WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Japanese Seahorse

Hippocampus mohnikei

Also known as: Lemur-tail Seahorse

VUVulnerableIUCN Red List, 2017
Adult
@megadeth1876 · Tientsin, China · January 20141 / 1
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs anchored with their tails over muddy bottoms, in seagrass beds of estuaries and coral reefs, also sometimes off-shore attached to drifting seaweed rafts.
They feed on zooplankton which they suck whole into their mouths.

Pipefishes and Seahorses are unique in that the male gives birth! The female deposits their eggs after fertilisation into the males pouch to incubate the eggs for one month before giving birth.
They attach to anything they can get their tail around, even each other usually close to the bottom to blend in with their surroundings.
Seahorses are a threatened species because it is sought after for Chinese medicine.

02

How to identify

Pattern
blotches
Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs anchored with their tails over muddy bottoms, in seagrass beds of estuaries and coral reefs, also sometimes off-shore attached to drifting seaweed rafts.

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion 1

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1 comment

  • zidane· 24 Jul 2025

    thank you for making this article very useful and keep up the good work

    Helpful
ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

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Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classTeleostei
  4. orderSyngnathiformes
  5. familySyngnathidae
  6. genusHippocampus
  7. speciesHippocampus mohnikei Bleeker, 1853

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

06

More in the family

Pipefishes-Seahorses (Syngnathidae)