What Are the Northern Pipefish Predators?

The northern pipefish is a small, long fish closely related to the seahorse. Northern pipefish are found along the Atlantic coast of North America, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico. Their diet consists mostly of tiny crustaceans, and they feed by spraying water out of their small snouts, creating a vacuum that returns water full of food. Large pipefish can grow to be up to a foot in length, but most are significantly smaller. To avoid predators, pipefish use their long bodies to hide among grasses at the sea bottom, but the fierce fish that rely on them for food aren't always so easily fooled.

  1. Perch and Bass

    • Perch and bass, two closely related species, are predators that feed on many different species, especially crabs, shrimp and small fish such as the northern pipefish. Although not as long as the northern pipefish, the larger bodies and sharp teeth of perch and bass make them fearsome hunters of the thin, toothless pipefish.

    Garpike

    • The garpike, or gar, is a long, flat fish family that includes the alligator gar and the longnose gar, two fish that feed in the same waters as the northern pipefish. Gar hunt similar to the way pipefish hide, through camouflage. Gar sit motionless on the bottom of the sea and wait for prey to pass overhead, then they spring off the seafloor and eviscerate their dinner. Gar commonly grow to more than two feet in length, and their size and strength easily overpowers the smaller pipefish.

    Drum and Weakfish

    • The drum family of fish includes the state fish of Delaware, the weakfish. Weakfish can grow up to three feet in length and usually hunt schooling fish, but will attack a northern pipefish if it gets the opportunity. Red and black drum fish are more likely to prey on pipefish, as they're hunters of solitary fish. The drum family gets its name because the fish can vibrate their swim bladder to make a loud drumming sound, and they can be found on most of the Atlantic coast.

    Sharks

    • Many different species of sharks inhabit the same waters as the northern pipefish, including sandbar sharks and sharpnose sharks. While the larger sharks don't generally bother with the pipefish, sandbar and sharpnose sharks are smaller, bottom-feeding sharks that feed on crustaceans and small fish such as the northern pipefish. Sandbar sharks are one of the few fish that give birth to live young.

    Atlantic Devil Ray

    • While rays such as the Atlantic sting ray and the cownose ray don't pose much of a danger to northern pipefish, the Atlantic devil ray is another story. The Atlantic devil ray feeds by pushing its way through the grasses on the sea floor and shoveling anything it can eat into its mouth. Because the pipefish uses those grasses to both feed near and hide in, the Atlantic devil ray is a natural enemy.