| Bony Fishes |
Weedy Seadragon
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus
| Conservation Status: Safe for Now - Protected
- Aquarium of the Pacific, B.Gray
- Seadragons like temperate water
so the water in their habitat is colder
than that in the rest of the Tropical
Pacific Gallery exhibits.
Weedy seadragons are found only in Australian coastal waters where they are most commonly found in a thin strip of shallow water along the coastline. Although they appear to be seaweed when drifting in the water column almost motionless, weedy seadragons are actually bony fish. They are related to seahorses, pipefish, and seamoths.
Facts and Features
- Geographic Distribution
Widespread in southern Australia coastal waters from the east coast near Sydney to Perth and on the west coast to the southern tip of Tasmania
- Amazing Facts
The weedy seadragon is the official marine animal emblem of the state of Victoria in Australia. The emblem was selected by public nomination and was proclaimed by the governor of Victoria in October 2002.
- At the Aquarium
Our aquarium was the first in the world to successfully bred weedy seadragons. Our juveniles were distributed to other aquariums and zoos in Minnesota, South Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, and Hawaii. Our experiences have been shared with other facilities so that successful breeding programs in protected environments can lessen collection pressure on wild animals.