within 25-26 ° C. In addition, the fish is demanding for cleanliness and high oxygen content. In captivity, life expectancy will average about 5 years with proper and careful care. In the daily diet should include small fish, shrimp, crustaceans, preferably fresh, but you can gradually become accustomed to frozen food.