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Spotted Seahorse
Seahorse

Spotted Seahorse

Hippocampus kuda

Also called the Yellow or Common Seahorse, Hippocampus kuda ranges across the Indo-Pacific and typically shows black, brown or yellow coloration flecked with spots or bars. It is a specialist, not a beginner fish — slow and weak-swimming, it is easily outcompeted for food and needs a dedicated low-flow, species-only (or extremely peaceful) tank with 2–3 enriched-mysis feedings a day. Choose captive-bred stock — widely available and far hardier than wild-caught.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
6"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork
Keep one or a bonded pair.
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Tankmates

How Spotted Seahorse gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Spotted Seahorse and may harass it.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Spotted Seahorse and may harass it.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Spotted Seahorse.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Spotted Seahorse.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Spotted Seahorse.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Spotted Seahorse.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Spotted Seahorse and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Spotted Seahorse and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Spotted Seahorse and may harass it.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Spotted Seahorse and may harass it.Lunare WrasseLunare Wrasse (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Spotted Seahorse and may harass it.Spanish HogfishSpanish Hogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Spotted Seahorse.