Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Hippocampus - Seahorses

Hippocampus capensis

Boulenger, 1900

Knysna Seahorse

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Southeast Atlantic Ocean: Endemic to South Africa.

Size: 4 inches (10 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits bays and estuaries where seagrass is well established, and feeds on minute crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade and having a greenish or brown body. Requires an environment that is well-suited to these slow moving fishes, i.e., having slow moving water currents, preferably low light, and structures or large microalgae growths that can be used to grab-on and support itself.

As to diet, meaty foods consisting of enriched live adult brine shrimp and/or enriched frozen mysis shrimp, and fed several times daily.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Syngnathiformes

    Suborder: Syngnathoidei

    Family: Syngnathidae

    Genus: Hippocampus

FYI: Tankmates should be limited to species such as pipefish/mandarins.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Their own private environment/special tankmates

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 80°F (22 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Hippocampus capensis (Knysna Seahorse)
Photo © Leslie Leddo
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