Despite their unique appearance, seahorses are actually members of the pipefish family! They have fins and gills, just like other fish, and feed by slurping food into their tube-like mouths.
They live in warm, temperate waters amongst sea grasses, mangroves, corals, and within estuaries. To avoid being swept away by shifting currents, they wrap their tails around the stems of vegetation.
There are more than 50 seahorse species worldwide; Long Island Aquarium’s Exhibit features the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus), which can be found locally.
Behind the scenes, Long Island Aquarium Aquarists maintain an active breeding program that helps supply the thriving pet trade – and other Aquariums – while preserving wild populations.
