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Pot-Bellied Seahorse

Hippocampus abdominalis

Marine Marine Australasia Usually captive bred

One of the largest seahorse species, distinguished by its bulbous abdomen and graceful carriage. Unlike tropical species, it requires a dedicated temperate marine aquarium with gentle water flow, ample hitching posts, and frequent feeds of live or enriched frozen mysis shrimp.

Also called: Big-bellied seahorse, Bigbelly seahorse, Big-belly seahorse, Eastern potbelly seahorse.

25 cm adult length, drawn to scale. slim body.

Outgrows a typical home tank. Check this fish against the adult size above before buying a juvenile. The minimum shown is the least it is kept in for good, not a comfortable size.
Saltwater species. The planner judges it with a marine rule set. A reef or fish-only tank takes months to mature and costs more to run than freshwater. See the marine page.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 1 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 25 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 300 L, at least 100 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 50 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 3 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 16 to 20 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 8.1 to 8.4 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 8 to 12, KH 8 to 12 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Low Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Moderate Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size Single fish is fine Not a schooling species.
Temperament Peaceful Not territorial.
Swims in All levels Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 7 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Experienced keepers only A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.
Salinity Marine, about SG 1.023 to 1.025 Needs salt water, a different build and a longer-running tank than a freshwater set-up.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Pot-Bellied Seahorse is an carnivore that swims in all levels of the tank. It is safe with plants. Give it plenty of cover.

Tankmates

Works with

No close matches in the data. Check the pair tool.

Depends

Nothing flagged.

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.