Poseidon's Realm Thorny Seahorse

Thorny Seahorse
Hippocampus histrix
Hippocampus Barbouri

Identification: Base color variable, including pale pink, yellow or green; spines often dark tipped; may have pale ‘saddles’, often filled with small dark spots, across dorso-lateral surfaces; snout not striped.

Behavior: A rare inhabitant of shallow sheltered reefs, found among clumps of algae or in seagrass beds. Large adults occur pelagically and are probably associated with drifting debris. Associated with sponges and sea-squirts.

Maximum Length: 17 cm.

Origin: Indo-Pacific: Tanzania and South Africa to Hawaii and Tahiti, north to Japan, south to New Caledonia. Reported from the Arafura Sea.

Minimum tank size: 20 Gallon

Feeding and diet: Frozen, enriched Mysis shrimp, copepods, Hawaiian Red Shrimp.

Availability: Not common in the aquarium trade

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