HomeMarine aquarium fishSeahorses & pipefishPacific seahorse Pacific seahorse (Hippocampus ingens) Scientific name: Hippocampus ingens Girard, 1858 The Pacific seahorse (Hippocampus ingens) is a marine fish of the family Syngnathidae. BiologyNocturnal. Occur in offshore waters, mostly captured by dredging at 10 m or deeper. Occasionally caught at surface. Are often camouflaged within the branches of gorgonians and black coral trees where they are seen to curl their tail around the branches. Have been found in the stomachs of Pacific yellowfin tuna and bluefin tuna. Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameHippocampus ingensFamilySyngnathidae (Pipefishes and seahorses)OrderSyngnathiformes (Pipefishes and Seahorses)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length30.0Depth range0–60 m (0–197 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 60 m, usually 3 - 18 mClimateSubtropicalDistributionEastern Pacific: San Diego in California, USA to Peru including the Galapagos Islands. International trade is monitored through a licensing system (CITES II, since 5.15.04) and a minimum size of 10 cm applies. Reported from the San Francisco Bay by Alexander Agassiz (Ron Fritzsche, pers.comm. 08/09).Conservation status (IUCN)Vulnerable (VU) (A4cd)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm=0.3-0.4) More seahorses & pipefishLined seahorseHippocampus erectusLongspine snipefishMacroramphosus scolopaxLong-snouted seahorseHippocampus guttulatusLeafy seadragonPhycodurus equesNarrow-bellied seahorseHippocampus angustusBarbour's seahorseHippocampus barbouriSee all seahorses & pipefish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026