Leafy and Weedy Sea Dragon

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Leafy Sea Dragon

Fast Facts

Type:Fish
Diet:Carnivore
Size:Leafy, up to 13.8 in (35 cm), Weedy, up to 18 in (46 cm)
Did you know?The tail of a male leafy sea dragon will turn bright yellow when he is ready to mate

Sea dragons are some of the most ornately camouflaged creatures on the planet. Adorned with gossamer, leaf-shaped appendages over their entire bodies, they are perfectly outfitted to blend in with the seaweed and kelp formations they live amongst.

Endemic to the waters off south and east Australia, leafy and weedy sea dragons are closely related to seahorses and pipefish. Leafies are generally brown to yellow in body color with spectacular olive-tinted appendages. Weedies have less flamboyant projections and are usually reddish in color with yellow spots.

Sea dragons have very long, thin snouts; slender trunks covered in bony rings; and thin tails which, unlike their seahorse cousins, cannot be used for gripping. They have small, transparent dorsal and pectoral fins that propel and steer them awkwardly through the water, but they seem quite content to tumble and drift in the current like seaweed. Leafies grow to a length of about 14 inches (35 centimeters), while the slightly larger weedies can grow up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) long.

As with sea horses, sea dragon males are responsible for childbearing. But instead of a pouch, like sea horses have, male sea dragons have a spongy brood patch on the underside of the tail where females deposit their bright-pink eggs during mating. The eggs are fertilized during the transfer from the female to the male. The males incubate the eggs and carry them to term, releasing miniature sea dragons into the water after about four to six weeks.

Sea dragons survive on tiny crustaceans such as mysids, or sea lice. It is not known if they are preyed upon by other animals. They are, however, frequently taken by divers seeking to keep them as pets. In fact, such takings shrank their numbers so critically by the early 1990s that the Australian government placed a complete protection on both species. Pollution and habitat loss have also hurt their numbers, and they are currently listed as near threatened.

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Weedy Sea Dragon

For Lou x

They are so graceful aren't they .. i like the weedy ones better though i think x

Nigel loves the leafy ones but both are stunning, there is a ribboned sea dragon as well x

the weedy seahorses are beautiful x

they kind of just blend in camouflage

awww i like the weedy one best too but thy are all cute xx

That is their main defence - they like the seagrass beds to hide in x

The yellow and blue on the weedy is so vibrant .x

All I can say there is WOW never seen these before!!

Hey hey, you are a fluff ball as well - love it x

aww,they are so beautiful! You nearly lost me in the shed today, I was totally mesmerised by them.

Wait till we get all the new brood stock in - you will be amazed by the difference in each species x

I will have to come over when Nigel gets them in .x

Oh wow. I defo have to come and see them! you won't be able to get me out of there! :Dx

Will make sure Nigel is properly dressed!

They are beautiful. You should post a picture of the inside of the shed for us who live to far away to visit. I am quite sure you guys did a marvelous job.

Helen has posted some Lisa ..x

Oh cool I will go look for them. thank you

Very nice and you have a palm tree too.

Hehe, aww, if he wants to walk around his house in his dressing gown then it is we who should avert our eyes. hehe.

I was just grateful he didn't have his socks on!