Tiger-Tail Seahorse (Hippocampus comes)
Fish in the family Syngnathidae. Expert care. Reef Safe.
Quick facts
Appearance
Tiger-Tail Seahorse exhibits a slender, upright body with a distinctive prehensile tail used for anchoring to seagrass and coral. The body is patterned with vertical dark bands or stripes on a lighter background, giving the species its common name. Adults are typically tan, yellow, or grayish with dark brown or black vertical markings.
Diet and feeding
Requires frequent feeding of live copepods, amphipods, mysid shrimp, and other small crustaceans. Must be fed 2-3 times daily with small portions; seahorses have low metabolic tolerance and cannot compete effectively with other fish for food.
Difficulty and care for the Tiger-Tail Seahorse
Tiger-Tail Seahorses are expert-level aquarium subjects. They require dedicated low-flow, heavily planted or seagrass-anchored setups, frequent small feedings of live zooplankton, stable water conditions, and are prone to bacterial and parasitic infections. Not recommended for general reef aquariums.
Common health issues
Marine ich, Fin rot, Swim bladder disorders, Columnaris disease, Velvet disease
Origin and habitat
Indo-Pacific region, ranging from Indonesia and the Philippines westward through coastal Southeast Asia to Vietnam and southern China. Found in shallow seagrass beds and mangrove areas.
Log Tiger-Tail Seahorse in your reef tank
Reef Trak gives you the full record on every species in your tank: acquisition date, source, photos, parameters at time of stocking, and links to maintenance and feeding events. Track Tiger-Tail Seahorse alongside everything else in your reef.
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