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Hippocampus kuda - Common Seahorse Care

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Hippocampus kudaPhoto by Debbie and Stan Hauter

Identification:

  • Family: Syngnathidae (Seahorses, Pipefishes, and Leafy Seadragons)
  • Subfamily: Hippocampinae
  • Species: Hippocampus kuda (Bleeker, 1852) is the accepted name for this seahorse that has many other species synonyms.

    Common Names:

    Common, Spotted, Yellow, Black, Vietnamese Seahorse.

    Distribution:

    This is a wide-ranging Indo-Pacific seahorse that inhabits waters from Indonesia to the Philippines, Pakistan and India to southern Japan, Hawaii, and the Society Islands, but it might be possible that variations of this species may also reside in other areas outside of the Indo-Pacific region.

    Averge Size:

    To almost six inches.

    Characteristics and Compatibility:

    H. kuda seahorses range in color from black to orange and yellow. Black individuals often have silvery stripes or other markings on the body, and sometimes unique yellow individuals can be dotted with red spots. A protective trait that this and many other seahorses have is the ability to change color to match into their surroundings. It is not unusual for them to take on the coloration of a favorite object one has decided to adopt as a hiding place. They prefer stationary perches they can wrap their tails around, and should not be kept with anemones or corals that possess large stinging tentacles.

    Diet and Feeding:

    Seahorses should be fed live or (if they will take it) vitamin enriched frozen or freeze-dried mysid shrimp. Seahorses should be fed several times per day with food available for 20 to 30 minutes per feeding. Wild caught Seahorses may be slow to accept frozen or freeze-dried mysid shrimp as food to begin with and may have to be fed live foods until they are weaned onto prepared foods. Tank raised Seahorses are normally trained to accept frozen or freeze-dried mysid shrimp at an early age and will make the transition to your tank much more easily than wild caught.
    • Suggested Reading

    Seahorse Photo GallerySaltwater Aquarium 101 - Getting Started10 Most Common Mistakes

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    DIY Seahorse TankTop Saltwater Aquarium Myths15 Easy Corals for Your Reef Tank

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