All fish / Syngnathidae

Pot-bellied seahorse

Hippocampus abdominalis

Also known as big-belly seahorse, bigbelly seahorse, potbelly seahorse, pot belly seahorse, big-bellied seahorse, abdominalis seahorse, ม้าน้ำพุงใหญ่, ポットベリーシーホース, kuda laut perut besar, 大腹海马, 膨腹海马

This is one of the largest seahorses, with a big rounded belly, a long prehensile tail and blotchy yellow, brown or cream colouring. Captive-bred stock takes frozen food readily and becomes very tame, so it is popular with keepers who can provide a cool-water tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

25 cm

Temperature

16 to 22 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Pair or small group

Diet

Carnivore: frozen mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp and amphipods, fed several times daily

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Southern and eastern Australia and New Zealand

Breeding

The female lays her eggs in the male's brood pouch, and he gives birth to several hundred fry after about a month. It breeds readily in captivity and the large fry are among the easier seahorse young to raise on enriched Artemia and copepods.

Good to know

It is a temperate species that needs a chiller and suffers in warm tropical reef tanks. All seahorses are listed on CITES Appendix II, so buy captive-bred fish with proper paperwork.