#0116 · Kanto · Generation 1

Horsea

Dragon Pokémon · Water-type

Horsea is a Water-type Pokémon, the Dragon Pokémon, number 116 (#0116) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.4 m tall and weighs 8 kg.

Horsea is a tiny Water-type seahorse filed as a Dragon Pokémon, and it spends its days swimming with dance-like motions that stir up whirlpools.

How to pronounce Horsea

Horsea is pronounced HOR-see. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Horsea said out loud:

In Japanese it is タッツー (Tattu).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Horsea is a light blue seahorse, 0.4 m tall and 8 kg, with red eyes, a long tubular mouth, three spiky fins on each side of its head and a ridged cream belly. Its dorsal fin lets it move in any direction without turning, and its coiled tail acts as a balance and an anchor against strong currents. If it senses danger it squirts water or thick black ink.

Behaviour

Horsea swim with dance-like motions that create whirlpools, and they compete over whose is biggest. The Crystal Pokédex says that in a safe spot they playfully tangle their tails together. The Pokédex also says they can knock flying bugs from the air with blasts of ink. Bulbapedia adds that the male raises the young.

Habitat

The Pokédex places Horsea in oceans with gentle currents, nesting in the shade of coral. In Scarlet and Violet it arrives by transfer or trade, and The Indigo Disk adds it to the Canyon, Coastal and Polar Biomes and the Torchlit Labyrinth.

Diet

The Ruby Pokédex says it eats small insects and moss from rocks.

Powers

Swift Swim doubles its Speed in rain and Sniper strengthens critical hits; Damp is hidden. Its moves back up its Dragon label with Dragon Breath at level 20, Dragon Pulse at 40 and Dragon Dance at 50. With HP 30 and Special Defense 25 it is fragile.

Name origin

Horsea may blend 'seahorse' with 'horsie', a childish word for a horse. The Japanese name is Tattu (タッツー), which may come from 竜 tatsu ('dragon') or tatsu no otoshigo, the Japanese word for a seahorse.

Design inspiration

Horsea is based on a seahorse. Its Dragon Pokémon category may nod to a Japanese myth in which a seahorse reaching a hundred years old becomes a dragon. Bulbapedia also reads its ink as squid-like and its snout and Sniper Ability as water-gun-like. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Horsea evolves into Seadra at level 32. Seadra trades up to Kingdra if it holds a Dragon Scale during the trade.

In the games

Horsea is one of the original Generation I Pokémon, and Bulbapedia notes no Trainer or story role for it in the core series. The Indigo Disk also offers it in 1-star Tera Raid Battles, and Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Misty's Horsea debuted in 'Tentacool & Tentacruel', where it helped stop a rampaging giant Tentacruel, and she caught it off-screen. In 'The Misty Mermaid' she leaves it with her sisters at the Cerulean Gym.

Fun facts

• Horsea's Red and Blue artwork gave it two fins instead of one, and the anime referenced that old design in 'Alola, Kanto!'.
• Horsea shares its Dragon Pokémon category with Dratini's line, Salamence and Goodra.
• In the Pokémon Generations episode 'The Cavern', three wild Horsea swim near the Mossdeep Space Center.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Horsea (Pokémon) · Serebii: Horsea (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 30
• Attack: 40
• Defense: 70
• Sp. Atk: 70
• Sp. Def: 25
• Speed: 60

Horsea’s base stat total is 295. Its highest stat is Defense and Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Horsea weak to?

Horsea takes extra damage from Electric (2×), Grass (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Water (½×), Ice (½×), Steel (½×).

Evolution

How does Horsea evolve?

Horsea evolves into Seadra at level 32.

The whole family: Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra.

• Seadra evolves into Kingdra (Trade holding Dragon Scale).

Abilities

• Swift Swim: Doubles Speed during rain.
• Sniper: Strengthens critical hits to inflict 3× damage rather than 2×.
• Damp (hidden ability): Prevents Self-Destruct, Explosion, and Aftermath from working while the Pokémon is in battle.

Moves

Moves Horsea learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (28)

Horsea can learn 28 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Agility, Protect, Water Pulse, Chilling Water, Facade, Swift, Icy Wind, Endure, Rain Dance, Sleep Talk, Waterfall, Rest, Flash Cannon, Dragon Dance, Substitute, Liquidation, Dragon Pulse, Surf, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Outrage, Tera Blast, Weather Ball, Flip Turn, Scale Shot, Whirlpool, Muddy Water.

Egg moves (5):Aurora Beam, Clear Smog, Disable, Flail, Splash.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Water 1, Dragon.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 225 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Sp. Atk effort value.
• Base experience yield: 59.

Pokédex entries

They swim with dance-like motions and cause whirlpools to form. Horsea compete to see which of them can generate the biggest whirlpool. (Shield)

Horsea makes its home in oceans with gentle currents. If this Pokémon is under attack, it spits out pitch-black ink and escapes. (Sword)

If it senses any danger, it will vigorously spray water or a special type of ink from its mouth. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

If Horsea senses danger, it will reflexively spray a dense black ink from its mouth and try to escape. This Pokémon swims by cleverly flapping the fin on its back. (Alpha Sapphire)

Horsea eats small insects and moss off of rocks. If the ocean current turns fast, this Pokémon anchors itself by wrapping its tail around rocks or coral to prevent being washed away. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)

It makes its nest in the shade of corals. If it senses danger, it spits murky ink and flees. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, Y)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 11% of all Pokémon (0.4 m).
• Heavier than 23% of all Pokémon (8 kg).
• Base stat total 295, ranked #882 of 1,025.
• One of 154 Water-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 170 blue Pokémon.
• Number 116 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 40 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 225: about 29.4% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 14 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Horsea (Pokémon), Serebii: Horsea (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (HOR-see): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Water-type Pokémon · Kanto region guide · Swift Swim ability · Sniper ability · Damp ability · Compare Horsea · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 1 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Blue Pokémon list · Water 1 egg group · Dragon egg group · Pokémon that start with H · Fish Pokémon · Seahorse Pokémon

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