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 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.