"I can't think of a soul who claims to have eaten a meal of seahorse... However, it has been used for centuries as an herbal supplement, that I know. A supplement for what, I haven't the foggiest."
After being accepted by Blathers, the seahorse can be found bobbing around in the sea tank of the aquarium.
In City Folk
"This creature is covered in hard scales that suggest a relation to crabs or shrimp, but it's a proper fish. That said, it's a dreadful swimmer and can't usually move against powerful currents, eh wot? In such environments, the sea horse will cling to kelp and stay there until the waters calm a bit... Seeing those little fellows holding on for dear life makes me want to cheer them on! Cling, sea horse!"
It can be found in the bottom-right tank with the other small, sea fish like the clownfish and sea butterfly.
In New Leaf
Upon donation, the information board outside the tank that houses the seahorse says:
"Sea horses don't look like fish, but they still share a lost of distinct connections. They use their small dorsal fins and tail fins to swim, but in actuality they're pretty bad swimmers. They wrap their tail fins around seaweed or coral so they won't float away with the current. Once attached, they feed on plankton and small shrimp that float by. The female deposits eggs in the male's pouch, putting the burden of child care on the male."
In New Horizons
When donating to Blathers or selecting "Tell me about this!" in New Horizons, he will provide the following information about the fish:
"A, a favorite of mine, to be sure! The sea horse is such a very unique creature and is indeed a fish! Though, as far as fish go, sea horses are not great swimmers. The sea horse, you see, has but a wee fin on its back, which propels it through water rather poorly. Thus these fish are often found using their prehensile tails to hold tight in amongst the sea grass. And here's one final fact for you... Sea horses have no stomach and so must constantly feed to stay alive! Indeed, the life of a land horse sounds far easier than that of the hardworking horse of the sea."
Fishing Tourney
During a Fishing Tourney, when given a sea horse, Chip will say the following dialogue.
In City Folk
"Oh, and one thing: Do. Not. Eat. Sea horse. They taste of newspaper and earwax. Nyuuuk nyuk nyuk nyuk!"
In New Leaf
"Let's talk sea horses. They're... not the most attractive. Am I still gonna eat one? Of course I am! C'mon! Bottoms up!"
The males carry the eggs in a brood poach located under the tail. The females lay their eggs into the pouch, and the male carries them around until they hatch. It is a harmless fish, popular in private and public aquariums.
Names in other languages
タツノオトシゴ Tatsunōtoshigo
Seahorse (lit. "dragon's illegitimate child"; the common name for Hippocampus coronatus in Japan)
↑All bugs and fish in the first-generation games can appear at a lower spawn rate up to five days before the start of their first month of availability.