Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
Site Supported in Part by:
Two Little Fishies 

Hippocampus - Seahorses

Hippocampus abdominalis

Lesson, 1827

Big-Belly Seahorse, Pot-Belly Seahorse

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Southwest Pacific Ocean: Australia, and New Zealand.

Size: 12 inches (30 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits rock pools where seagrass is well established, and feeds on minute crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade and usually white or yellowish with brown spots on the head and body. Requires an environment that is well-suited to these slow moving fishes, i.e., having slow moving water currents, preferably low light, and structures or large microalgae growths that can be used to grab-on and support itself.

As to diet, meaty foods consisting of enriched live adult brine shrimp and/or enriched frozen mysis shrimp, and fed several times daily.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Syngnathiformes

    Suborder: Syngnathoidei

    Family: Syngnathidae

    Genus: Hippocampus

FYI: Largest seahorse species in southeastern Australia.

Dried and sold to the Oriental medicine trade.

Tankmates should be limited to species such as pipefish/mandarins.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Their own private environment/special tankmates

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 80°F (22 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Hippocampus abdominalis (Big-Belly Seahorse, Pot-Belly Seahorse)
Photo © Vincent Hargreaves
Site Supported in Part by:
Tunze