The ornate pipefish is a small sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 18 cm.

[4] The head is small and does not really stand out from the rest of the body, it has a long snout which extremity can be covered with skin growths.

The ornate pipefish is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific from the eastern coast of Africa, Red Sea included, until Salomon Islands and from South Japan to the Queensland's area in Australia.

[5] The ornate pipefish is found close to the bottom between the surface and 25 meters deep.

[6] It prefers areas such as reef, sandy bottom or coral rubble with algae or debris in which it can easily hide.