Taxonomy & naming
Microphis deocata was described by Hamilton in 1822 in the genus Syngnathus, from Baruni in the Ganges River system, India. The parentheses around the authority record that it has since been moved to Microphis. It belongs to Syngnathidae, the pipefishes and seahorses.
Morphology
FishBase gives a maximum of 6 in SL. Like other pipefishes it has a long, slender body encased in bony rings, a tubular snout and no pelvic fins.
Habitat
FishBase classes it as freshwater, demersal and amphidromous, meaning individuals move between fresh and salt water during their life cycle. It is found in rivers, streams and lakes among aquatic plants, in India and Bangladesh.
Feeding
Diet is not recorded in the FishBase entry. Pipefishes suck in small crustaceans and other tiny live animals through the tubular mouth.
Mating
Courtship has not been described beyond the male brooding recorded under breeding.
Breeding
FishBase records that the male carries the eggs in a brood pouch found under the tail, and lists the species as ovoviviparous. Brood size and development time are not recorded.
In the aquarium
Freshwater pipefishes are specialist feeders that usually need live foods such as baby brine shrimp and small crustaceans. Because the species is amphidromous, young fish may need brackish water to develop. Husbandry for this particular species is not documented, and temperature, pH and hardness are not recorded.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List assessed Microphis deocata as Near Threatened in 2016.