Triplefin - Spectacled

• The spectacled triplefin is the only species in the genus Ruanoho. It's head is flattened with large eyes surrounded by a dark band giving rise to its common name. The head and fins have a pattern of fine blue lines. Its large pectoral fins are used as props when resting on the bottom where it spends most of its time.In the breeding season in winter and spring the males become darker, with a blue/black head and black first dorsal fin, and dark bars on the body.

  
  
  
  Difficulty:
  Easy to keep in a mature system if you can supply live foods.
  Description:
  Body slender and snout elongate a slender tail without a fin. The body widens out and looks flattened in females, males are more slender with a brood pouch on the underside of the tail immediately behind the anal fin. No tail fin. Grows to 16.2 cm.
  Habitat:
  Usually found inhabiting harbours and sheltered coastlines amongst seaweeds around rocky areas in fairly shallow water, can be found in deeper waters as well. They are more active at dusk and night than in the daytime spending most of the day anchored by their tail to rocks or weed.
  Temperament:
  A peaceful fish 
  Minimun Tank Size:
  100 litres preferably larger.
  Tank Age / Maturity:
  At least 6 months 
  Diet:
  Pipefish feed on small crustaceans, such as amphipods and shrimp, which are sucked into their tube-like snouts and ingested whole, in the aquarium they can be fed on live mysid Shrimp, mosquito wrigglers, daphnia and whiteworms (very fatty) also frozen foods such as mysid and brineshrimp
  Special Requirements:
  Pipefish should only be kept in a mature, cycled marine aquarium. Their tank must have gentle to moderate currents for them as they are not strong swimmers and to enable them to be able to feed properly. Very hard to get to accept frozen foods
  Incompatibilities:
  Easily out competed for food by faster fish, does well with Weed fish and seahorses.

• Scientific Name: Ruanoho whero
• Habitat: It is commonly found around New Zealand from depths of a few metres to about 30m, most common in reef areas of broken rock.
• Temperament: Peaceful, Easy to keep in a mature system if you can supply live foods.
• Tank Age/Maturity: 4 Months and at least 100 litres.
• Threatened Species: N/A
• Special Requirements: This fish will require live food to get established to tank life easily out competed for food by more aggressive fish.
• Endemic: n/a
• Size: Its length is between 4 to 8 cm