by Faisal Abedin
Normally, seahorses are found around seagrass beds, mangrove roots, and coral reefs. They mostly live in shallow temperate and tropical waters, between 13 to 50 feet (4 to 15 m) deep in oceans. Besides, seahorses are also found in 50 degrees north to 50 degrees south latitude in the West Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Region. On top of that, some seahorses can tolerate a wide range of sanity and can be found in estuaries.
One of the interesting facts about seahorses is that you can even buy them from local markets and keep them as pet in your aquarium.
In this article, you’ll find everything that you need to know about where seahorses are found. Besides, we’ll also spit out some interesting facts about seahorses that you didn’t know before.
Let’s begin…
Where do Seahorses Live?
Seahorses live in different parts of the world, mainly in marine regions. There are more than 47 types of seahorses, and their living areas vary from species to species. But most of them are found in shallow, temperate, and tropical oceans all over the world.
To cut it short, seahorses can be found in different places based on the water body, geographical location, type, adaptability, depth, and water temperature.
Type of Water
If you’re ever looking for seahorses, try searching in shallow and clean water because seahorses mainly live in these types of water bodies.
Note that, sea horses are terrible swimmers. They cannot withstand high-velocity currents or tides. So they prefer to stick around bushes or other marine animals or in a place with low velocity of currents to prevent getting washed away.
Locations
As you already know, most seahorses are found in the West Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Region; exceptions also exist. The location of a seahorse depends on the body type and varies from species to species.
Note that not all types of seahorses can be found in the same place. As there are many species of seahorses, some seahorse, like the longsnout seahorse (Hippocampus reidi), is found in the Caribbean region of the Western Atlantic. On the other hand, the common seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) is found in the Mediterranean sea. They’re found in warmer regions of the Atlantic as well.
Here’s a list of a few seahorses and where they’re found-
| Name | Location |
| Paradoxical seahorse | SW Australia |
| Sodwana pygmy seahorse | South Africa |
| Patagonian seahorse | Brazil to Argentina |
| Pontoh’s pygmy seahorse | Indo-Pacific |
| Satomi’s seahorse | Indo-Pacific |
| Tyro seahorse | Seychelles |
| Japan pig pygmy seahorse | Japan |
| Collar seahorse | Australia |
| Softcoral seahorse | Red Sea |
| Giraffe seahorse | W. Indian Ocean |
Adaptability
Seahorses are typically rare to find and locate. And one of the main reasons behind it is their camouflaging ability. Seahorses are called the master of camouflage.
Seahorses prefer to live around seagrass beds and mangrove roots, so they can change their colour and mix with the surrounding environment. They use this to hide from predators and avoid being noticed.
Depth
As typical seahorses weigh between 7 ounces to 1 pound, they’re intolerant to heavy currents. That’s why most seahorses can be found between 13 to 50 feet deep in oceans.
However, a few seahorses can be found even at 100m depth.
Temperature
Seahorses are very sensitive. That means they cannot easily adapt to all types of environments or all temperatures. Besides, seahorses cannot tolerate too cold or too hot water. Rather they prefer to live in a cooler environment where the temperature ranges between 14 to 19 degree Celsius (57 F to 66 F). This is one of the many reasons that makes them different from other fishes.
So if you’re planning to pet seahorses in your home/aquarium, make sure to adjust the temperature range mentioned above. On top of that, a few factors also need to be considered for keeping seahorses in an aquarium. We’ll cover it in the latter part. So keep reading…
Are Seahorses for Trade?
Yes, seahorses are traded among different countries and continents. The first trading of seahorses started around 1996, and it’s still running today. Seahorses are mainly traded for producing medicines and to be kept in aquariums as pets.
Other than oceans and deep seas, seahorses can also be found in other countries like Thailand. China, USA, Cameroon, Senegal, Bangladesh, India, etc.
Thailand is one of the largest exporters of seahorses. Seahorses are used by the Chinese to produce different types of medicines. That’s why China, Taiwan, and the USA are known to be the largest importers of seahorses.
Do Seahorses Survive in Aquariums?
If you’re one of those who’d love to have seahorses as pets, there’s good news for you!
Yes, seahorses can be kept as pets in aquariums and survive too. But there’s a catch…
Seahorses are finicky. Meaning they are sensitive and they require exceptional environments to survive. For keeping a seahorse in an aquarium, you’ll need to control water temperature properly, switch and refill water, and control the pH level and salinity. Not to mention. Besides, the aquarium needs special filters, and regular algae scrubbing is a must!
Considering all these, this is a huge hassle for beginners.
Conclusion
So that’s all about locations, types of water bodies that seahorses prefer and some other interesting facts about seahorses. We believe we’ve answered your general queries, and you now know where seahorses are found.
If you want to know where to buy seahorses, you can search in your local market, and who knows, you can buy them from there! But remember, keeping a seahorse in an aquarium as a pet is a big hassle. Their survival chance is low if not taken care of properly and the entire process is expensive as well. So it’s highly discouraged, especially for beginners.
