All fish / Syngnathidae

Three-spot seahorse

Hippocampus trimaculatus

Also known as flat-faced seahorse, three-spotted seahorse, longnose seahorse, low-crowned seahorse, trimac seahorse, trimac, ม้าน้ำสามจุด, kuda laut, イバラタツ, 三斑海马

This is a medium-sized seahorse with a low, flat crown, a long snout and usually three dark spots along the top of the body behind the head. It can be black, brown, yellow or sandy. Keepers like it because it is unusual and shows interesting pair behaviour, but it should be kept in a quiet species tank with plenty of places to hold onto.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

A pair or small group, with roughly 40 litres added per extra pair

Diet

Carnivore: enriched frozen mysis shrimp, live brine shrimp and small live crustaceans, fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: southern China, Japan, Southeast Asia to northern Australia and India

Breeding

The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch and gives birth to hundreds of tiny planktonic fry after about two to three weeks. Getting pairs to breed is fairly easy, but raising the fry is difficult because they need live rotifers and copepods, then newly hatched brine shrimp.

Good to know

All Hippocampus species are listed on CITES Appendix II, so buy captive-bred stock where you can. Wild fish often refuse frozen food and carry disease. Keep them away from fast or aggressive tankmates and stinging corals, and avoid strong currents.