Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)
Fish in the family Syngnathidae. Expert care. Reef Safe.
Quick facts
Appearance
The Lined Seahorse is a small, upright fish with a prehensile tail and tubular snout. Body color ranges from tan to brown or yellow, often with darker vertical bars or lines along the trunk and tail (hence "Lined"). The body is covered in bony rings and can change color slightly to match surroundings.
Diet and feeding
Feed live copepods, amphipods, and mysis shrimp multiple times daily. Seahorses are slow feeders and require abundant live food sources; frozen food is rarely accepted. The tank should have strong populations of natural prey organisms.
Difficulty and care for the Lined Seahorse
Lined Seahorses are challenging and require expert-level care. They demand pristine water quality, frequent feeding of live foods, stable conditions, and a low-flow environment. They are slow swimmers vulnerable to competition and predation.
Common health issues
Starvation, bacterial infections, parasites, gas bubble disease, inability to compete for food with other fish
Origin and habitat
Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence south to the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Found in seagrass beds, mangroves, and shallow coastal waters.
Log Lined Seahorse in your reef tank
Reef Trak gives you the full record on every species in your tank: acquisition date, source, photos, parameters at time of stocking, and links to maintenance and feeding events. Track Lined Seahorse alongside everything else in your reef.
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