Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Pegasus

Pegasus volitans

Linnaeus, 1758

Longtail Sea Moth

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Mozambique to Persian Gulf, north to Southern Japan, and south to eastern Australia.

Size: 6 inches (15 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits silty bottom areas of bays and seagrass beds on coastal reefs and estuaries and is usually found at depths between 3 - 200 feet (1 - 60 m) where it feeds strictly on small bottom located crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Occasionally collected for the trade as its somewhat rare in the wild. Can be almost black when on dark muddy bottom areas, yet is lighter when on paler surfaces.

Best maintained in aquariums with wide-open/quite extensive substrate areas, as this species only feeds on crustaceans it finds directly on the substrate surfaces. In other words, will not swim into the water column to capture prey. It’s also quite peaceful/shy, therefore tankmates should also be quite peaceful, as fast moving aggressive tankmates will annoy this species, possibly pick on it, and prevent it from feeding.

As to diet, requires a meaty diet of live foods only, e.g., enriched brine shrimp and grass shrimp, and be fed five to ten times a day.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Gasterosteiformes

    Suborder: Syngnathoidei

    Family: Pegasidae

    Genus: Pegasus

FYI: Often an extremely poor shipper.

Unsuitable for the average home aquarium.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons

Temperature Range: 74 - 80°F (23 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Pegasus volitans (Longtail Sea Moth)
Photo © John Randall
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