#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;

my $string = '>blabla1|anyting1|blabla2|anyting2|blabla3|';

# with split
my $third = (split(/\|/, $string))[2];

# with regex
my ($third_regexed) = $string =~ /^[^\|]+\|[^\|]+\|([^\|]+)\|.*/;

print "splitted: $third\nregexed: $third_regexed\n";

##</code><code>##

splitted: blabla2
regexed: blabla2