A sea horse is not really a horse. It’s a small fish with a head that resembles that of a horse. Most sea horses are tiny. In fact, the common sea horse, the biggest kind of sea horse, is only about 5 inches (13 centimeters) long.

Sea Horse males take charge of the eggs, which are placed in an abdominal pouch

Sea horses are some of the strangest looking fish. A sea horse has big eyes and a long, tube-shaped mouth that looks like the snout of a horse. It has a slim body and a thin, flexible tail. Hard, bony rings that are like armor cover a sea horse’s body. Bony spines near the top of its back resemble a horse’s ears.

WHERE DO SEA HORSES LIVE?

Sea horses are a kind of fish called pipefish. Like most pipefish, sea horses live in warm, tropical seas all over the world. But some sea horses live in cooler seas. Most sea horses live in shallow waters close to shore.

There are about 30 species (kinds) of sea horse. The common sea horse lives along the Atlantic coast of North America.

HOW DO SEA HORSES SWIM?

Like all fish, sea horses can swim. Sea horses can swim when they are straight up in the water. A sea horse propels itself along by waving its small dorsal fin (back fin). Sea horses are slow swimmers. They swim fastest when they look like they are lying face down.

Sea horses often prefer to remain in one place. A sea horse uses its tail to hold on to water plants.

WHAT DOES A SEA HORSE EAT?

Sea horses and other pipefish like to eat tiny shrimp and other small animals with shells called crustaceans. Crabs, shrimp, and lobsters are big crustaceans. Sea horses search for little crustaceans that live in clumps of underwater plants. They suck them in through their toothless snouts.

BABY SEA HORSES

Sea horses reproduce in an unusual way. A female sea horse lays her eggs in a pouch on the belly of a male sea horse. The male sea horse carries the eggs until they hatch and are ready to leave his pouch.

SEA HORSES IN AQUARIUMS

Many people keep sea horses as pets in home aquariums (water tanks). Sea horses are delicate and need special care. Each sea horse needs at least 2 gallons (8 liters) of sea water to stay healthy. Pieces of coral and other objects should be placed in the aquarium for sea horses to cling to.

A good diet for sea horses is live food, such as baby brine shrimp. If well cared for, sea horses can live as long as six years.

Scientific classification: Sea horses make up the genus Hippocampus in the family Syngnathidae. The common sea horse is classified as Hippocampus hudsonius.