Ornate Ghost Pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus)

The Ornate Ghost Pipefish or Solenostomus paradoxus is one of the hardest fish to spot in the ocean.  First of all they are relatively small, only growing to about 12cm in maximum length.  This combined with the fact that their bodies look more like coral or seaweed than an actual saltwater fish, makes them a master of camouflage!

This species is just one of the over 200 different species of Pipefish!  As you can see in the pictures they are long and slender with a tiny mouth and appendages that cover their bodies and help them to blend into their surroundings.  Ornate Ghost Pipefish are normally found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans in and around reefs.  They come in a variety of colors including black, yellow, red and even transparent!  You can check out the Ornate Ghost Pipefish underwater in the video below... 

Also known as the Harlequin Ghost Pipefish, they will spend most of their days floating upside down with their mouth pointed downwards.  They use their mouths as a vacuum of sorts to consume their food, normally tiny crustaceans.  If you know any more information about this close relative to the Seahorse, please leave us a comment.